To think most Christmas events are going to be curtailed / cancelled due to coronavirus

[Bearbehind]

Just that really

Even if people aren’t making Christmas plans themselves now, restaurants, hotels etc need to be planning and it seems very unlikely big gatherings etc are going to be allowed in the foreseeable

Are we all going to be stuck at home with no events to go to?

Yes, many round here already cancelled - eg pop up ice rink, Christmas markets etc

I usually host for 8 dinner 12 evening.
This year so we can still be all together in some capacity we have booked a hotel restaurant instead. Seperate tables but close as will allow.
This means we can all still see each other on the day.
Yes it is expensive 70 adult 35 kids but we figured as we wont be doing panto/markets the cost evens out.
Plus we get all monies back if the hotel cancels for any reason.
At the moment this feels like the best option for all of us...to be ho est i am looki g forward to it a little bit.

Lots of events will be cancelled but I have always focused too much on consumerist tat. So I am trying to put that right. I have come together with a few neighbours and we are trying to organise Christmas dinner for elderly neighbours and parcels with non essentials. There is also talk of everyone decorating front gardens so the children can go on walks to look at it all.

I think it’s a good opportunity to turn down the hype and materialism of xmas. You see so many posts from women stressing over having a houseful of guests, the cooking, the cleaning, the expectation to visit in-laws.

A toned-down XMas doesn’t need to be sad just different.

Yes that's what I'm planning for. Nice xmas at home.

@RattleOfBars

I think it’s a good opportunity to turn down the hype and materialism of xmas. You see so many posts from women stressing over having a houseful of guests, the cooking, the cleaning, the expectation to visit in-laws.

A toned-down XMas doesn’t need to be sad just different.

Yeah that’s true, but all the things we usually do that are cancelled are free, low key, community events. We already don’t do the consumerist stuff, but all the lovely community things we do do will be sorely missed. Of course it’ll be fine, and we’ll adapt, but it’s ok to be sad about it.

tbh, my gut feeling is that we're (right now) 3 yrs away from a situation that feels like all restrictions are gone. Wotta pain.

Going to miss the run up to Christmas in church. Missed Holy week too. Its not the same online.
I also feel stress levels might be lower this year too (not having to pack to see relatives etc).
I hope they allow people on their own to mix with a family member or friend though.

@MaosChaos

Yes. And I don't want to hear 'Christmas is Cancelled' It isn't. We just have to celebrate in a different way. It's the consumerism that's going to be badly hit (though think our local butcher% grocers will be busier than ever)

I do. Would be the best thing to come out of 2020.

And then once people realise xmas is actually complete horseshit it can be made a 4-yearly event - like the Olympics - which I suppose would make it just about tolerable.

We also have a dinner for the community at church for elderly/ alone. That would be sad to see it cancelled.

Yes but I don't think I will be the only one who will welcome a quieter Christmas without all the hype and massive guilt and obligation to socialise. Bliss in fact.
I think it will be refreshing to have an excuse to have a quiet one with immediate loved ones and lots of cake and booze.

I imagine most things are going to be cancelled tbh. I have seen there is going to be a drive through grotto in Wrexham which could be interesting or shit depending on your opinion of wrexham haha.
We normally visit family hut we have decided to stay home this year, we have also decided to make zero plans as we don't want to disappoint the kids. I am planning on trying to do lots of xmas things with them at home though. Try to make it fun even though its different.
We are also gonna try and cut back on presents and we are actually gonna be making a few of them as if anything this year has shown me I buy way to much crap that is not needed.
I agree that Christmas isnt cancelled it's just different and as I keep telling my dd "different isnt bad it's just different"

Mind you lots of cake and booze is standard!

@SonjaMorgan I spent Christmas in Australia with my sister about 10 years ago. There was a large street who did exactly that. It was lovely. Every garden all lit and festive. You had to drive down the street, turn around and drive back.
I really enjoyed it and still think about it now. I wish it was like that around here. A lot of houses decorate but not whole streets.

The whole thing could be cancelled for all I care

I wonder if socially distanced carol singers going round streets would be within guidelines. That would be lovely.

There used to be a thing where I grew up where ‘Santa’ would drive through the streets playing bells.

I’m definitely going to make more of an effort to decorate the front of the house this year too.

I've booked a Xmas meal for lo with a visit to santa, as well as a Carol concert, but both included covid cancellation refunds. I don't think they will be cancelled if the rules stay as they are, as they have made adjustments to meet the covid rules but should a stricter lock down happen then I imagine it will. Xmas day won't be a problem for me, happy to spend it with just my family but I worry about those usually on their own that might not get an invitation somewhere because of covid :(

Yes, much reduced but perhaps more outdoor. Less family gatherings, less pressure.

I think getting back to a much simpler Christmas will be great.

This year so we can still be all together in some capacity we have booked a hotel restaurant instead. Seperate tables but close as will allow.
This means we can all still see each other on the day.
Yes it is expensive 70 adult 35 kids but we figured as we wont be doing panto/markets the cost evens out.

This is the kind of thing I’m thinking will be cancelled, big communal dinners - in addition to the more obvious pantos etc

A hundred people in a restaurant, all wanting pretty much the same meal at the same time is quite different to 100 people visiting a restaurant over a few hours and being served accordingly regardless of the seating arrangements

I just can’t see how it will be able to happen

Feel desperately sorry for what might be in store for hospitality trades this Christmas - it really is sad.

I'm hoping Mother Nature steps in, as she did in March with the lovely and unusually warm and sunny weather, and provides us with a white Christmas so we can at least make snowmen and go sledging.

Sounds harsh but from a pandemic point of view the associated travel disruption from snow will go some way in preventing large gatherings of people from congregating inside.

I love Christmas and all the usual family get togethers/socialising, events etc but its a Covid perfect storm.

It's likely to be my dad's last Christmas, so I will be devastated if we can't see him because of restrictions on households mixing. Due to lockdown we missed out on such a high proportion of the time we should have been able to spend doing things and making memories with him while he was still able so it will be awful if this is taken away from us too- and also if my mum has to spend Christmas being a carer rather than being able to relax at all. I can cope with missing the usual festive stuff but if household mixing is banned then Christmas basically is cancelled for us no matter what nice stuff I try to do with the kids.

I agree Bearbehind I don't see how a gathering like that would go ahead in the middle of winter in a pandemic. I'm surprised that the hotel would even take a booking like that as it's just the kind of gathering where social distancing is almost guaranteed to break down.

Rainy - I think if I was in your situation, and if everyone in the family was in agreement, I would mix households without question. Everyone else can mind their own business.

I'm surprised that the hotel would even take a booking like that as it's just the kind of gathering where social distancing is almost guaranteed to break down.

The hotel might not know - it might be booked in smaller groups

But the principle of any meal with ‘sittings’ as opposed to reservation times that allow for more spread out tables and service, just doesn’t seem viable to me

Yes but it is not a surprise. I am fully expecting we will not he able to go to family who are also our social bubble for Christmas.