What is your Christmas looking like?

[LastChristmas19]

Need some inspiration regarding seeing family etc. I don’t fancy spending too much time indoors.

On paper. It sounds ideal. We have my family - all my siblings live at home, my grandma is in their support bubble and my in laws and their children (apart from my hubby as we live together obviously ) live at home too. We all live close by in the same tier etc.

But often our siblings haven’t taken it seriously - parties, travelling to different tiers (one has gone off on a jelly right now and staying at a friends in tier 3), pubs etc. We’ve cut down our socialising and very cautious as DS is somewhat vulnerable.
don’t want to spend time in big groups inside. It stresses me out the best of times, let alone now.

I am trying to think of solutions to solve this.

1. That we agree to just see our parents and not our siblings this year. Although they live at home. Our parents could visit us alone. Our siblings just don’t take it seriously

1. We see them outside. Maybe open presents briefly indoors but then maybe go to the park, countryside, beach etc weather permitting for a walk. I assume you can meet in our 3 family bubbles outside on the permitted days. In fact, it’s much safer than being inside! If it doesn’t tip down!

1. Just say screw it and avoid everyone 🤣

I can’t decide what I’d prefer if we see them inside. For them to come here (we’ve not had anyone in the house since March). I feel like having people over I’ll spending hours cleaning after (I have ocd, the virus really tops it). Or if we go to their houses. Yet I know my in laws have people to stay sometimes and their hygiene isn’t great. My mums house isn’t much better.

What the hell do I do?

If you’re seeing your parents you’re in effect seeing your siblings, if they live together. Have I read that right?

Yes that’s true @BiscuitDrama. It’s such a tough one. Husbands sister is currently staying in a tier 3 for a jolly ( know idea why as limited what you can do) so maybe I should avoid them all when she’s back?

We're visiting family but sitting outside in the garden. Taking own flask for hot drinks, wrapping up warm. If it rains, we'll put up an umbrella. If it's too cold for the oldies, we'll sit them inside behind the patio doors partly open, whilst we sit outside still. Probably stay for half an hour or so. Would never forgive ourselves if we went inside and then one of them got hospitalised in Jan. Will have a proper meet-up once they've been vaccinated which isn't too far off now.

We have isolated ourselves, including by taking dd out of school early and are testing (privately - no symptoms) and hope to spend Xmas with MiL, 250 miles away, just us and her. She is a widow and lives alone.

So Xmas will either be us and MiL as planned (if we test negative) or we will be at home with little food and no presents for dd (if we test positive).

Haven't worked out how we're going to get any fresh food in yet...delivery slots have been booked out for weeks, nothing on Amazon, Milk and More out of stock of anything but milk, and have tried phoning local supermarkets (they will only say if they can help if we actually test positive).

We have decided to do socialising outside with friends.
Winter walks and things,
Christmas Day will be just us. Dd1 is working .
MIL does not want to go anywhere over Xmas so we will drop presents off Christmas Eve.
Nye we are sitting in the street with neighbours and mulled wine ( weather permitting)
It will be a quiet one but I'm looking forward to it

Thank you all! Fab ideas!