To say to hell with the rule of 6 this Christmas

[Whatafustercluck]

We've been having discussions about who we should have over this Christmas should the rule of 6 still be in place in our region. We had talked to family and my parents wanted my dsis and niece to be able to spend Christmas with us, so the DC can at least be together. Ad a result, they've made alternative plans just the 2 of them. Dsis and her family will do something on their own because she and bil normally do anyway. So, our Christmas was going to be me, dh, our 2 dc, dsis and niece.

Since then, a good friend of ours has told us she has been having tests for ovarian cancer. The medical professionals have prepared her for the worst. The mass is huge. She is preparing herself to be told it's terminal and has already said she will not be having chemo or radiotherapy if it is stage 3. She's completely on her on her own on what could well be her last Christmas. We spoke yesterday and have invited her, meaning we will be 7 this Christmas. She has accepted, saying she doesn't care about shielding and is happy to take the risk.

Our neighbours are lovely and I think would totally understand if we explain. We just couldn't let her be on her own this Christmas after this news and the totally awful year she's already had. Likewise we cannot/ don't want to uninvite dsis.

Aibu?

@Whatafustercluck Thank you for the kind comments and the WAY suggestion, unfortunately I'm too old for that group, but am.getting support from family friends and the hospice who provided at home nursing care. I wish your friend all the very best and do know of many women who are living with ovarian cancer for years after a stage 3 diagnosis. Ovacome and Target Ovarian Cancer are both really good sources of information and support for her.

The rules may well change before then so I wouldn't worry too much.

@tictac86

If everyone had stuck to the guidance and rules then we wouldn't have restrictions for christmas. Breaking the rules is selfish

We might not have any restrictions for Christmas though, no one knows yet.

OP do you really think your neighbour will spend his time on Christmas Day counting how many people are in your house? I wouldn't worry about that. I hope your friend enjoys her Christmas with you and your family.

I wouldn't worry as the rules are likely to be reviewed however if they aren't we'll be breaking the rule of 6 to have 7, 1 of which is a baby. In your situation I would definitely break the rule if it's in place, I'm sorry about your friend

In your circumstances I'd do it. But I wouldn't tell anyone, either. Just quietly get on with it and be vague if anyone asks your plans. A simple "we're waiting to see what happens nearer the time" would do.

I really don’t think anyone’s going to report you for having one extra person, if it was 12 people then that might be different.

Who knows what the rules will be by Christmas, we may all be in the highest tier by then and not be allowed to mix at all, if so then I will be sticking to the rules. I have just watched the news where hospital staff are begging people to stick to the rules or they won’t have enough beds to treat people, they may even have to cancel important cancer treatment/surgery.

For me it’s not the end of the world if I don’t get to see my family over Christmas, it’s just one year and there will be many more Christmas’s. But I can see how that may be different for those who have sick relatives who may not be here next year.

People need to be sensible.

I was talking to a Police Officer this week who said the whole thing is an unpoliceable nightmare. In between all the neighbors grassing each up and people sobbing in their exes, they only attend the most egregious piss takes of rule breaking.
Christmas will be entirely unpoliceable and believe me, the constabulary (who also all want to be at home with their families) will not be knocking on normal, usually law abiding people's doors to drag an extra person into the street. Honestly.

www.ovacome.org.uk/

*dobbing

targetovariancancer.org.uk/

YANBU

We will be doing the same.

We're a family of 4 and we will be having DM, DF and my teen sister for Christmas (taking us to 7).

A few weeks ago I was diagnosed with a shitty difficult cancer and will be having a huge operation just before Christmas. While I'm really hoping that this isn't my last one, I refuse to give up a decent family Christmas day, complete with Santa, mince pies and charades. On a practical front, my kids are young and I really need my mom around helping too.

Dont make a big thing of it , its 7 people not a rave of 200. No need to tell your neighbours, enjoy your day and sorry for your friend's bad news , shes lucky to have you .

By Xmas MN will by a boiling cauldron of posters frothing about others inviting people who would otherwise be alone at Xmas.

In the real world, people are kind and sensible and a lot less self important.

@ChaChaCha2012 I think that when someone is terminally ill they are coping already with the idea of dying early, and in a lot of cases, the only thing you can help preserve is their emotional well-being. @Whatafustercluck's friend has made her own risk assessment and has accepted the invitation. She knows as well as anyone that she risks picking up any number of infections by being in close proximity to others. If I was @Whatafustercluck, I'd find it more difficult to cope with the guilt of not inviting a friend in need in the last months of her life.

Continue as planned...and for goodness sake say nothing to the neighbours!!! Hopefully they will be busy doing their own thing to be worrying about anyone else...

@tictac86

If everyone had stuck to the guidance and rules then we wouldn't have restrictions for christmas. Breaking the rules is selfish

This right here is what our leaders want - us blaming each other (despite basically mass compliancy) and not then as the actual culprits of this whole fucking mess

I have visions of police (not) going round to every house with 7 people or more
There aren't enough police
& I wonder how many police would be having family Christmases with more than 6
Cummins will definitely have more than 6
I wonder if Boris will visit all his dc over Christmas?

@GlummyMcGlummerson you have hit the nail on the head. The people in charge of this country have made a cock up so they are turning us against each other to deflect. And people are falling for it.
Divide and conquer- the oldest trick in the book

Have your Christmas, so sorry its tainted with sadness. If anybody asks, say its a last minute eye test.

if your response to this is anything other than YANBU than you're an arsehole. shame on those few who have voted YABU.

sorry to hear about your friend OP.

I am assuming there will not be specially primed swat teams of police waiting for phone calls from neighbours.
If I followed the rule of 6 I would have to not invite my 80 year old widowed mum who spends her year alone or my pregnant daughter. So we will be 7.

Let's stay kind above all. This is a test of our courage and our kindness. We will all die, it's part of life. Life is about love, not blind obedience of rules set by politicians who don't obey them anyway.

I'm sure the neighbours won't be counting the people going into your house. Don't tell them, it's none of their business.

Sorry about your friend op.

I really don't think it is saying to hell with the rule of 6 to have 7 rather than 6.

It is the people who will have every Tom Dick and Harry round that bother me. Some seemingly can't enjoy any family Christmas gathering unless all second cousins and great aunts are allowed too.

20 people - no
7 people - do it.

Rule of 6 is just another stupid three word slogan the blonde incompetent pulled out of his arse.