AIBU to think that if covid is that serious time of year (Xmas) be irrelevant?

[Treatscatscrave]

That's it, really.
I'm not a lockdown supporter BUT this talk of 'saving Christmas' annoys me. If covid IS that much of a threat, what's the time of year got to do with influencing restrictions?

[Dinocan]

I agree. It undermines the whole lockdown thing really doesn’t it? The virus won’t know it’s Christmas and it will surely cause a surge in cases. If they ‘relax the rules’ for Xmas I think people will start to mix in the weeks before too because they’ll think if it’s ok to do so for 2 weeks at the end of December it’s probably ok to do so for the two weeks at the start of December. That’s those who are following the rules, in my area everyone is carrying on as normal from what I can see.

[flaviaritt]

Christmas is a special time when people feel the need to see friends and family, reflect on the year, be thankful for what they have and celebrate the nice things in life. If you can’t see why people think that’s important 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Felifox]

I live away from family on my own, if there's a 5 day window do I really want to risk train travel for 250 miles, possibly not being able to travel on my booked train or worse driving?

Or would I be better staying at home with friends nearby that I can meet up with outside? That's what I plan to do anyway.

[myhobbyisouting]

"would I be better staying at home with friends nearby that I can meet up with outside?"

Last thing I want to do over the festive period is meet up for a socially distant walk with friends. Many people will have plans with family if this relaxation goes ahead.

[ClassyRodent]

A lot of the public don't really think that covid is that serious though. I feel as though the governments know that they have to make a concession of some kind, so that they can control the situation a bit, rather than too many people revolting and doing exactly what they want because they have had enough of the rules.

[lovelemoncurd]

I don't think people should 'see friends and family' for Xmas only to go to their funerals 6 weeks later. Because for some families that's what they will be doing!

[Treatscatscrave]

I understand that people may not see it as that serious, however, the govt. do so, given that, what difference does time of year make?
Everything else has been cancelled for 8 months.
Just seems really illogical.

[Rockbird]

Because it's been such a shitty year and Christmas was the light at the end of the tunnel, something to look forward to. I don't think people really realised that it was still going to be a problem, me included. I've hardly seen my family this year and we're very close and live near each other and we were so looking forward to it. It's a huge disappointment to have to let it pass by. But we will because it's the right thing to do.

[yelyah22]

YANBU. I think it's insane. People are already not taking the lockdown measures remotely seriously, this is just going to make it worse.

[itchyfinger]

It's not that serious for most people. It's not about saving xmas, i
people being banned from seeing their family for the sake of a few hospital admissions- it was 9 in my local trust (2 hospitals across 2 major towns) last month. Madness. Utter madness.

Also the government dont see it as that serious, hence Cummings, hence schools, hence eat out to help out, hence workplaces being open.

[Itsallpointless]

Giving us 5 days 'off' just to see family (and I'm guessing it'll only be a small gathering allowed) to be followed (after being preceded) by yet more restrictions just makes a mockery of the whole situation.

A virus doesn't take a few days leave so we can go have fun. The government trying to 'sweeten' what's in store

I wouldn't like to be in their shoes, and I don't have any answers, but they are all over the place to be honest.

[cologne4711]

@flaviaritt

Christmas is a special time when people feel the need to see friends and family, reflect on the year, be thankful for what they have and celebrate the nice things in life. If you can’t see why people think that’s important 🤷🏻‍♀️

More important than combatting the virus we've trashed the economy and damaged lives in much more fundamental ways for?

I think people would rather get their tooth abscess sorted or their cancer treatment started or ensure their kids get their GCSE grades than see extended family all on the same day at Christmas.

You can see family, just not all at the same time and it might have to be outdoors. For one year, can people just accept that?

[user113215532352]

It's psychological. They need to manage the human factor, that's why they're doing it.

[flaviaritt]

More important than combatting the virus we've trashed the economy and damaged lives in much more fundamental ways for?

I didn’t say that. It’s obviously a difficult balance to strike. But there are excellent reasons why people believe Christmas is important. It’s not “irrelevant”, and someone who believes it is (IMO) doesn’t understand it.

[Snowdrop30]

YANBU...make Xmas a movable feast and celebrate when we have all been vaccinated

[gildalilly]

I agree OP. All we're doing is lengthening the pain, ensuring more deaths and guaranteeing that more businesses go to the wall and more jobs are lost. The government are trying to ensure their own popularity just before the shit show that is Brexit kicks in.

All the talk of vaccines is buoying people up so that they feel as though it will be safe. We haven't got the vaccine yet. We haven't got an infrastructure to distribute it yet. The government's track record on organising this sort of thing hasn't been great (track & trace!)

It will still be Christmas even if you can't got to the pub or for a meal with friends. People have given up Eid and Ramadan with their families. They've given up birthdays and funerals and weddings and saying goodbye to their dying families.

If it really matters to people why not postpone Christmas and have it later when things are more settled? At least we can move Christmas as it's a construction but you can't move the opportunity to say goodbye to someone dying.

[cluecu]

I also think that many people who have been following the rules would fully intend to mix households at Christmas, even if it isn't allowed. I don't necessarily think to the same large extent as a normal Christmas but it is seen as 'different'.

The government realise that so by allowing it, it's like they're in control as they wouldn't be able to properly police it, especially on Christmas day (and rightly or wrongly it would be another pr disaster for them if they were breaking up Christmas dinners)

Also, 9 months in of covid news is very different 4/5 months in in terms of people's fear of or impatience with it. Again, I'm not saying this is right but it is reflective of a lot of people's attitudes.

[flaviaritt]

Snowdrop30

It’s not a movable feast. It marks something historically important to us: the winter solstice. The last thing I want as the outcome of this crappy year is for people to think they can move Christmas around.

[myhobbyisouting]

"YANBU...make Xmas a movable feast and celebrate when we have all been vaccinated"

Christmas is not a "movable feast" regardless of what happens this year

[MrsMariaReynolds]

Ugggh, this again. People are acting like Christmas will somehow be officially cancelled if lockdown measures persist. Nobody is asking you to forget Christmas this year, just maybe have a scaled-down, quieter version of one at home. It's not hard.

[yearinyearout]

I don't know what to make of covid anymore. There is no doubt that positive test numbers are high, I live in a small town and personally know five households who've tested positive in the last couple of weeks (everyone in each house tested positive) plus loads of others who are friends, colleagues or relatives of friends, and not a single one has been really poorly with it, all have had what felt like an average cold or flu like illness and some were asymptomatic. It doesn't feel like a huge threat anymore.

That said, I will still be careful over Christmas. I have no intention of going round to anyone's house or having people here as my dm is vulnerable. I'm sure lots of people will continue to be wary and act sensibly, and those that don't probably wouldn't have done so anyway, whatever the government "rules".

[DDiva]

@cluecu

I also think that many people who have been following the rules would fully intend to mix households at Christmas, even if it isn't allowed. I don't necessarily think to the same large extent as a normal Christmas but it is seen as 'different'.

The government realise that so by allowing it, it's like they're in control as they wouldn't be able to properly police it, especially on Christmas day (and rightly or wrongly it would be another pr disaster for them if they were breaking up Christmas dinners)

Also, 9 months in of covid news is very different 4/5 months in in terms of people's fear of or impatience with it. Again, I'm not saying this is right but it is reflective of a lot of people's attitudes.

This completely, especially in low number areas.

[VikingVolva]

China cancelled Chinese New Year earlier year - you don't get a much bigger and important festival than that. The Hajj was pretty much cancelled - one of the world's biggest religious observances

Sometimes unpalatable measures are necessary

I've yet to see a Christmas plan that doesn't foreshadow an awful January (for everyone, not just those who are likely to have a happy Christmas) but perhaps someone will come up with one

[OrangeGinLemonFanta]

@MrsMariaReynolds

Ugggh, this again. People are acting like Christmas will somehow be officially cancelled if lockdown measures persist. Nobody is asking you to forget Christmas this year, just maybe have a scaled-down, quieter version of one at home. It's not hard.

For a lot of people is is bloody hard. I'm not complaining, DH had covid and was really ill, I know how nasty it is and we follow the rules, but no family Christmas is a fucking shit end to a fucking shit year and an attempt at empathy wouldn't go amiss from some quarters.

[Bluesheep8]

There'll be a huge increase in cases in January I imagine. Makes a complete mockery of the sacrifices some of is have made for months.