What does ‘mingle’ mean to you?

[GolightlyMrsGolightly]

From the new English rules published 20 minutes before they came into force

^ a person participates in a gathering as a member of a qualifying group only if they are part of a qualifying group and, whilst participating in the gathering, they do not—
(i) become a member of any other group of persons participating in the gathering (whether or not that group is a “qualifying group”), or
(ii) otherwise mingle with any person who is participating in the gathering but is^

Ooh it means going from group to group, probably in a cocktail dress and almost certainly involves canapés.

It means you can't have 4 groups of 6 at the park that swap people every 20 minutes because actually it is 1 group of 24 and you are trying to get around the rules.

Sharing small talk with several groups/people, usually in a part scenario or social gathering.

I was thinking canapés too, maybe a long cigarette holder...slightly awkward small talk or. Sparkling wit.

@TeenPlusTwenties

It means you can't have 4 groups of 6 at the park that swap people every 20 minutes because actually it is 1 group of 24 and you are trying to get around the rules.

This

So I swim in the area daily. I go when people are likely to also be swimming because that's the guidance on safe open water swimming. My qualifying group is usually 1 - me. But I will smile and chat at I'm passing.

Am I mingling?

Cigarette holder, schmoozing.

So basically, the new rule applies if you are schmoozing.

Maybe banning scmoozing would have been better than mingling....?

I know this is highly ignorant of me but I'm getting a bit fed up of you can do this, you can't do that and instructions changing all the time.

I'm lucky in the sense I'm quite solitary anyway so don't have many dilemmas about what I get up to in a people sense. If I was 20 again and was socialising all the time that would be different, or if you have large extended families that would be hard.

Yes but if we banned schmoozing, Boris would get bored and get up to more mischief.

@CountessFrog

Yes but if we banned schmoozing, Boris would get bored and get up to more mischief.

Schmoozing - I get the impression you quite like the idea.

Anyway god knows what Boris and Cummings will come out with next. Not even 'God' knows.

A type of chocolate

@Thatbliddywoman

A type of chocolate

There’s a chocolate called a Mingle? Ooh.

I interpret mingle as being an undercover cop or a spy blending in with the ‘bad’ crowd but listening for important clues in the chit chat that will crack the case wide open and mean everyone knows how brilliant I am. I’m all for it personally.

Well, that would be nice getting given a bar of chocolate. Would make more sense than government policy.

Mingling to me means stuck in a room you don't want to be in, awkwardly avoiding eye contact while people you don't want to talk to make small talk with you. Usually requiring a decent blood alcohol level.

However in this context what @TeenPlusTwenties said. I've already seen people planning to go somewhere in several groups of 6 to get around the rules.

@TeenPlusTwenties

It means you can't have 4 groups of 6 at the park that swap people every 20 minutes because actually it is 1 group of 24 and you are trying to get around the rules.

I'd agree with what you've said. Their wording is a bit "what?"

I think they are trying to say if you go as a group to a SD event, you can't swap groups or wander around to other groups the way you would in pre covid times.

My sort of mingling would involve twiglets and Shandy Bass.

@Thanksitsgotpockets

So I swim in the area daily. I go when people are likely to also be swimming because that's the guidance on safe open water swimming. My qualifying group is usually 1 - me. But I will smile and chat at I'm passing.

Am I mingling?

It depends. Do you swim with a cigarette holder and your cocktail dress on? And how is your scintillating chat and sparkling wit? Are you doing the (social) butterfly stroke?

A mouse.

Yes, has anyone consulted the animals on all this? Their views are important.

ALM (animal lives matter)

I think some of these mingling soirees with twiglets sound lovely.
Unfortunately it makes me think of crappy discontinued chocolates, mixed with the words minge and mingling. So not really very inviting.

For me mingle is these (at Christmas) but I'm not sure it's what the guidance refers to

Ha ha @domesticslattern cross posted there!

Wouldn’t the leather jacket and slightly greasy hair single you out though? @Purplewithred. That’s how I think of undercover cops. Mingling probably requires a chignon.

**minging