Covid has a Christmas silver lining

[Courtney555]

Am I the only one thinking that, as covid has almost forced our hands into a very small Christmas, that actually, a side effect will be that we generally take a step back and have a smaller scale Christmas.

There's no "must have the perfect looking insta posts on Christmas Day", no commercialised excess, no over indulgence for being seen too do so.

By forcing the country to scale down, I think perhaps it's the shake up we needed to realise how ridiculous our Christmas consumerism had (excuse the pun) snowballed too, and in fact this will be a welcome wake up call to so many, that they can do a third of what they feel pressured to do, and still have just as good a time...

No, my real worry is all those with fragile mental health who already tend to struggle over the festive period, will struggle even more with the forced isolation and suicides will go through the roof (more so than they have already).

Personally, our xmas has always been fairly small. Usually just the 5 of us, occasionally we have Mum , Nan and my sister over but they'll all be elsewhere anyway this year. But I can imagine for those whome its usually the only time they see family, the only time they feel that connection to their family will struggle.

My focus will be to try to ignore what is going out "out there" and just make our family xmas fun.

I love Christmas as we see family and everyone is cheerful and happy. It's my absolute favourite part. We eat food, play games, at 5 different houses throughout Xmas and boxing day. This year we cannot visit so I'm worrying a bit. DD and dh get bored in the house so it'll be difficult this year to make it special. Trying to come up with some fun things to do during the day.

It'll be good for those that don't enjoy having to see family, those that wish they could have a small Christmas with their immediate family though.

No.
Im very sad

Never been without my family at Christmas

This Christmas will be very sad and lonely but none of my family are willing to put each other at risk just for the sake of Christmas

We're trying to aim low, so that if it's safe to do any more that will be a bonus IYSWIM? Am also a lone parent so would dearly love to see another adult if possible.

So, we've ordered veggies and trimmings from Cook that can go in my mum's freezer (separate identical set in ours) then we'll cook a ham on the day and whizz down to her to drop off a plate of that. We'll eat the same meal in different houses. We'll video call in the morning for present opening for kids. Then in the afternoon we'll go back to my mum's and hopefully manage a cup of tea and Christmas cake in her garden together...thermals already ordered.

If we're allowed to have more contact than that (and it feels safe and sensible) then great. But if not, my mum won't be completely alone and neither will I. Have started to prepare DC that it may be just us on the day, but that we will still make it special, just different don't precisely ask me how yet

You sound a wee bit judgemental, OP. I'm not sure I understand your point really.

The "commercial" aspects of xmas will go ahead as normal - decorations, presents, food, drink, Xmas eve boxes, beauty advent calendars, etc.

What is being restricted (likely) is what I would consider the non-commercial aspects. Family dinners, school plays, church services (maybe).

There is another raft of activities - panto, santas grotto, etc - that will be restricted, and I suppose that may be what you are describing as "ridiculous"? I don't see why though? No one is forced to do these things?

I am quite looking forward to having a quieter Christmas, just the four of us.

Both mine and OH's parents are separated so some years we've seen 4 separate sets of family through the day. It's honestly crazy, we get home so late, unload stacks of presents in to the front room and collapse in to bed. It's not that I don't enjoy it, I love that we get to spend time with everyone, but it is stressful and exhausting!

Our local garden centre has opened their Christmas winter wonderland in September this year( usually November) and I've noticed local shops seem to have their Christmas displays up earlier than planned.

Most people I know are shopping already "just in case" of a potential "further lockdown" (tier 1 where we are) but also speaking to friends and colleagues I also think that people are buying things earlier as they are worried about the availability of things with so many things being imported, especially toys.

We won't be spending anymore on Christmas on gifts etc but I have bought some really nice outside lights for our tree and hedge and we have some conifers in pots and so some little lights for those.

This year has been a bit tighter moneywise and so we'll be taking it steady and I've started getting some bits for Christmas (last week I bought cranberry sauce, stuffing, bread sauce mix, Christmas crisps and nuts)'and I'll buy afew bits every week to spread the cost xxx

We always just have Christmas Day for myself, DH and two DC but that's because we're always travelling to see family over the Christmas season and like to keep that day simple and hassle free. I am really going to miss seeing other family members, we're 5 hrs from my parents and they're in Tier 3 so we won't be seeing them.

On the presents side we've definitely cut back a bit and are trying to keep things simple with just a few gifts and not spending loads of money. I can totally understand why others may want to go over the top though!

Like @BitGutted I've also started buying a few bits of food each week so have a turkey in the freezer for example plus some Baileys, crisps, nuts etc. Partly I'm worried about another lockdown but mostly I just can't face the thought of queues, masks, wondering whether people have gone mad and are stockpiling again etc as we get closer to Christmas. The DC have some presents to open and we've got food to eat so Christmas is happening no matter what!

@Courtney555

Am I the only one thinking that, as covid has almost forced our hands into a very small Christmas, that actually, a side effect will be that we generally take a step back and have a smaller scale Christmas.

There's no "must have the perfect looking insta posts on Christmas Day", no commercialised excess, no over indulgence for being seen too do so.

By forcing the country to scale down, I think perhaps it's the shake up we needed to realise how ridiculous our Christmas consumerism had (excuse the pun) snowballed too, and in fact this will be a welcome wake up call to so many, that they can do a third of what they feel pressured to do, and still have just as good a time...

A Pandemic is ‘a welcome wake up call’ seriously? @Courtney555

@HotToCold

No. Im very sad

Never been without my family at Christmas

This Christmas will be very sad and lonely but none of my family are willing to put each other at risk just for the sake of Christmas

Exactly this.

No, I don't think so. People will do whatever they can to make this Christmas as normal as possible, and as soon as they can have their usual Christmases back again, they will. Why wouldn't they?

There's no "must have the perfect looking insta posts on Christmas Day", no commercialised excess, no over indulgence for being seen too do so

Those pressures aren’t external... they’re internal. So it’s very likely that people who feel like that will do it ten times more.

Families who already had the chance to meet up with less pressure and go for a walk or plan will do that...

But people without anyone will be stuck by themselves. That’s been me a few times. No surviving parents; and I hate feeling like I’m intruding... it’s hard. I’m not surprised suicides go up. Those people will find it so much more difficult. They’ll be so much more isolated.

Plus there will be very few or no church services, pantos, meetings... no events aimed at people who don’t have anyone else.

I think Insta will be as bad as ever with people feeling they can improve on a bad year with great parents; and the forgotten people will find it harder than ever.

I’ll likely spend it with my husband, and maybe my in-laws if it’s allowed by then.

I think OP means

No panto
No Father Christmas visits
No Christmas parties
No need for that new dress and must have shoes
No Christmas lights switched on
No Christmas movies at the must have cinema trip

It’s back to presents and food only.

We’ve never over done Christmas anyway so no different here

@Pepperwand
My freezer packed up so we've got a new one coming and a turkey will be the first item to go in there definitely.

We are the same, the kids have afew presents, I've bought most of what I need now and this is mainly because the ques are bad now, I'm not sure I can face it nearer Christmas.

The que'ing and then stockpiling situation is ridiculous, and I can imagine it'll get worse nearer Christmas hence we're getting afew things now in preparation. I went to Aldi earlier this week and they'd run out of toilet rolls again, but also run out of a lot of tinned fruit and other cupboard items and were low on pasta too.

I'm thinking just try to make the best of it really.

The queuing and stockpile buying will probably be significant this Christmas as a week later it’s a no deal Brexit.

We are currently in a tier 2 possible tier 3 at some point, so DH and i can't mix with our daughter, son in law and grandaughter. They live 5 minutes away, but we aren't holding out for a family Christmas. Our daughter was made redundant in the summer but has recently found a job in retail to tide her over. Our silver lining is they have just announced as a thank you to staff they will be closed Boxing day this year. Im really pleased, it means they can have a lovely day as a family. Not quite the boxing day we'd normally have but a small silver lining.

DH and I normally alternate visiting our parents for Christmas and New Year. This year was supposed to be Christmas with my parents, and New Year with his.

We had DD last year, and we've always said we'd do one more rotation, then start having Christmas Day as our own family unit. This year was supposed to be the last year we do this.

My parents live in a tier 2 area. If the North has been any indication they'll be in tier 3 in a couple of weeks. Even if they were in tier 1, I have 4 siblings, 2 of which still live with our parents, so rule of 6 automatically excludes us.

I'm honestly gutted. We were really looking forward to it. My mum was really looking forward to spoiling her granddaughter since this would probably be the one and only time she'll see her on Christmas Day itself. Plus my mum does the most amazing Christmas dinner.... Nothing I will be able to do will come close. Oh, and I won't be able to take DD to go see Santa for the first time.

Honestly feeling a bit depressed about the whole thing.

Your boxing day beach trip sounds lovely but I thought you could only meet in groups of 6 inside or outside?

Just read the threads on here - many are going overboard with 1st December boxes, advent calendars costing £££££, Elf on the shelf, Christmas Eve boxes and loads of presents. Was in Home Bargains yesterday (for shampoo and soap......) and the amount of ridiculous plastic tat in there is unreal. So, no, I don't think many will be toning it down at all. Depressing.

I'm going to go well overboard on Christmas this year 🎄

Currently tier 2, but likely tier 3 soon.

However ILs in same are are already dropping big hints about coming over. My mother (74) is on her own for the 1st time, so if I do break the rules for thiand our 5 became a six, then the ILs would expect this too.

@Courtney555 how are you doing a mass Boxing Day walk on the beach with the rule of 6?

Sorry @Courtney555 I can’t see your Boxing Day walk being a thing under the rule of 6. As a family of 5 who can’t even do a walk with one set of grandparents I feel this keenly :(

We usually have Christmas at home just us. Ironically this year was going to be the year with 13 of us. Well, not any more...

By forcing the country to scale down, I think perhaps it's the shake up we needed to realise how ridiculous our Christmas consumerism had (excuse the pun) snowballed too

I honestly don't see the logic in this. The Covid measures will be stopping people from spending time with their family and friends, it won't be in any way preventing consumerism. If anything, people are likely to compensate by buying more, and by doing much more 'Insta Christmas', because social media will be the only way to share Christmas with more than 5 other people.

Yes! I agree...for years I have struggled with everyone coming over but now, as awful as covid is, I personally am loving the restriction and looking forward to not cooking for 12...bliss x