Are you planning on changing your Christmas plans ?

[Lardlizard]

By keeping to six only ?

@oohyoudevilyou

Yes and I'm sad about it. Usually have Dsis and her family fly down from Hebrides to stay for a few days (4 people), my parents, elderly aunt, widowed Mil, single friend and ourselves (5 people). 3 of those live alone and really enjoy having a family Christmas with us, so who will I choose to join us on 25th?

Could you do one comes to you and the other two meet up with your dsis and her family somewhere? Very tricky though. You have my sympathy.

No. I'm hoping it will be changed by then as I know certain members wont come and it will be a shame, though I understand. But the majority of us have agreed christmas as usual.

It is looking more likely to be just our family of 3 this year. Which is not that unusual TBH.

The other option would end up, as the cottage we had rented before has doubled in price and is beyond our budget now, staying in 1 house that would hold either 4 or 8 overnight and eating 1st dinner (midday) next door with either 10 or 14 (depending if other DSibling also travelled); and then visiting and eating 2nd dinner (evening) in other house with between 6 and 11 people eating. In order to keep both sets of parents happy.

We currently have a 6 people indoors rule (but I think it is 6 visitors allowed from a max of 2 other households).

I think we will likely still have similar restrictions at Christmas.

So I think we will likely stay here as a trio. And make quite merry on our own.

None of the people who would be in either set of our parents houses would ever dream of travelling to us for Christmas, despite there being open invitations many years. I think it even less likely this year.

We are a family of 5. Both sets of grandparents are gutted. Not making any firm plans and hoping for a change of rules before then. I think there will be a lot more people not ordering their turkey in advance!

We are only half way into September for goodness sake. ! I never plan anything until about the 21 st December.

@StarchyStanley

Unfortunately Dsis won't be coming as they won't be able to stay with us, and parents only have a tiny flat. We'll have special dinners over 3 days so we can celebrate with whichever of the others doesn't come on xmas day. Am hoping the rules will change so not making that decision just yet...

I would love to spend Xmas with my Mum who lives alone, but her Mum is 90 so very high risk and lives alone, has been shielding and seeing people outdoors but we can’t let her spend Xmas alone! I expect my mum will isolate for a couple of weeks so she can spend the Christmas period with her safely. Unfortunately DD is in nursery and I am a doctor working up till Xmas eve so I don’t think we can really see either of them.
It’s so bloody tricky - wish I could take a few weeks off or work from home so I could see family.

I'll just carry on as normal.

It's too early to be thinking about Christmas, especially this year.

We're already assuming that our normal extended family bonfire night party, which usually attracts 20-25 guests won't be happening this year.

@Star81

Everyone needs to calm down and stop talking about an event more than 100days away.

If we all concentrate on doing the right things now then by Christmas we could have a bit more normality

I wish I could stop fretting, @Star81, but as the person who carries all of the mental load and most of the practical one for Christmas, I'm the one who is trying to get her head round how to manage it all. And I know that if I stop thinking about it, and don't start planning early, I'll end up at the beginning of December, with most of it still to do, and that will stress me out.

Even if this were a normal Christmas, I'd be starting the planning now, because I know it will be less stressful for me if I do.

Probably yes - we would be over the rule of six so the current plan is simply to wait until nearer the time and see what the guidelines are.

Then we'll make some tough choices, most likely instead of being all together we'll split into 2 groups get get under the rule of 6 but ensure nobody is alone for Christmas.

We won't be saying sod it and breaking guidelines.

No.

How can anyone know what state things will be in or what rules will apply in three months time?

If the rule is still 6 then we will respect it. It will be sad because I love hosting big family Christmases (and Dec 25th is also my MILs birthday).

Not changing plans.

Six adults plus a 5 week baby. Will hide baby in a cupboard if a COVID monitor rocks up ;-)

Christmas for us with our extended families is at least 14 people on both days, so we are planning for that to not happen this year. When I say planning we have followed the same pattern for 20years and if Covid hadn't happened everyone would be expecting the same again this year, no proper plans are made until at least November.

Fortunately we were able to see most of the inlaws over August Bank Holiday and my family got as many people who were available together yesterday. Both were outdoor events with social distancing.

For my immediate family it will not be an issue if our 2 DC can get home from uni then we will have some very good food and drink. Although I will be keeping a distance from them if I can as I still meet vulnerable criteria.

Getting together with the wider families whilst keeping me and the older generation safe/shielded was always going to be a problem and whilst we may creep over the current 6 limit to combine 2 families I can't see us doing anything more, possibly even if the restrictions are relaxed.

No, we have the day as a household usually so it won’t change anything. I suspect by then the rules will be stricter so we won’t arrange anything for the break until much closer.

The white walkers will definitely have arrived by the time Christmas comes around so we'll likely all be rushing about trying to find dragon glass in Costco on Christmas Day. Ooh, we couple pop a little spear at the bottom of everyone's stockings. Then on Boxing Day Boris will fly in on a dragon and burn Coventry to the ground like a portly Queen Danerys when she lost the plot.

Yep! :) don't see myself as any more special than anyone else. I will see family on separate days or if the risk is really high, leave it until the risk is lower. I don't want to make my loved ones sick. 🤷‍♀️

I was thinking of MIL pre Xmas and parents post Xmas, but if one of us is infected, we’ll pass it to all (potentially) anyway so may as well all be together or not at all!

There will be four of us, same as always.

If invited, I would not break the law by attending any gatherings of more than six.

I imagine many mumsnetters will be full of relief and keeping everything crossed that they don't have to see outlaws this year if previous year's Christmas threads are anything to go by

IF it is still the "6" my FIL has said we will do our normal big family Christmas. He has just been diagnosed with 3 inoperable brain tumours and it could possibly be his last Christmas. He wants to enjoy himself.

Nothing will change here there's only 4 of us on xmas day. We see our parents before or after xmas depending on their plans.

Follow the rules from now. Then maybe we can have more at Christmas.

I am at my wits end wit you rule breakers. Do you want to get rid of Covid?

I guess yes but your fun time comes first

Get a fucking grip on it