To be a little relieved by the new restrictions around xmas?

[Ohdoleavemealone]

I hate having plans lingering in the air. Hate the uncertainty of can I see my family or can't I.

DS came home from school yesterday having to isolate until xmas eve so yet again we were on the fence of whether or not we could visit family boxing day. We cancelled my parents but they kept saying "lets see". Now Boris has said only mix on xmas day I can accept it and move on.

Am I the only one thinking it would have been kinder in some ways to say this from the start?

@Idontbelieveit12 - I think you're taking a very simplistic view. Firstly not everyone was planning to mix with elderly grandparents. Secondly there are many reasons people may have wanted to mix beyond just hedonistic socialising. I have Long Covid and post-Covid fatigue and also a serious mental illness. I've not seen my parents for over a year - I've seen my brother once since March. I am struggling physically a lot and my mental health is deteriorating as due to Covid there is no support. I am in real need of some support and respite and was planning to see my DB for one afternoon. Yes, I'm upset - it was the one thing I was holding on to to get me through. I don't think it is hard to understand why some people are 'gutted'

@Schoolchoicesucks

I also wish people would fuck off with the "neh neh neh" ing to Londoners.

We get it, the Tory Government are London centric twats who totally fucked over Leicester, Manchester and other areas of the north.
But that wasn't the fault of most Londoners. We weren't gloating about our slightly less restricted lives then, we were just getting on with it, while quietly appreciating that we weren't in the same situation. Those who are now telling us that we deserve a taste of the medicine should take a good look at themselves and who they should be pissed off with. This should not be a race to the bottom.

Well said.

@Idontbeliveit12 good for you but not all of us have elderly parents , some of us are struggling more mentally with this
So I can now go the 5 mins drive to my mums for just xmas day , not the 3 days I planned because obviously covid can tell its xmas day but if I stay to 12:01 then I am more a risk
I know of 2 elderly people who are now on their own xmas day as family were planning to visit , pick up the dinner and cook for them , and have been being careful and taking precautions in lead up
Now these old people have to get to a shop and buy some food and spend it alone , maybe their last but thats seen as ok
The issue is saying one thing one day then 3 days later so peoples plans have been messes up and giving little time to change .
Some haven't seen family for months.
Yet schools are ok my son can sit with hundreds over the week but can't sit in same large room and sd with his gp's who both work and are at risk anyway as successful governments raised retirement age .
My nan in her 80's was due to visit we cancelled this some time ago but the 6 of us mixing ( 2 households) we had plans to limit the risk.
And also borders remain open , people can still fly in and out that is wrong , maybe the 6 of us should book to go abroad
The timing and the huge u turn is wrong , should of had measures from beginning or slightly stricter rather than loose to practically nothing
Will people be being reimbursed for travel and tickets paid for ?

Agree OP. The Christmas mixing was always a dreadful idea. I haven't seen any of my family including parents since last Christmas but this new lockdown is for the best. I'm surprised people made concrete plans as everything is so changeable at the moment.

All of those agreeing with OP don't love our families less and are just as sad at not seeing them.

Maybe we should of had a proper lockdown in november , they are mainly punishing the sensible
Those that were planning huge get together or seeing various still will.
Some of us were planning sensible meet ups and just because some of you made a decision to stay home that is right for you , for others its a devastating blow , some of us aren't coping with all this.
Also borders are still open so if he is that worried close them
I have been a rule follower but I'm now thinking sod it
My sons can play rugby with adapted rules but still some contact although minimal , football is played almost as normal,schools have been in with no facemasks or sd really in place properly
Yet we can't sit at my mums a distance apart
The rules are all over the place
I'm at my limit now with this and a bit respite for 2 days I so needed ,
I am not in a good place and even less so now
To offer something and then take it Away is quite cruel I think.
They knew of this mutation a few days back at least, maybe if they had put london and se in tier 3 from beginning we wouldn't be where we are now .

"I know of 2 elderly people who are now on their own xmas day as family were planning to visit , pick up the dinner and cook for them , and have been being careful and taking precautions in lead up
Now these old people have to get to a shop and buy some food and spend it alone , maybe their last but thats seen as ok"

Whilst they may have to spend the day alone why can't the family cook and deliver it to their door step? This has always been our backup plan if anyone of us has to self isolate

I’m in tier 4, I’m gutted, j haven’t seen family since July, both times we were due to see them, one of my kids were in self isolation, they are a 4 hour drive away, Christmas is what was keeping me going, I am devastated,

Also so many granparents are not old , many have to go to work everyday and take a risk, do you think there are no 60 year old teachers , no one seemed concerned about them shut in rooms with 30 kids and no masks
Many cev parents have had to send kids to school or else get a fine

I’ve just read the UK Gov guidelines about sport. I have a London based, primary age DD due at netball club tomorrow and a secondary school aged, DS due at rugby training tomorrow, rugby camp on Monday and Tuesday and running club on Tuesday evening. Outdoor, organised sport for U18’s is still permitted. So Y7, DS is allowed to play a full contact sport, with multiple secondary school aged children, from different schools, on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday but I can’t see my in laws over Christmas? Fuck that.

@cricketballs3 because they live hundreds of miles away

@edwinbear thats what i have issue with, with rugby we came out of lockdown and went into a higher stage , which I couldn't believe
I know sport is needed but surely a break over xmas whilst schools are off would help
Mine are not going anyway and I also were keeping them off and have done for before so we could go to my parents
Its all ok saying next year but none of us know who has next year for certain

@timeforanewstart that situation is understandably unfortunate to which I offer my heartfelt sympathy. However as I stated earlier given this is a situation that is changing constantly backup plans should have been put in place as there is a very good chance that anyone in a family planning to get together could be forced to isolate

Also what is really annoying me is that borders remain open !!!

@cricketballs3 yes isolate maybe but if they have been wfh for weeks and not gone out , thats not likely and have taken many precautions so they are as safe as can be
Meanwhile my parents in their 60's have to go to work everyday where there is still a risk but can't see us for the 2 days planned
The goverment want to come and live in the real world of many workplaces .
Wishy washy lockdown in november , my kids can still go to their outside team sports and mix with various kids from various schools , why haven't they postponed these whilst schools are shut if they really want figures down

You think the majority will stick to the rules?
Apparently trains packed leaving London and the south.

I’m with you OP.

This is not a horrible thread at all. I understand completely your point about uncertainty.

I’m sick and tired of it all, as we all undoubtedly are. Every single one of us is affected by this. It is shit for us all.

One thing I am sick of reading are those who are saying they will ignore what has been said and do what they want to do anyway. They are the ones who are intent on making no sacrifices in respect to protecting anyone, even their own loved ones.

I wish they would have just done this straight away, none of this back and forth nonsense when it was clear what was going to happen. We had booked to go away in the UK over Christmas, as we currently live with my MIL and things at home are extremely difficult right now. We planned to do not an awful lot apart from stay in the cottage, play board games and the occasional walk somewhere quiet. I’ve been expecting it to be cancelled for months now, but held on to that tiny bit of hope. I would have preferred to have known earlier in all honesty.

I am relieved, simply because the decision to relax the rules for 5 days was a dreadful one. But I am really disappointed that I can't see my family.

My DD was seriously ill last christmas which meant we didnt see anyone at all.

I was beyond excited about this year.

I am so gutted the rules have changed.we had done everything we could to limit our risk - DH and I both working 100% from home, DS preschool finishing 9 days before christmas & us isolating throughout those, only having my parents visit, parents staying in bedroom with private ensuite to minimise contamination, zero socialising, etc etc

The rule change feels excessive.

@PowerToTheMeeple

I wish they would have just done this straight away, none of this back and forth nonsense when it was clear what was going to happen. We had booked to go away in the UK over Christmas, as we currently live with my MIL and things at home are extremely difficult right now. We planned to do not an awful lot apart from stay in the cottage, play board games and the occasional walk somewhere quiet. I’ve been expecting it to be cancelled for months now, but held on to that tiny bit of hope. I would have preferred to have known earlier in all honesty.

That's what has pissed people off more than anything else IMO.

Promising the 5 days grace, and then taking it away FOUR days before.

I agree with you. We were meant to be seeing my parents who are late 60’s and not particularly vulnerable. However, I was still really concerned about potentially giving them covid and was considering cancelling just in case. It’s a bit of a relief to have the decision taken out if my hands (albeit very disappointing)

@M4J4

YABU, many people have made plans based on the rules and are now disappointed.

Seems like another ‘I’m alright Jack’ thread.

Which is why the OP says would it not have been safer to say this from the start 🙄 Did you cherry pick the parts of her post that you could whinge the most about??

What does it matter? In my circles people are planning to carry in as they would most years anyway.

I wish they'd put the South into a lower tier before and then this potentially would have been avoided although there's no guarantees at all. I can also totally see the OP's point that if this had been decided sooner it would have been easier to plan and to manage expectations. I honestly think that for people who are 'Just' missing out on Christmas with family (and I don't mean that lightly) then it might be manageable. For those who have mentioned family or friends with extra needs or who are seriously affected by mental health issues it has to be a sensible judgement call about what is the actual best thing to do. Protection from Covid is clearly of huge importance but you cannot ignore the impact of other illnesses and issues. Also please stop having a go at the original OP. She wasn't saying that it's great cos she now doesn't have to see a family member she dislikes. She was grateful for some clarity so that proper plans can be made even though the resulting plans may not be as pleasant as they would have been.

I agree OP - my sister has been really pulling on my heart strings cos l said don't come home this year, l just had a feeling the rules would change again and now l am in a tier 4 area, she wouldn't have been able to after all so she has already made other plans . Would much rather know that all the uncertainty. Christmas will be what we make it, but l really feel for those who are upset today.