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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Christmas - following the rules or not?

570 replies

BIWitched · 22/10/2020 20:42

From what we know right now (and accepting that things may change in the next few weeks) if you're in tier 2 or 3 re you going to obey the rules about not mixing households indoors?

YANBU - I will be ignoring the rules
YABU - it's my civic duty to obey the rules

OP posts:
LavaCake · 22/10/2020 20:44

I’m going to take a view. I wouldn’t mix loads of households, move between multiple households or visit any one if I might put them at risk. But I can self-isolate before for 2 weeks, as can my parents and siblings, so under those circumstances I would feel comfortable with us all meeting up in one house.

WithTheJonses · 22/10/2020 20:45

Absolutely fucking not following the rules at Christmas!

lughnasadh · 22/10/2020 20:45

I will be ignoring the rules

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 22/10/2020 20:46

Yes, we are following the rules and will still be even at Christmas. I neither want us to get it nor pass it on unknown.

Christmas is one day, imagine the fallout case wise after if everyone decides to break the law.

D4rwin · 22/10/2020 20:51

Great excuse to avoid people in the season of forced hideousness. So c. Following rules as they are preferable to the hell of consumerism and enforced religious claptrap.

Angeldust747 · 22/10/2020 20:51

We are in a childcare bubble with my in laws so will be spending Christmas with them, all within the rules. It will be a lot smaller than normal but at least we won't be completely alone. If it weren't for the bubble then I think we would end up breaking the rules

Oly4 · 22/10/2020 20:52

Yes of course I’m following the rules. I don’t want Covid and I don’t want to pass it on either!

majesticallyawkward · 22/10/2020 20:53

Within reason, for example we're in a support bubble with my mum so will go to her as normal for Christmas. I suspect my DGM will come because she's missed most of my dc2s first year and barely seen either dc since March. We can't completely isolate because the dc are at school/nursery but DGM says she is happy taking that risk (her actual words are along the lines of at 85 with a long list of illnesses something will take her soon enough and she doesn't want to have missed her great grandchildren when it does).

We probably won't see my brother or SIL as both work in high risk roles. We're also missing some lovely traditions we have done for years with friends.

Sirzy · 22/10/2020 20:54

I will be following the rules

The more people who decide they don’t apply to them the longer this is all going to carry on.

HeeeeyDuggee · 22/10/2020 20:55

We’ll be spending Christmas Day just us (DH + 3 kids) at home. We usually spend a large portion driving to and from mil so I’m
Kinda glad to not have to to this year

Lougle · 22/10/2020 20:55

I'm in tier 1, but we cancelled Mother's Day dinner just before lockdown because it seemed risky, so I'm a rule follower. I can understand the dismay, though, and hope the rules can be changed for Christmas.

AdoptAdaptImprove · 22/10/2020 20:55

@Angeldust747

We are in a childcare bubble with my in laws so will be spending Christmas with them, all within the rules. It will be a lot smaller than normal but at least we won't be completely alone. If it weren't for the bubble then I think we would end up breaking the rules
Surely being in a childcare bubble only means that your in-laws are able to look after your children while you work? What does that have to do with you all spending Christmas together? Or have you just decided that it makes you a special case?
PardonMyFrancais · 22/10/2020 20:56

My DH and I don’t live near any of our family and haven’t been able to see any of them since July.

We’ve already spoken with SIL’s family and agreed we will try and spend Christmas together providing we all feel safe too.

We’re both in Tier 2 at the moment.

Umbridge34 · 22/10/2020 20:58

@Angeldust747

We are in a childcare bubble with my in laws so will be spending Christmas with them, all within the rules. It will be a lot smaller than normal but at least we won't be completely alone. If it weren't for the bubble then I think we would end up breaking the rules
This is us. We'll be going to theirs as usual but I don't think the rest of the family will be going.

I will probably also see my parents too but again not with the whole family together as we would usually do.

I wouldn't be remotely suprised if the government relax the rules at Christmas. How on earth will they police it if they don't?

decoraters · 22/10/2020 21:00

I will be following them by default really. We stay at home every Christmas. I visit my Nanna but have formed an extended household with her anyway.

FourTeaFallOut · 22/10/2020 21:00

Yes. We'll follow the rules.

CherryBlossomPink · 22/10/2020 21:00

Nope - not going to be having massive parties but will have my sister and parents round for lunch on the day.

Nottherealslimshady · 22/10/2020 21:02

We are having PILs over for dinner then going to see my mum and sisters. Only think we wont be doing is having BIL and SIL to stay.

Umbridge34 · 22/10/2020 21:02

Surely being in a childcare bubble only means that your in-laws are able to look after your children while you work? What does that have to do with you all spending Christmas together? Or have you just decided that it makes you a special case?

Please explain how spending time with the people who are caring for my child whilst we work is any more risky? They spend hours with my son and we see each other during pick up and drop off. And there are no rules against socialising with people you have formed bubbles with as far as I'm aware.

OrangeBananaFish · 22/10/2020 21:04

Yes. Me, DH and 3DCs will first go and see MIL and whoever else may pop in (we live 60 miles away, but she has other family in the same village) then we will go to see my parents so there will be 7 of us INSIDE and staying overnight.

Currently we're in tier 1, my parents and MIL are in tier 2.

We probably won't change our plans if either area gets into tier 3. Unless MIL or my parents ask us to, but from previous conversations I doubt it.

Merryoldgoat · 22/10/2020 21:04

My PIL will be here or we’ll go there. Them provide childcare for us so we have a childcare bubble with them. I’ve no idea if that means is meeting otherwise is ok but that’s what we’re doing.

Coasterfan · 22/10/2020 21:05

We ll be following the rules but we only ever do Christmas Day at home, me, DH, DD and DS so any restrictions have no impact on us. My mum is 150 miles away and we usually go for a weekend of festive outings in December, both tier 2 at the minute but both of our areas are in talks to become tier 3 so I can’t see this happening this year. I won’t break the rules.

1990shopefulftm · 22/10/2020 21:06

We re in a tier 3 area and will have a few week old son at that point, we ve followed the rules since march so have no intention to break them for Christmas.

It might feel like it's just something small one family breaking them but if everyone thinks that then things won't get better.

Ffsffsffsffsffs · 22/10/2020 21:06

Holy shit, is this for real?

There was uproar in my area when cases skyrocketed 2 weeks after eid when all posters commented on dick posts on social media.

Millions of folk already facing restrictions because 'we' can't do the right thing, begging for a firebreak lockdown, and you lot are prepared to fuck it all up for a Christian festival hardly anyone observes for religious reasons, just so you can see granny, eat way too much food and spend silly money on tat nobody either wants or needs. Fuck me.

Ginfordinner · 22/10/2020 21:08

@WithTheJonses

Absolutely fucking not following the rules at Christmas!
And this is why China has got the virus under control and we haven't.

Although, I do prefer living in a democracy.