Planning for Christmas

[PuzzledObserver]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54713802

Surely the safest/least disappointing thing to do is for everyone to plan to have Christmas at home with their own household - and if it turns out that restrictions are lifted, we can all mix and mingle and feel happy - like we’ve been given a Christmas present!

I appreciate it’s not that easy if you live a long way from family. But this is the approach I think we’re going to take.

Tbh From all the threads I've seen on here about christmas, I'd say a big number of people are planning to spend Christmas as normal and mixing with family regardless of restrictions.....

Agreed people should plan for a small Christmas at home, but what they're actually planning for is whatever they'd have done anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yep we are not planning to have Christmas at home. Unless we are in full lockdown we will be seeing our family. I’m not sorry for that.

Do you not worry about asymptomatic spread, though? Or if a child/teen breaks up from on the 21st, meets up with extended family and carries the virus to grandparents and others over Christmas? Because at our family Christmases, this happens so often with colds, and it is always one of the school-aged children, usually the older ones. So if that can happen with a simple cold...

To the people who say they are going to meet up with family regardless - does that prospect really not worry you, if you have children at school?

@mrsknottschicken

Do you not worry about asymptomatic spread, though? Or if a child/teen breaks up from on the 21st, meets up with extended family and carries the virus to grandparents and others over Christmas? Because at our family Christmases, this happens so often with colds, and it is always one of the school-aged children, usually the older ones. So if that can happen with a simple cold...

To the people who say they are going to meet up with family regardless - does that prospect really not worry you, if you have children at school?

Breaks up from school, sorry

I am heartbroken about the prospect of Christmas tbh. All my family are at a distance, closest is an hour, then 3 hours, then 4/5 hours.
My son is at uni. Who knows what on earth will happen?

No family, no church singing, no christmas parties, no theatre, no concerts.

I am so sad about it all.

We're taking the kids out of school a week before Christmas and we'll stay at home for the week, then we're going to see parents regardless of the rules.

I know à fortnight is the isolation guidance but I figure à week halfs your chances.

I'll be honest restrictions over Xmas wouldn't bother me at all, every year we feel pressurised into going between both families I actually find it quite stressful. Im quite looking forward to the day just the 5 of us not going through the door, although I doubt the grandparents will feel the same about it, DM is still planning on a big Xmas dinner of 16 of us.

I seriously love Christmas, but I’ve got my head around it not being the same this year. We might see Some family on Boxing Day if allowed.
I’m hopeful next year will be back to normal.

yanbu... but don't be surprised if others make other choices.
Big deal to try to fight against human nature.

@PuzzledObserver

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54713802

Surely the safest/least disappointing thing to do is for everyone to plan to have Christmas at home with their own household - and if it turns out that restrictions are lifted, we can all mix and mingle and feel happy - like we’ve been given a Christmas present!

I appreciate it’s not that easy if you live a long way from family. But this is the approach I think we’re going to take.

Lovely if your children still live at home. Not the case for the rest of us.

I’m happy to hunker on down just the four of us this year. But that’s because we normally have the in-laws over and I do all the cooking. A pyjama day would be heaven. DH loves a big Christmas though (who wouldn’t when they don’t do the cooking!) so he’ll be grumpy most likely.

I live a few hours and two or three changes of train from my family so any last minute relaxation of restrictions won't make any difference to me, as it would be far too late for me to book train tickets and reserve seats on the trains. Even if I was possible to book, I still probably wouldn't travel as I'm not convinced social distancing would be possible.

I am planning to spend Christmas either at my home or my DP's home, just the two of us. I don't tend to enjoy Christmas with my family much, as it is very quiet and rather boring with only 3 or 4 of us and my dad is not the easiest person to spend time with, so I don't mind not being with them. My dad however is likely to be a bit upset at me not being there.

We usually have 2 households together.
We have already said we will coordinate our lunches and chat over FaceTime whilst we eat in our own houses.

We only see my parents and MIL who is in our bubble anyway. We will isolate from 17th so we can see them all- they are all local anyway.
Getting food and presents prepped now.

@mrsknottschicken

Do you not worry about asymptomatic spread, though? Or if a child/teen breaks up from on the 21st, meets up with extended family and carries the virus to grandparents and others over Christmas? Because at our family Christmases, this happens so often with colds, and it is always one of the school-aged children, usually the older ones. So if that can happen with a simple cold...

To the people who say they are going to meet up with family regardless - does that prospect really not worry you, if you have children at school?

I would worry about that if I had school children. I wouldn’t visit grandparents if we did. However neither us or any family has school age kids so it’s not something I’m worrying about. We will have a quiet couple of weeks before Christmas to reduce the risk of us bringing anything to family.

Who would have thought last Christmas that in a years' time there the police would be threatening to enter homes and break up family festive dinners?

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/10/27/family-christmas-gatherings-breach-covid-rules-will-broken-police/?li_source=LI&li_medium=liftigniter-onward-journey

Lovely if your children still live at home. Not the case for the rest of us.
My two DC are early 20s, each living alone in another town where they work.
I am very vulnerable health wise (it's not just grandparents) but I am desperate to have my chicks in the nest at Christmas, even if only for a few hours.

I've already ordered my M and S treat food for 2 so committed to staying put this year - planning to have a nice time even if it is different. I'm a teacher in a tier 3 area and don't want to risk taking covid to my medically vulnerable parents or in-laws. If there is an extension of the school holiday I'd consider visiting after Christmas, but they are too far to go in a day and I wouldn't want to be indoors with them within 2 weeks of school finishing.

Lovely if your children still live at home. Not the case for the rest of us.

I don’t have any children, but my mother does (!). She is a widow in her 80’s, my siblings and I all live at a distance, and her normal Christmas involves either staying with one of us or having one of us plus family at hers.

She has already told me she is planning to spend Christmas on her own and seems fine with it. She has all mod cons, including the ability to video call.

I live with a complete stranger who I never see. I WFH and only see my boyfriend, who's in a bubble with me. I think my parents are planning on having me home for Christmas (and they're very cautious) but it depends how heavy handed the police and fines are. Otherwise I'll spend it with my boyfriend or on my Todd I guess.

We are assuming it will just be our household and planned accordingly,

I’d hate to pass it on unknown and have to live with that. All future Christmases would be a constant reminder. Not worth it for one day.

What happens if police were to break up a family get together and all drivers in the group had been drinking so couldn’t go home?

Considering there are usually threads full of people stressed about Christmas family gatherings and people feeling guilted into spending time with family or in laws that they detest, I am surprised that there is so much fuss about this.

MrsKnott that’s exactly why I won’t be seeing family this xmas. I can’t get my head around why so few people are thinking about this and declaring that they will meet up whatever. My family agree - it’s only 1 day, 1 year. I personally think too much is made of xmas anyway.