Do you think lockdown will be lifted for Christmas?

[BlusteryShowers]

I can't help but feel quietly confident that there will be an announcement some time in December allowing an easing of lockdown measures for a short period over Christmas.

I propose that the govt suspect many would flout rules any way, so they may as well make it Part Of The Plan and take credit for their benevolence.

The timing of the announcement would be interesting. The spending that goes into Christmas is huge and lots of businesses rely on it. Can we even afford a very very low key Christmas?

Does anyone else think this?

Not being funny but I am a practicing Christian and although I missed celebrating Easter and lent and Pentecost I am not willing to celebrate Christmas if I could kill or hurt older members of the congregation.

I'd manage if they cancelled Christmas but wonder what they would tell students to do.
Not go home?
Maybe not so bad for older ones, but first years will already have had a long, isolated term and will need a break.

Could see a lot of infections being spread round the UK

Yey. Great. A repeat of Easter. But more dark. With a tree lit up in the corner.
And that's about it.
Just the 4 of us listening to my family blathering on about Minecraft/ Pokemon/ WW2 Battle strategy for the 9th fucking month with little respite.

We fairly often do have Christmas Day at home, punctuated by going to church and seeing family on other days. No point in going to church if it's all joyless mumbling on masks and no hymns. So it'll be just like the other 175 odd Sundays we've had this year.

No festive build up, school events, parties (including writing off DS1's festive birthday which is a shitty time of year anyway, happy birthday kiddo, hope you suck it up as stoically as your brother did at Easter).

British society always had a mid-winter festival to mark the solstice and passing of the shortest day anyway. It's not just about tradition/ religion/ family/ feasting. It's about keeping sane through the crappiest, most depressing time of the year.

I just hope the the government want to avoid going down in history along with Cromwell and allow a temporary reprive from banning young families from their human right to a family life. We've seen little enough of them this year already and it stings.

There are many ways of dying suddenly without Covid. Roughly a hundred thousand will have their final Christmas this year, mostly without realising. Christmas/ New Year is already a prime time for domestic abuse and murder. How many will die needlessly because they had no escape from their abuser? How many will reach the end of their limits and commit suicide? Is it not better to allow some joy and hope than crushing the mental health of the population?

Covid 19 is not the only hazard to human life. Misery is a killer too.

We're already mentally composing the speech of disappointment for the in laws. (My parents are no contact so that's easier).

Husband has been offered double time Xmas day so with my wage halved we've jumped at that.

We have one friend in our bubble who can't travel to her parents in Scotland so she's definitely at ours. Teen kids will be here, that makes 5 total.

I'm exhausted working crazy hours in a job with no commission to year end so we're on a mortgage break until January. Im blowed if I'm going to spend the usual £200 on food and drink and run a B&b for 4 days Xmas week to serve the retired, pensioned in laws that we shopped for 2 x a week in early lockdown when they were shielding. They can sort their own lunch and we'll FaceTime on Xmas day. I'm also putting in a request for no adult gifts this year as we just don't have the money for it. Can't pay our mortgage = seasons greetings but please done make me buy at £30 a head for everyone for just one year. Please!

I sympathise with everyone who lives a long distance from their family and those with young children because that's a different sentiment towards Xmas but this year I'm looking forward to shutting the door and the laptop for a week if at all possible after the stress of this year so far.

'Covid 19 is not the only hazard to human life. Misery is a killer too.'

Oh try to be positive! Show your kids it'll be different but fine (hopefully, if no one near to you gets very ill). I've every sympathy for those with genuine mh problems but so many are having a pity party over their ruined Christmas day.

@GreenShadow

I'd manage if they cancelled Christmas but wonder what they would tell students to do. Not go home? Maybe not so bad for older ones, but first years will already have had a long, isolated term and will need a break.

Could see a lot of infections being spread round the UK

I don't think people have clocked this yet, but in a lot of cases, it would be extremely unwise for students in hotspots to return home for Christmas to parents in their 50 or 60s in areas where there are few cases.

And at some point the penny will drop and someone will have to say this outloud and possibly legislate accordingly.

@GetOffYourHighHorse Some people prefer winter/Christmas to the summer. We dont all like the heat. Some of us hate it. Im just waiting for the legislation that will put childless/childfree people at the bottom of the pile.

Id lay money on the fact that its coming.

I hate to say it RedToothBrush (as someone with a student living away from home), but I'm inclined to agree. That would be the hardest part of a cancelled Christmas for many.

TBH, he'd probably have a great time, sharing a house with 5 friends.

If only they were so quick on laws regarding the removing of flammable cladding. I certainly havent seen much thought on this board for those who had to do lockdown in a place covered in it.

@tootyfruitypickle

If we can take kids out of schools for a term and a half we can certainly reduce Christmas to immediate family only! The consequence of lifting restrictions might be schools off again.

Oh dear God, NOOOOOO!!!!! Schools MUST remain open!

No I don’t think restrictions will be lifted for Christmas, nor do I think they should be unless something drastic improves by then! I actually think in England restrictions will be tighter soon aka no mixing households as it is now in Scotland

@GetOffYourHighHorse

'Covid 19 is not the only hazard to human life. Misery is a killer too.'

Oh try to be positive! Show your kids it'll be different but fine (hopefully, if no one near to you gets very ill). I've every sympathy for those with genuine mh problems but so many are having a pity party over their ruined Christmas day.

I'll be OK. I'm not on the edge or trapped in an abusive situation but there are people who will have this as the point of no return. I do find winter hard for SAD, and last years was a tough one, so my enthusiasm is not high!

The kids have done brilliantly this year. Apart from June when they were lethathic and frankly slipping into depressed behaviour. But they are the age where they are in the prime of Christmas excitement and so much of that ritual will be stripped away to the same monotony that we've had all year. They don't need or want loads of stuff and there's little else on offer if the stupid rule of six bans them from things like playing with their cousins. (And it is stupid when it bans some low risk activities while permitting higher risk actions)

As I said, we often do have a low key Christmas Day, but when everything else is stripped off, it's just another December Sunday and until 3 weeks ago, we've been stuck together nearly 24/7 for the best part of 6 months, so nuclear family time 2020 is more than a little over done!

At least DS1 loves sprouts

@BuffaloCauliflower
literally the most important thing in my entire year, I’ve never deviated from our traditions once
Well sounds like it’s time to start getting used to the idea. It’s one day a year and you’re prepared to breach guidelines? Talk about bratty, selfish and irresponsible😡

@LadyPenelope68 yes, for ONE DAY I will break guidelines. I haven’t for the entire previous 9 months it will be up to that point. One day when I will then be back in my house and therefore spreading to no one I can’t see any reason to get overly worried about. What risk will I pose to others once I’ve returned to my home?

No, 6 months.

(And it would be a PR disaster if they relaxed them for Christmas but not for Eid etc)

I bloody well hope not it’s about the only hope I have of an excuse not to spend the holidays with the MIL. I’m not going through all this isolation and shielding to then right when I need it to save me throw me to the wolves ! 🙈

I can’t believe how precious some people are on this thread about one day of the year.

Some people, myself included will be having a completely different Christmas due to relatives that have been lost this year to Covid.

I’m sure it wouldn’t be the end of the world to have a scaled down affair this year and be thankful for what you’ve got.

I think it might change to allow under 11/12 not to count in the 6 if the numbers are going the other way or stable by then but that's it. We normally spend it just the four of us on the day itself but see family either side. Both our sisters have 3 children though so maybe our parents on both sides will want to come to us instead as we only have 2. They normally go elsewhere but whoever asks first is welcome! We are not left out - we are always welcome where they both are but like to be by ourselves as we have many nieces and nephews and present opening is madness so we see them Christmas Eve and Boxing Day instead!

@Lightningrain

I can’t believe how precious some people are on this thread about one day of the year.

Some people, myself included will be having a completely different Christmas due to relatives that have been lost this year to Covid.

I’m sure it wouldn’t be the end of the world to have a scaled down affair this year and be thankful for what you’ve got.

Well said.

@BuffaloCauliflower
What risk will I pose to others once I’ve returned to my home?
So are you going to stay in your hone for 2 weeks after to make sure you are virus free? Or are you still going to go to work, shops etc? Unless you’re going to then self-isolate for 2 weeks then yes, you’re a risk any time you step out of the house. Selfish and irresponsible.

No

@LadyPenelope68 - yes, I would be isolating, as I basically am right now. I’ll travel home by car, stay in, as I’ll be on maternity leave and have nowhere to be. DH is working exclusively from home. Everything is being delivered. Please, explain the selfish risks I’ll be imposing on others?

@LadyPenelope68 so irresponsible to stay in my house all the fucking time as pretty much I have all year! How dare I want to see anyone or have a vague hint of normality. I’m sure I’ll somehow still murder 5 grannies from inside my house .

I’m sure it wouldn’t be the end of the world to have a scaled down affair this year and be thankful for what you’ve got

I’m very sorry for your loss, and I apologise for quoting you

But ive seen similar throughout the thread, ive no idea what some people imagine by scaled down affair

All i want is my children to be here for Christmas and it would be good if my dad could have his Christmas dinner here

Thats my Christmas...I’m not sure how i can scale it Down any further, though i suppose it could just be me and dh

If i go to my parents it will be just me, them and my niece Possibly my brother and his partner too = 6