Christmas mixing and Tiers

[meow1989]

I know we are all just guessing at the moment, but ..

I get that its likely we are allowed to mix 3 households total over the 5 days, but doesn't that become moot if your area is tier 1? Because in tier 1 you can mix up to 6 households technically (one from each). Do you think they will have the forethought to clarify this ir will it be more interpreting the rules as you go? (Fwiw I will follow whatever the guidance is, I'm not looking for loophole just curious as to how this would work)

[grandmasterstitch]

I'm not sure many areas will be in tier 1 so it probably won't matter for the vast majority. I reckon we'll all be tier 2 or 3

[meow1989]

I also expect tier 2, at least initially but am being optimistic! Maybe noone will be tier 1 until after Xmas

[frozendaisy]

All so a family plus two sets of grandparents can have Christmas together as that is what most would do anyway.

[Gumps]

Currently having heated discussions as to whose family to chose. God this is so awful. With divorced parents how do you decide?! And unfortunately mine and my husbands choices don’t match. How do you choose your favourite child/parent/in law?

[meow1989]

We have it easy ish in that my parents and dh parents both have 2 children, so although it means I won't be able to see my sister in order to be able to see both of ds grandparents, its not as hard a decision as some have to make. I feel sorry for families with several children or divorced couples.

[frozendaisy]

@Gumps

Currently having heated discussions as to whose family to chose. God this is so awful. With divorced parents how do you decide?! And unfortunately mine and my husbands choices don’t match. How do you choose your favourite child/parent/in law?

Ones who buy the best booze!

[frustrationcentral]

We have the issue that my aunt and uncle (brother and sister) always have Christmas at my parents. My aunt is in M&D's bubble. So potentially that's all 3 households! If my aunt is allowed to be counted in my parents household then they'll have to choose between us and my brother . It is what it is, but it's pretty rubbish

[Justyou]

Have I got this right- If 3 families can mix my parents could mix with me & kids & sis & kids?
How does it work if sis also mixes with her in-laws ? Does that mean my parents are in their bubble and I then can’t see them?

[meow1989]

I believe its like chain links.

So family a can mix with b and c.

B can mix with a and d
C can mix with a and e
D can mix with b and f

And so on.

[MummaBear4321]

@Justyou I think if your sis chooses to meet you and your parents, that's her 2 families chosen, and she cant see her inlaws. This is the issue for many. I get the impression it's you get to choose two families to see, so both sets of grandparents but not siblings, or see one sibling each and their kids but not grandparents. For me it's easy as my family live abroad so it's just DHs parents and Sister, but I dont envy people trying to figure this out. I can see many just seeing whoever they want and ignoring it all.

[crossstitchingnana]

This makes no difference to me and my family. I cannot stay with my parents and I cannot afford to rent somewhere. There had better be no lockdown in NY as I am seeing them then. Soo fucking angry 😡

[LizzieMacQueen]

@meow1989

I believe its like chain links.

So family a can mix with b and c.

B can mix with a and d
C can mix with a and e
D can mix with b and f

And so on.

But isn't a bubble a complete discreet group of 3? No overlapping.

[LizzieMacQueen]

In Scotland it'll be stricter. Guess that's why the announcement is delayed.

[MrsSchrute]

It's more like an extended bubble. So families A, B and C can only mix with each other. No one else.

[RichardMarxisinnocent]

@meow1989

I believe its like chain links.

So family a can mix with b and c.

B can mix with a and d
C can mix with a and e
D can mix with b and f

And so on.

It is absolutely not chain links, it is a closed bubble. A b and c can mix, but none of them can mix with anyone else.

[Autumnblooms]

Really? I thought it was 3 can mix at any one time. So one day, us, and 2 households and on the next day us and two different other households?? Just as long as it’s always 3 maximum- or do I have that wrong??

[StealthPolarBear]

Nothing I've seen so far has said it has to be a bubble

[StealthPolarBear]

I've just refreshed and now it does :)

[MrsSchrute]

This is from Sky News

www.google.com/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/covid-19-christmas-rules-will-allow-three-households-to-gather-together-government-source-12141127

[GooodMythicalMorning]

Its a nightmare for us, divorced parents each side and 3 sets of siblings with families.

[Autumnblooms]

If A,B and C are the 3 and then that’s it, it doesn’t make sense does it. If we are A and B is my mum and C his mum- my mum isn’t going to waste one of her people being C is she- why would she want to see my partners mother over Xmas? Hence why it just must be 3 at a time no matter who?

[RichardMarxisinnocent]

Nicola Sturgeon says this:
She said the three-household bubble was a “fixed bubble for that five-day period - you can’t see two households one day and another two households the next day”.

[meow1989]

Maybe I've got it wrong about the chain links

[meow1989]

But can you see one one day and then each see a different the next day, so no direct mixing of more than 2 households in one go?

[MrsSchrute]

It is going to be a very difficult decision for lots of families, and I think many people will choose just to have Christmas with their bubble.
But it is very definitely a closed bubble of three households.