Not a chance in hell of a proper Christmas?

[ShortFatandDumpy]

So I'm in lockdown after weeks of local restrictions here in Wales.

I keep hearing the "if we clamp down now we can have a proper xmas" line being spouted out.
That's bullshit isn't it.
Cases started to surge (in the areas that have seen a surge) at the start to mid September when schools and unis went back and after a good 6 to 8 weeks of more social interaction over August.

So I'm in Wales, on day 1of a so say short sharp 17 day lockdown. IF and I mean IF this Lock down ends in 17 days time that's about 7 weeks ish to Xmas, surely that will be prime peaking out of control time again for Covid hospital admissions??
Even if we go back to our local restrictions here, there's not been a great slow in numbers. I just cant see Xmas happenning either unless we stay locked down until mid December, and no way does anyone want that.
Someone local posted on our community page our area has had only 9 weeks free of restrictions since March!! No idea how true that is, I've lost track but it certainly feels like it.
Add on top of that, people like me live in a rural area and have been unable to travel to larger shops for weeks now. Normally by now I've done the kids Primark stocking filler haul, but I havnt been able to get into Cardiff for weeks now. If we keep on the restrictions, I won't be able to do Xmas shopping. I have Amazon Prime but bloody hell the price difference is quite vast compared to budget shops!
I'm so fed up and can't see anything like a normal Xmas. Ive also student kids in 2 tier 3 cities and parents in England. I'm licked in Wales and so fed up.
Anyone else thinking and feeling the same?

*No, he's holed up in a nursing home. I haven't seen him, apart from a single 5 minute window visit, since early March.
*

Could you bring him for a while over Christmas?
You could isolate beforehand and keep things as risk free as possible while he's at home with you.

Or is the Government forbidding this?

No you can't, for a MN Christmas this year you have to board up your front door and spend the Christmas period alone with only a turnip for company.

Perhaps use this year an the opportunity to cut out the plastic tat from the budget shops for stocking fillers. There really are worse things than not being able to get stocking fillers, which are totally unnecessary. Get some books, xmas sweets, a new wallet/purse, craft items or whatever.

Sorry, I just your post saying your youngest will be coming home for xmas. So your kids arent even young?
Yeah... you really dont need junk from primark for a stocking. Your kids are grown.

Xmas shouldn't be about the tat.

I think people do need to realise that Christmas does mean different people for some yes it’s mainly about presents and so not cancelled. However for others (like me) it’s mainly about seeing family and friends and being around people who are important to me so yes it is cancelled even if the stuff that goes with that is still available!

I am not arguing for or against cancelling it... it feels increasingly to me that everything I was told I needed to do to control the virus I have done and it hasn’t worked so I am losing faith that cancelling Christmas will work any better to be honest! But I will do what I am told but no if I cannot see the people I love then Christmas for me is cancelled even if there is a tree and presents.

I have to say I'm surprised by posters who would take their DCs out of school for two weeks, although as it's primary maybe it's different but for me every day DS14 is in school is an absolute gift and I wouldn't be voluntarily sacrificing that. Couldn't you celebrate Christmas at the end of the school holidays , so DCs could self isolate at home during the holidays and then see their GPs at the end of the period? It just seems such a sacrifice for one day, when it's possible to meet up on a different day without the DCs missing so much school.

For us I'm not sure what we'll do. My DPs are very elderly and live about an hour away. DM is being very cautious and I doubt she'd let us in even if there was a relaxation of the rules, although DF would love to see us. We might go for a walk outside with them. They're not big Christmas people anyway.

My niece and nephew might come up - their DGM has terminal cancer and they want to spend time with her - they have to have negative covid test results before seeing her, so wouldn't pose any risk to us if they visit after - although we might to them.

At the moment I'm sorely tempted to book a trip to Tenerife and avoid Christmas altogether. DS14 as an only loves being together with SILs family and it's a great big family day - but I seriously doubt the numbers will be allowed.

but no if I cannot see the people I love then Christmas for me is cancelled

Could you isolate beforehand or form a bubble with your closest loved ones? Nobody should be isolated and alone at Christmas.

@Sonnenscheins I would have thought that's a definite no, visiting isn't allowed so I don't think they would allow the residents to leave.

@Sonnenscheins I might be able to bring him to ours, but I wouldn't be able to return him. And the level of care he needs is more than I can offer, or, indeed, more than could be provided by a single person 24/7 365 days a year.

Could you isolate beforehand or form a bubble with your closest loved ones? One single adult household can form a support bubble with one other household. You can't form a bubble just for Christmas, you can't add all your closest loved ones to the bubble, you can't make a bubble with your parents because they're not a single adult household. And if you're Tier 2, then having another household indoors can theoretically lead to a fine.

What is a “ proper Xmas “ it’s about adjusting. We have spend many Xmas days in hospital in a cubicle as well as birthdays with DD. I can honestly say there was never one of them where she didn’t smile and laugh all day because we just adjusted plans and made it what we could. Adults are defo having a worse time ones this than the children. The children need us adults to be positive adjust and they won’t care.

I do however feel for single people who don’t have a bubble but then what they usually do at Xmas that’s different ?

[quote myhobbyisouting]@ravensoaponarope they already allow for that in the form of bubbles don't they? [/quote]
@myhobbyisouting I'm in Wales and had to google this- yes. :-)

(I wasn't sure if we had lost that right in the firebreak)

@MummyPop00

Wont be seeing my extended family.

On that basis alone, it’ll be the best Xmas in years

Respect!

I have bought a bottle of Bailey's, might buy another.

Boris won’t want to be the grinch who stole Christmas.

From what I’ve seen Drakeford won’t care, based on what’s happening in Wales.

Not sure on NI as I’m not up to date.

Sturgeon may not want to make herself unpopular by cancelling Christmas, if she’s launching a new independence bid next year.

No, Boris won't. But he'll be happy to be the grinch who stole people's livelihoods, well being, mental health, exam results, and lives.

And I am the absolute opposite of a lefty. So Heaven help Boris if he ever stands to be re-elected. If he has lost my family (my parents voted Conservative for 50 years until Boris and Brexit), he is completely stuffed. Thank God.

No one I know is changing their Xmas plans regardless of the rules

That’s a step too far for many

I find Christmas shit at the best of times so it won’t be any different for me. A microwave meal for one!

@hestershaw1 there are provisions even now for you to see your mum is you are worried about her mental health/ welfare etc. They won't remove that for Christmas even if we are in lockdown. If they have the same in England surely she can come to yours?

Thank you. Yes I am planning on her coming to mine.

The problem is we can't actually stand each other but there is NO WAY I will leave her on her own in Drakeford's Wales for Christmas :o

Ah. I see. What does she usually do for Christmas? I don't think there will be many restrictions. Could be wrong though obvs. If the NHS hadn't been so mangled for the past few years we wouldn't need these blinking restrictions. Lost 200 beds for acute medical care since 2010, 30 high dependency beds, and with hdu and icu combined we have 220 beds. At the peak 170 were covid. Not much room to play with.

Anyway, rant over. Hope your Christmas goes 'okay' whatever.

No, surely there is no chance in hell’.
I also instinctively feel there’s little chance that next year will be back to anything like normal.
Finally I’m not sure we will ever be back to ‘normal’ fully but maybe I’m just feeling down about it all today.

@Feellikefrighteningyeah

Have a nice dinner at home. This is just one Christmas and there are more important things

That's fine if you not on your own I suppose. Christmas an extremely lonely time for some people & unfortunately it's more than one day what with the whole build up. (Hope that at least will be calmer this year) Feel sad for my widowed mum, we lost my brother to cancer this year & for his wife & my nephew. Feel for my DH nan in a nursing home whose dementia has got so bad due to isolation & it will be first Christmas she has ever spent without her family my in-laws always brought her out. Bugs the shit out of me people who say just buy a load a stuff of amazon n bung a turkey in the oven & sure you'll be fine.

I won't get to see.my dd and dgc this Xmas which is sad. I will have 7 foot Xmas tree, turkey & beef and my dh and 2 adult sons still living at home with me. We will still hang our stockings up and over indulge on food, and drink. We will Skype family. I just hope Covid does not get worse in Jan as many will break rules.

The only things that I'm sad about is missing the Christmas market - I love going and it always feels like Christmas has arrived then - and that I may not be able to go to church on Christmas Eve/Day.

As for the rest of it, we were only ever planning to meet with my parents, who are in our support bubble, and with us, make a group of five. So as long as we can order presents and food in, do some outdoor events and support bubbles are allowed to meet, it won't make a lot of difference to us.

For those it makes more of a difference to, it's tough but I guess we have all had to cancel/miss out on so much in 2020 already it's just one more thing, and surely by Christmas 2021 things will be more normal.