To think Christmas should not be treated differently from Eid and Diwali?

[RUNFAST11]

We are hearing the government could allow a few days meeting during Christmas. While I understand this may be necessary, this could lead to spikes of COVID again and put pressure on the NHS (nearly 600 deaths yesterday) we aren't out of the woods yet.

When it was Eid in May Muslims were warned not to congregate and meet other households. A similar message was said in Diwali to have a stay at home Diwali.

It's humans we're dealing with. They have emotions and thoughts and minds of their own and individual circumstances etc. etc.

We're not just data.

I agree, it’s unfair on those that have missed out.

Not to mention January being awful after all the mixing and alcohol and the spread that will occur in schools and workplaces. I’d ratter have health and an economy over a holiday.

Totally agree. COVID isn't just going to have a few days off for Christmas.

I'd personally prefer to have my sanity. To help me along, I need a glimmer of hope and a break from the doom and gloom and nervous nellies and the professionally offended.

As Christmas is the religion of the actual country then no, xmas shouldn’t be cancelled like the others.

I know it was horrible and misfortunate but this is a Christian country, so it’s a bit different.

[quote ChasingRainbows19]@TikTokFinger would you like to visit intensive care at the trust I work in? Plenty under 80s there: in fact the ages range from around 30+ to late 60s . Should all those have shielded?

On the several medical covid wards young people 20 plus to people over 90. It’s not just over 80s that get very sick and die. Lots of young healthy people are suffering too. It’s not just about death.

Nightingales need staff to open? Would you like to volunteer? NHS trusts are balancing staff sickness with covid/isolation with very busy wards in high risk areas. So no one to staff the hospitals properly never mind nightingales.

But sod them all as long as you get your Christmas that you can’t possibly adapt for one year.

January is going to be a disaster. So much mixing when rates are so high.[/quote]
Totally agree with this. I'm a doctor on an acute ward. It's relentlessly busy at the moment. Mixing over Christmas will only make it worse.

@RUNFAST11

We are hearing the government could allow a few days meeting during Christmas. While I understand this may be necessary, this could lead to spikes of COVID again and put pressure on the NHS (nearly 600 deaths yesterday) we aren't out of the woods yet.

When it was Eid in May Muslims were warned not to congregate and meet other households. A similar message was said in Diwali to have a stay at home Diwali.

I think Christmas should take place in light of scientific evidence. Just like Eid and Diwali. There is nothing to suggest the Government (I assume you mean UK government) will act differently to Eid and Diwali.

If you think there is, then say what you mean to say. Be direct. Your thread title says:

AIBU....To think Christmas should not be treated differently from Eid and Diwali?

You think Christmas is going to be treated differently by the government for reasons you have not stated and which are yours alone. I suspect you are trying to play a prejudice card. So please explain yourself further because I would like to know what your agenda is here.

Whatever anyone's personal feelings about Christmas, as a cultural tradition in the UK it goes far beyond its religious significance. It is also hugely more significant economically. It is not directly comparable to other religious festivals, both Christian and non-Christian.

Well said @Tessiot.

But Diwali etc. were not cancelled just curtailed to your own home, which is what xmas should be this year. If your granny is kicking up her heels at and enjoying a careless social life, pubs every night then nope you tell her she aint coming. It is all about using your judgement if you have family members who like to live it up then beware. Those that share your mindset who have been as careful as you then join them for one day. The rest can swing in the breeze family or not as far as I am concerned.

Yabu as Christmas is part of of the Christian calendar, part of our foundation.

I think the reason Christmas is being possibly going to be treated differently to Eid and Diwali is because Christmas is a HUGE money spinner.

I don’t want this to be the case but I agree OP.

Also though, I think the government knows that people are going to ignore the rules anyway.

It's unfair, but at the same time Christmas in the UK is more of a cultural thing than a religious thing. The issue is people wanting to see their families and have presents and turkey. It's more comparable with American Thanksgiving. The sheer volume of people effected.

It’s better to give rules that will/can be followed (even if they are a bit more lax than we would like) than have everyone ignore the strict rules and meet up anyway.

Tbh it's surely a economic decision not religious?

Christians are unlikely to be able to celebrate at church. Easter was completely cancelled. More so than Eid or Diwali

Family gatherings are part of the secular side to Christmas and the majority of the country see family/friends over this time religious or not due to public holidays. My Muslim friends exchange presents and see their family.

Personally I don't think the govt are looking at religious side at all it's all about the economy

I’ve read for 5 days of freedom will result in an extra 28 days of restrictions. So an extra 25 days of bars, cafes, shops being closed? All those businesses more likely to go bust. Not worth it.

Even if restrictions are lifted at Xmas we won’t visit family. MIL is very vulnerable. I spend my days in a classroom with 30 students and no social distancing, Dd is at uni having some face to face stuff. We’re too likely to catch it to go and see the in laws.

Christmas is a boost for the economy. Simple as that.

I don’t care about Christmas though. It’s always been my fantasy to have it cancelled. It’s a huge amount of work for me and I should be able to have a rest. There is no Christian aspect to the Christmases that the majority of people in the UK have. It’s really just about money.

Eid is different as it was in May and at that stage, much more was unknown, schools were shut. Diwali - yes if people are allowed to mix for Christmas then people should be allowed to mix for Diwali as it’s at a relatively similar time of the year as Christmas.

On the other hand, lots of businesses shut at Christmas, schools and workplaces are shut. It’d be a fantastic time for a serious lockdown and at the same time getting the most vulnerable the vaccination.

I think your post is essentially well intentioned but the purpose is not to make all people suffer equally. The threat of Christmas lockdown is being used now to encourage people to abide by the rules, because there is considerable fatigue around rule adherence. The truth is there is now a risk that hospitals will be overloaded, and any encouragement to take that seriously is something to welcome. If that continues, Christmas lockdowns will persist but it won't have anything to do with some religious festivals being treated differently. It's about controlling spread and forward planning.

Speaking as someone who was raised Muslim but who still celebrated Christmas each year as a secular holiday, I think YABU.

There will definitely need to be some level of restrictions over Christmas, and it seems the government will implement some thresholds for number of people/households mixing. It's unlikely to be a free-for-all.

Without some easing up, as PPs have said, there will be a higher rate of non-compliance which can extend beyond Christmas. Whereas if they lax the rules a little, then they can still prevent huge gatherings and maintain some level of order.

For some people, Christmas has been the only thing getting them through this year. I, for example, live abroad and the thought of seeing my parents and my brother's family (SIL, niece, nephew) at Christmas has sometimes been the only thing helping me power through. The country I'm in requires a negative PCR test to be taken before departure at the airport, so I don't see myself as adding any real risk to my family if I social distance whilst wearing gloves and a mask during the trip...

With correct management, mixing of households should still be relatively ok (e.g. allowing mixing between households who have self-isolated for a set number of days beforehand / or between people who have negative PCR test results etc.). The issue with this is, of course, that the government botched the whole track and trace process.

Christmas has a substantial economic impact which is incomparable to the other festivities you mentioned - the vast majority of people in the UK participate in the commercial aspect of Christmas, only a minority participate in Eid or Diwali - they have less economic consequences to being cancelled and less chance of causing mass civil disobedience/rioting in the face of cancellation.

Those people who have a moral objection to mixing between families over Christmas can follow their ethics and stay home whilst the rest of us take cautious steps to stay safe but enjoy our time with our families.

YABU to frame this complex issue as some sort of agenda against Muslims and Hindus / prejudice in favour of Christians, when really there are many more factors at play.

I don't think Boris is particularly religious? Don't know the answer to that either.

@JacobReesMogadishu

I’ve read for 5 days of freedom will result in an extra 28 days of restrictions. So an extra 25 days of bars, cafes, shops being closed? All those businesses more likely to go bust. Not worth it.

Even if restrictions are lifted at Xmas we won’t visit family. MIL is very vulnerable. I spend my days in a classroom with 30 students and no social distancing, Dd is at uni having some face to face stuff. We’re too likely to catch it to go and see the in laws.

You don't have to worry about visiting as your family are at home with you.

Why are people syaing "cancelled Christmas" and "banned Christmas". No one is doing that👀 It's not like we will all be banned from having Christmas. Just not a massive gathering.

Microwave meal for one it is then. Hope ye're happy with yerselves.