To think we count as two households mixing?

[bubbletrouble1]

I have 2 stepkids who will come to us for part of the Christmas holiday. They will have seen their grandparents on their mums side and their aunts family. We will see 2 households on our side but surely then we've formed a bubble of 6? Or are we considered 1 combined household with DSC's mum?

They are not normally with you so are a separate household.

Children can be part of each parents Christmas bubble but don't join them together.

I don’t think the stepchildren count in the bubble so you can have your Christmas bubble and they can cross over from their bubble into yours. The Rule of Six, when in Christmas bubbles, is suspended.

They are normally with us but only EOW and 75% of holidays. During lockdown they allowed children to move between households so essentially treated us as one big household.

I found my answer. Kids under 18 with divorced parents can be part of more than one bubble. So essentially our household and DH's ex-wife's household count as one for the Christmas bubble drill. Otherwise can you imagine that conversation? Who shall we collectively choose as our third household?

The step kids, assuming they aren't adult children, can go between parents and are included in your household in the same way that the are included in their mum's.

So, in your scenario, for Christmas:
Household 1: You, DH, any children that live with you including StepDC who come EOW.

Household 2: StepDC's maternal grandparents.

Household 3: StepDC's Aunt's family.

Household 4: 1st household you will see on your side.

Household 5: 2nd household you will see in your side.

This is not permissable under the rules. It is 3 households only. Even though you will not be seeing your StepDC's grandparents and aunt's family, if they do then you should not see the 2 households on your side of the family. Looks like a discussion needs to be held.

We can basically form a bubble of 6 households:

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.weightmans.com/insights/what-do-christmas-bubbles-mean-for-your-childcare-arrangements-and-contact-between-separated-parents/%3fAmp=true

If children are allowed to be part of two bubbles, then surely each parent bubble can choose its own other two household bubbles to mix with.

It's not strictly a bubble of 6 households, it's 2 separate bubbles of upto 3 households - but the under-18's with a parent in each bubble are part of both separate bubbles.

They can be part of separate Christmas bubbles with each parent (as long as they’re under 18)

Yeah, you're fine. My SS will be spending Christmas at his mum's and then coming back here for new year (not that we'll be doing anything!)