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Original poster

So if Christmas is no mixing of households indoors

249 replies

RunBackwards · 25/10/2020 20:00

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.

OP posts:
Frownette · 26/10/2020 10:44

It's tier 1 here (well, at present) so no issues around Christmas except not being a large gathering, staying overnight with people or visiting a restaurant are fine.

I would have thought most people would have had it by now but it depends on the viral load and how your body impacts it.

ChloeCrocodile · 26/10/2020 10:44

and you're why the lockdown keeps going round and round.

No, lockdown keeps going round and round because serco test and trace doesn’t work and only a small proportion of people isolate when they are identified as a contact (not helped by the fact the government expect those isolating to forgo any pay for that time). Until we get those two things sorted, this will keep happening. Regardless of whether or not healthy people break the rules by sitting in a house with 8 other healthy people.

etopp · 26/10/2020 10:47

@Ylvamoon

... those of you ignoring the rules, I hope you are not behind all the dangerous schools threads and mask police threads. That would be hypocritical! 😉
I ignore the rules.

I also think face-masks are diabolical.

I also think that schools should stay open come what may, and should never have shut.

I have never banged a pan, either.

So, no, no hypocrisy here.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Events & celebrations
Woui · 26/10/2020 13:40

Will be visiting my parents with my DC. We are their carers so visit them daily anyway.

OddBoots · 26/10/2020 14:03

I knew a few people would break the rules but I am shocked to see how many, if this thread is representative then the NHS will have to turn many, many people away.

I would never live with myself if my loved ones were the ones turned away because I put their lives at risk so no, I will be staying with my household and we will spend the day on Zoom or similar if we need to.

Sn0tnose · 26/10/2020 14:05

We were planning on going to Wales for Christmas but have had a re think due to a combination of factors, so it will be just me and DH, which will be absolutely lovely. DH will run a dinner down to my mum, but she’ll be staying at home as she’s vulnerable and DH works in a supermarket, so we try to lessen the risk of passing anything onto her. (Sounds dreadful, but a day on her own with a tub of Quality Street, a new book and re runs of Morecombe &Wise is her idea of heaven!).

TurquoiseDragon · 26/10/2020 14:15

We are currently Tier 1, so Dad and DB, who live together, are coming to us, making 5 overall.

tigger001 · 26/10/2020 14:27

We have already decided to take the pressure of my MIL and just say we are spending it at home this year, I like to know my plans and I know it will stress her our unsure of who is coming or not and she hates breaking the rules. So saves her having to say something, I've just took us out of the equation as there is normally about 14 of us.

I am going to say we will meet her separately at another time that she's happy with, but just not when everyone is there, we may do Christmas Eve with them.

tigger001 · 26/10/2020 14:30

The part I don't understand is, why do people think it's safe for one day just because Boris Johnson said it is ??
Surely if it's unsafe on Boxing Day, it's unsafe on Christmas Day ??

roundtable · 26/10/2020 14:38

Interesting that it's okay to 'break the rules' at Christmas but the outrage when it happened at Eid was something else from some people.

Personally, I'm in a lucky position where I don't need to but I wouldn't judge those who did.

WaxOnFeckOff · 26/10/2020 14:47

Eid was in may in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. It's like asking why it's fair that person A had a party last November and Person B couldn't at Easter. I'm sure many muslims would take the opportunity to meet up with family if any relaxation was offered over Christmas. I can't imagine they will be sitting at home by themselves with a petted lip.

TooManyPlatesInMotion · 26/10/2020 14:49

We always have Xmas by ourselves anyway - me, DH and the 3 kids. We do have people over for lunch on boxing day which we won't do this year. We have an outdoor covered area in the garden and may have 2 people round for Xmas eve drinks instead.

Gemma2020 · 26/10/2020 15:05

Ylvamoon
... those of you ignoring the rules, I hope you are not behind all the dangerous schools threads and mask police threads.
That would be hypocritical!

I’ve followed it to the letter thus far. I feel I have to weigh up Covid versus some other issues:

My BiL died at the beginning of lockdown at the age of 58, he was one of the very early cases, it has been tough and though we understand what the fallout from Covid is like first-hand because of his death my DH and his DB want to be together this first Christmas (as they also lost both parents between September 2019 and March 2020). Not only this loss is affecting how we plan Christmas but my DH’s DB is also struggling because his DW left him in March for someone else citing the fact that he was useless as he’s in a wheelchair, despite the fact he works hard and was the sole breadwinner while she refused to work. He’s very lonely and won’t be with his children for the first time and will be alone in the flat he’s had to rent. He is beyond devastated and his MH is very shaky.

Then there’s my father, he was being treated for cancer but he isn’t now, because of NHS capacity. He’s now dying and this Christmas is his last. He is pleading with me to include him and my mother at Christmas, he doesn’t care about Covid and no one will treat him for his cancer now; they’ve left it too late. My DM is actively suicidal and says that she will take her life when my father dies, Covid has made her MH much worse.

I have an 18 year old DD living at home and a 15yo DS so they will be there.

Tell me what to do? To those of you who neatly fit the rules (or what might be the rules) and are then able to sit back and judge someone like me - tell me what you’d do? Covid or suicide: those are my choices.

wanderings · 26/10/2020 15:14

I ask myself:

What would Jesus Dominic Cummings do?

But my money's on Saint Boris granting a one-day amnesty: Cummings has probably written Boris's "I've saved Christmas" speech already.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 26/10/2020 15:19

Eid was in may in the middle of a worldwide pandemic

It may have passed you by, but we are still in the middle of a worldwide pandemic.

PhilCornwall1 · 26/10/2020 15:20

Cummings has probably written Boris's "I've saved Christmas" speech already.

After telling Johnson exactly what he will be doing, it's not as if he is making any of the decisions.

pelagra · 26/10/2020 15:21

We usually have a huge family gathering, but this year will be just the two of us. DH has already lost his job through Covid. Why would we risk his life as well?

optimisticpessimist01 · 26/10/2020 15:23

I usually go to my parents (1 of me joining 3 of them) who are 20 min from me, and DP goes up to his parents which is a 2 hour drive away. We'll either both spend it at my parents or carry on with what we usually do. The government knows people won't stick to the rules on Christmas day and as long as your using your common sense I don't see the problem.

optimisticpessimist01 · 26/10/2020 15:26

Forgot to add, worst case scenario there will be 5 (possibly 6 depending on brothers girlfriend), so we would be sticking to the rule of no more than 6 anyway

Notverybright · 26/10/2020 15:27

Stay in, it’s going to be wonderful, can’t wait for a lazy Christmas.

Also gives me the added benefit of avoiding the sniping weirdness of my drunk sister 🎄

Sheknowsaboutme · 26/10/2020 15:29

If i had people coming over, id continue.

But i dont so its just the 5 of us, beer wine and food.

greendress789 · 26/10/2020 15:38

Having a quiet one at home - can't wait.

Gwenhwyfar · 26/10/2020 17:04

Stay in, on your own, bored and lonely, can't wait either!

Notverybright · 26/10/2020 17:17

Sorry I meant I’m staying in Blush

roundtable · 26/10/2020 17:35

@WaxOnFeckOff

Eid was in may in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. It's like asking why it's fair that person A had a party last November and Person B couldn't at Easter. I'm sure many muslims would take the opportunity to meet up with family if any relaxation was offered over Christmas. I can't imagine they will be sitting at home by themselves with a petted lip.
Eh?! We still are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. What a bizzare point to make. Confused

Rightly or wrongly people will now make their own risk assessments. That has been encouraged by all the bending or breaking of the rules by the powers that be.