So if Christmas is no mixing of households indoors

[RunBackwards]

What will you do?

We usually have the four of us (two young adult sons) my parents and my sister and her family (two teens). TBH as the children have got older it's been hard enough to make the day special/different to any other day but if it's just the four of us I can't see it being much different to today.

What do you have planned?

Will you comply with the no mixing of households. It's already in play here, although my sister is in another area where it's not. My parents are being very compliant, although my FB feed suggests most of people aren't.

6 of us in our house, dh and 4 children, 15, 13, 12 and 6. I’m quietly hoping continues. It would be our first Christmas when we can stay at home without offending one of our parents or traipsing up and down the motorway half way through the day!

Yes we will comply. I'm asking my siblings to each organise some silly activity that we can do via Zoom. Mine will be bingo, which on the very rare occasions I've played it was quite a lot of fun!

This thread clearly shows that most people are essentially going to do their own risk assessment and , within reason, this has to be the way to go. My dd is at University and, no matter what, I want her at home for Christmas. However my dm and df and pil ‘s are all mid /late70’s some of whom have serious risk factors for Covid so we will not be spending Christmas together. It is so hard as I have never spent a Christmas Day without seeing my parents(my brother died very young shortly before Christmas several years ago so it is massively important to us ). I wouldn’t criticise anyone for the choices they ultimately make as long as everyone bears in mind that they have a responsibility not only to their own family but to society as a whole. Undoubtedly people will not follow the rules rigidly( if they try to stop students going home I won’t myself) but if everyone just exercises some caution and doesn’t treat this like every other Christmas I am sure that will make some difference

Expect it’ll just be us - me, DH and DS - for Christmas dinner though we are local to my parents so planning to cook enough for them and drop it round. Also planning a walk or outside glass of fizz etc with them, and maybe my brother and his family depending on their plans.

For me it’s not about the rules - it’s about not wanting to expose my parents to Covid if we happen to be harbouring it.

It’ll be different and I really look forward to (hopefully) a normal Christmas next year, but I would rather do that than worry we might be passing something on.

@Dotinthecity

I think most people will, quite rightly, ignore the "rule of 6" and spend Christmas with their families as normal. It's rather sad to think that people will be so rigid/ blinkered in their thinking that they'll allow family members and friends to spend Christmas in their own.

You just don’t get it do you? People die from Covid-19, especially older people. What’s sad is that people like you are infecting others and spreading the virus.

We have 3 DC at 3 different unis.
We havent broken a single rule so far but they will be coming home for Xmas.
2 of them and myself have had covid and recovered.
We wont be seeing extended family though.

Not interested in the rules. Everything I care about at Christmas has been torpedoed (it all involves church and choral singing). That hurts me more than anything.

Christmas Day will be as it normally is - two DC here for part of the day and then over to their dad’s house until Boxing Day.

Then we would normally go down south to see my mum and dad, and sister and her family for a few days. But as my sister and husband have two DC then that would make 10 of us in total. So we can’t meet up anywhere.

I haven’t seen my sister for nearly a year and have seen my mum and dad twice in the last year (once on the way back from DHs mum’s funeral).

Seeing my family at Christmas time is very important to all of us - it’s not just the one day of Christmas. And after DHs mum dying unexpectedly in May it feels more important to see my family.

@user1471448866

This thread clearly shows that most people are essentially going to do their own risk assessment and , within reason, this has to be the way to go. My dd is at University and, no matter what, I want her at home for Christmas. However my dm and df and pil ‘s are all mid /late70’s some of whom have serious risk factors for Covid so we will not be spending Christmas together. It is so hard as I have never spent a Christmas Day without seeing my parents(my brother died very young shortly before Christmas several years ago so it is massively important to us ). I wouldn’t criticise anyone for the choices they ultimately make as long as everyone bears in mind that they have a responsibility not only to their own family but to society as a whole. Undoubtedly people will not follow the rules rigidly( if they try to stop students going home I won’t myself) but if everyone just exercises some caution and doesn’t treat this like every other Christmas I am sure that will make some difference

Let's hope this 'do our own risk assessment' mentality persists into the New Year and beyond.

This monstrous situation was only achievable because enough people swallowed the "people will die" rules.

If more people had questioned it at the time, we might now not be in this shitty situation.

I wonder if schools will break up two weeks before Xmas to give people a chance to virtually self isolate before Xmas and seeing elderly relatives.
That could work. if not, I'd be tempted to pull my child out of school, rather than put people at risk.

If it has to be I shall collect DD from uni three weeks before Christmas (DS will drive himself home) and we will isolate for two weeks in our home. Similarly if one of them has to self isolate or becomes ill, and if they are not coping, I will collect them and bring them home and we will self isolate. DH will have to book an hotel if he can't wfh those weeks.

I agree with @etopp

I suspect my mum would come and get my brother and I (we're both single and live in houseshares away from where my parents are) regardless of what the restrictions are or our opinion on the matter

It's also her birthday at Christmas, so a bit of a double whammy.

I'll be ignoring the rules.

@CovidNightmare sorry to hear about your mum, that is awful.

This thread is depressing. No wonder this bloody virus is spreading.

Christmas Eve here will be 5 of us celebrating, this includes my mum who is in our bubble as she is over 70 and lives alone, Christmas Day normally involves the in-laws With between 15 and 20 of us. This will not be happening this year. Mil is having chemo so is extremely vulnerable,

@fastandthecurious

I'll be ignoring the rules

Got your tin hat ready?

Etopp
‘This monstrous situation was only achievable because enough people swallowed the people will die’ rules

The fact is people are dying . I am as far away from being a ‘dementor’ as it’s possible to be as you would see if you check my posting history but I think there is a need for some sense of rationality here. Of course everyone wants a normal ( or special ) Christmas at this point in time but as a community we have to think where this would leave us in 2 or 3 months. Everyone’s circumstances are different which is why a ‘one size fits all’ solution was never achievable but if everyone just exercises that bit more caution it could make a massive difference and (vaccine willing) more of us would still be around for next Christmas

I want to spend Christmas in SW England with my dad. We are both single adults who live on our own. We've found a self catering place to stay in. So we would not be breaking any rules.
It's just travelling I'm stressed over. I'm desperate to see him. I've not seen him since last Christmas and we both need a break.

@NeonGenesis yeah course I have

Tinfoil hat, more like.

I'm torn between crying over stories of people losing family members to Covid, crying at the thought of people (especially older and vulnerable people) isolated and alone over Christmas and crying at the thought of families split up and being denied what could be final Christmases. They're all horrible situations to be in and it's all such a mess. But I don't think wholesale disregarding of the rules is the right thing. I think if people can be creative and break rules in small, safe ways (eg popping round to local family for champagne while wrapped up warm in the garden or having a 7th person in the house) then it's not a big thing. But gathering several young adult children from various parts of the country or having large, indoor gatherings of multiple households should be a no for this year.

I will have my mum to stay if it's allowed (both T1 currently) but otherwise it will just be me and my 3 children. We will have to see the rest of the family as and when we can. I managed some pre Christmas visits this half term which I'm so grateful for.

I'm ignoring for what it's worth, but that puts us exactly in the situation you are trying to avoid. It will be us and two DSs as it's been for pretty much every year.

WE've just adapted our day as the DC have grown. Now we get up and do presents and have brunch. Then we all head out for a walk and go to the pub for a drink. DSs stay for an extra one while DH and I get back and finish off dinner prep.

We eat about 3-4pm and then chill out with a board game for a bit. Then we clear up, sort out dessert and drinks and nibbles and sit and watch a movie or two and just chit chat/play cards etc.

Very chilled and relaxing and still special with lovely food. That's been since they were 16 ish. Prior to that we would drop into the pub but they couldn't stay for an extra pint :o

When they were pre/early teens then we just had the walk. When they were even younger then they usually got some type of outdoor gift to encourage everyone out - e.g. scooter or remote control car etc.

You'd prioritise your young children's brief happiness in seeing their grandparents over your parents' health, would you, really? Kids and teachers are generally pretty exposed and may be silently infected. Older people have mostly been keeping themselves safe, paying the price through heavily or entirely restricting their social interactions. Christmas isn't a reason to blow that. Most people won't pay the price if they ignore the rules, but some will.