Should people pare back their Christmas celebrations this year?

[sunnydaytoday0]

I saw a comment on social media, I can't remember their exact words but it was effectively suggesting that people should 'pare back' their celebrations at Christmas this year due to the Queen's passing.

I'm not really sure I understood their reasoning, or what they meant by paring back? I appreciate that it's been a very sad time and will be only have been a few months after her death and that Christmas can magnify feelings of loss. For many it's also going to feel extremely poignant seeing the King give a speech on Christmas day and not his mother, but surely it is right that life goes on?

I'm sure the last thing she would want is families not spending time together and celebrating Christmas and having fun, especially after the last two years which were so incredibly disrupted.

IABU - Yes, people should pare back their Christmas celebrations to an extent this year in respect to the Queen's passing.

IANBU - No, people shouldn't feel the need to pare back their Christmas celebrations this year - the Queen's passing is sad for many people, but life must go on.

What on earth for?

I imagine there will be a fair few ‘pared back’ Christmas but it will have feck all to do with the late Queen.

People should do whatever they like

This.

Seems strange for anyone other than family to tone things down a first Christmas without a loved one.

Not for the Queen, I don't think she would want that after covid!

But I will be. Cost of living and generally found last years efforts a bit exhausting. I'm aiming for relaxed fun. Cooking turkey is not relaxing or fun

Erm, what the fuck?!

Up to the individual isn’t it.

This country is insane sometimes

Jesus. How long is this going to go on for?!

No

No. This is the first time in three years that I won't be working so I fully intend to enjoy every minute of it with my family.

No. People should respect the official period of mourning, and the we need to get on with our lives, including enjoying Christmas as we please.

In my culture when someone dies the next celebrations are pared back. That's usually when a close family member dies. I wouldn't do so for the Queen, simply because whilst sad I didn't know her personally.

This Christmas many people may well pare back but I think that's more likely to be down to the rising living costs. In reality o think many will just get in increasing debt because they don't want their kids to miss out.

Her immediate family are free to do this. The rest of us have probably never given this a second thought.

Hahaha, whoever thought that particular gem up can fuck right off to wherever they hand out grips on reality.

Who said that? Anyone of any note or just done utter random?

No one, who knows anything about anything, would think the Queen would want less of a family celebration this Christmas or any other time.

I'm guessing that she would hope people focus on family & traditions (theirs, not hers) rather than gifts.

We'll be toasting her before Charles does his first Christmas Message.

Fuck all to do with the Queen's death she was 96 after all.

But, Christmas should be paired back because we are a very wasteful society.

I can't imagine even the most ardent royalist suggesting that anyone should dictate how people spend their private Christmas. Your one "comment on social media" doesn't mean a thing and I suspect there's some context missing.

In my culture when someone dies the next celebrations are pared back. That's usually when a close family member dies.

When I read their comment I did think that if the Queen had passed a week or two before Christmas then yes things would feel very different, but not three months on.

Who is saying it?
People should (and will) do what they want.
I thought this was going to be about electricity costs and blow up lit up Santas.

No. People will want a great Christmas after all of this misery.

The sad fact is that people might have to pare things back because they can't afford it rather than anything to do with the Queen's death.

This. People shouldn’t be collectively instructed on how to spend Christmas (or on how they should feel about certain things).

Would be interested to hear from some of the 3% saying we should pare back. I doubt even the royal family, for whom it will undoubtedly be different without the queen, will pare back.

I wonder if the 3% are voting this way due to cost of living, which is not what the op was asking about.

I didn't tone down Christmas when my own Mother died so I'm certainly not about to do it for someone else.
It was a time to celebrate her life and have a day where we could all be together and chill, not for sitting around maudlin.