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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

Covid xmas restrictions

67 replies

Teacher12345 · 09/09/2020 07:04

With meeting more than 6 people being made a law, I wondered if people were adapting their plans?
We were meant to be meeting 5 other households (15 people) for 4 days. I cannot see the restrictions being lifted enough to allow this but I also don't think that my family will be willing to book until closer to the time. Luckily, they can cancel with a months notice without penalty.

Even when we don't do this, we usuallt have inlaws over xmas day which I think we would get away with (7 of us but only for a couple of hours) and then boxing day, we go to my parents and there are 3 households of ten in total and we have a big party. I am not sure how we will see family without that day unless my sister leaves before we arrive so my kids can legally see their granparents.

Anyone else contemplating plans?

OP posts:

merrygoround51 · 09/09/2020 07:10

I really think that there is no point in making plans right now, things are changing so regularly

rorosemary · 09/09/2020 07:12

We normally host but won't this year. We'll just do christmas with our own little family. Might be nice to do something different for once as well, saves a lot of time in the kitchen, maybe we'll go for a walk in the neighbourhood and look at everyones decorations. I'm going to embrace changing things up for this one time and see it as a positive.

Lockdownseperation · 09/09/2020 07:14

I think this was inevitable and as we getting into winter we may end up with stricter rules unless selfish people follow the existing rules.

MrsBlobby43 · 09/09/2020 07:15

There's another 15 weeks yet to christmas and so much could change in that time.

PinkSpring · 09/09/2020 07:17

Christmas is still a long way off, so I wouldn't be looking at cancelling plans at the moment. I do think Christmas will end up being smaller this year though but then again, I also think so many people will just do whatever they want to do anyway......

Our Christmas is always pretty small and just two households but I think anyone who does a nice big multi family Christmas might end up having to change plans which is a bit sad

Original poster

Teacher12345 · 09/09/2020 07:19

I agree things can change, but I don't think they will change enough, for the law to allow the number of people to meet indoors (and sleep in the same house) to more than double.

I wish I could see the positive, but I never see my parents on xmas day, and really was looking forward to having a big and loud xmas like we had when I was a kid.

OP posts:

Bickles · 09/09/2020 07:23

There’s normally only 6 of us anyway but am looking at precautions as 3 of them are over 70. We can’t isolate for a fortnight before but we can for a week so looking at doing that.

movingonup20 · 09/09/2020 07:23

It's a long way off still and the government will not want to interfere with plans unless there is a serious need - the current changes are more to do with clarification, the 6 already applied as guidance, so the police can act.

Eid had restrictions which people ignored (hence Leicester's problems started a couple of weeks later) at least outdoors was an option then, at Christmas we have to be indoors. We are meant to be 8 for Christmas, we would simply ignore to be honest

AmIAWeed · 09/09/2020 07:26

Our main preparation is around food, so making sure we have 2/3 small joints of meat so if family members can't come to us we won't have a giant joint go to waste, likewise we can split what we have so everyone has their own mini dinner.
It sounds like a trivial thing but I imagine there may be a rush on smaller items.
Maybe Christmas will just need to last a week to get all the visits in?!

windyautumn · 09/09/2020 07:27

There are lots of people planning on ignoring the guidance sadly so it may get worse before it gets better.

We were due to be an 9 for Xmas and most of them are strict with the rules so by default that won't happen even if I was willing the break the rules (I probably wouldn't either tbh)

I guess we will all have to lower expectations and make different plans this year. Makes me really sad!

loutypips · 09/09/2020 07:31

People ignoring the rules is why we are in the situation we are in now.
If people ignore over Xmas then in January it will go crazy again.

MrsT777 · 09/09/2020 07:32

@movingonup20

@movingonup20

No wonder the infection rate is going up if you won’t still to the rules!

Onlythepoets · 09/09/2020 07:35

My family haven’t discussed Christmas yet but I already thought I should stay home with dc as otherwise we would be three households mixing. Also last year we were all ill after Christmas with a horrible flu/coughing bug and it’s put me off.

ineedaholidaynow · 09/09/2020 07:38

Schools will be a disaster in the Spring term with multiple households meeting over Christmas

trappedsincesundaymorn · 09/09/2020 08:17

We intend to have a family Christmas with my sister, her family and my dad. It will be the first one without mum. We have discussed it and have taken the view that after all that's happened to us this year, we will go ahead as planned.

wheresmymojo · 09/09/2020 08:46

We'd already assumed that things would get stricter again as we got into the winter flu season and that COVID cases would rise due to schools/uni/more socialising indoors.

We would usually be heading up North to stay with my family - only 5 people but 3 households and one previously shielded 75 year old with COPD.

Instead we'll meet my parents before Xmas and stay at home, spending Xmas day with PILs.

wheresmymojo · 09/09/2020 08:49

TBH we plan to do Xmas differently this year anyway.

More quality time and activities.

Less presents.

More decorations made from natural foraged items.

Less shop bought stuff.

Egghead68 · 09/09/2020 08:51

I expect it’s going to be a Zoom Christmas for us.

surreygirl1987 · 09/09/2020 09:07

I though the 6 from multiple households already applied anyway... The 30 was only for max 2 households meeting wasn't it? So not much has changed anyway?

We were tentatively planning a 4 household Christmas Eve/day ... 10of us in total... But with lots of ifs and buts... Plan A B and C! Plan C is just me, my husband and 2 kids (just my household).

ineedaholidaynow · 09/09/2020 09:08

@surreygirl1987 it is now illegal to have a gathering of more than 6, whereas before it was just guidance

surreygirl1987 · 09/09/2020 09:10

Ahhhh thanks for clarifying. That's why I didn't pick up on it - I wouldn't have broken guidance anyway so no difference to me.

teenagetantrums · 09/09/2020 09:16

I will be working Christmas morning with at least 30 others who we can't socially distance from due to nature of work. So whatever happens l will still be having my Christmas dinner with 7 others from 3 different households.cant imagine the police turning up to fine us to honest.

EasilyDeleted · 09/09/2020 09:16

We haven't made plans yet but our normal plan won't work, I think we will have to make day visits instead of overnight stays.

Batshitbeautycosmeticsltd · 09/09/2020 09:19

@teenagetantrums

Yep!

Ridiculous how it's fine to mix with all and sundry at work, including places where the fucking 'social distancing' doesn't or can't operate, school (Scottish schools are in their 4th week back and the world is still rotating), etc but let's all freak about bloody Xmas.

Heyahun · 09/09/2020 09:41

I live in the U.K. - Family in Ireland - we always go back every year. I decided months ago to stay put - mass amounts of people travelling home for Christmas is a terrible idea! All our Irish friends in U.K. aren’t going back either.

We will just stay in on our own this year - doesn’t really matter it’s just one day!

I think it’s wise for everyone to just stop trying to hope/make it happen - cancel plans now and go low key! Even mass amounts of people travelling within the country or having all various households mixing is a terrible idea!

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