So...does Borris really have a plan in the pipeline so families can be together for Christmas?

[BlowMeToBermuda]

Hi,

With rumours swirling, does anyone think there is actually a "together for Christmas" plan?

Before anyone shoots me down, I'm not saying I believe there should be one necessarily. There are certainly more important plans needing to be put together right now.

Don't get me wrong, I would absolutely love to be with family for Christmas, but I just can't see how.

Thoughts?

How could the government call christmas off?

The latest I've seen is about how other countries in Europe are not sure either to be fair

I also noticed our rates look Ok in comparison to some others, sort of along the same plot as Germany, less that Italy and France..

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54926301

How on earth do 12 people social distance indoors or around the dining table unless people live in a mansion?

Hence keep the window open for airflow. Just my guess I they will relax the rules far enough that families inc PM are able to meet up. Could you imagine the headlines if Boris flouted the rules???
He's not daft he'll make the rules so it works for him and his many children, that is of course assuming they do actually want to visit him On the other hand if it was left to Nicola you'd be allowed 3 households, 8 people.

Purely my guesses.

@Bikingbear, wow, 6 households mixing? Really? Seems like a hell of a lot!

@TheKeatingFive

How could the government call christmas off?

Easily. They are loving this power and control over our lives.

Remember it's my guess!
6 couples isn't that many, if you've a partner with parents, your own parents and you have 4 young adult kids, and that's before you think about your siblings.

I don’t see how big family christmases can be possible this year. Even if the rules allow it, it’s just not sensible to have large numbers of multi generations, possible from all around the country, crammed into a stuffy house, sharing food and bathrooms, for hours on end. How many people will actually keep all the windows open in December?

Boris and the word 'plan' don't go together...

I think they will lift the lockdown in December and go back to tiers but that won't allow for a 'normal' Christmas and frankly at this stage there are more important things to focus on than obsessing about one family dinner.

The issue is though that lockdowns are no longer being followed, which I completely understand I must say, and people are getting fed up so many will just ignore the rules anyway.

Numbers in my small seaside town were always very low but are now the highest in our region. Hope the town stays as locked down as possible at the moment tbh

people are getting fed up so many will just ignore the rules anyway.

And that's what we can't afford, once people ignore the rules once they'll do it again. So they need to relax it so people can get together within the guidelines and then tighten back up for January.

I hope we can at least go back to rule of six!

@starsinyourpies

I hope we can at least go back to rule of six!

I definetly think they will go further than the rule of 6. A family of 4, two adults inc two teens. Which set of GPs do you invite? 😬

My best hope is that my family of 4 can have my parents round. But really if rates are high and that’s risky we can spend it as a 4 and zoom. I know we’re in a lucky position at least having a household that we can have a fun xmas day together. Haven’t seen my sister any her family for ages. Haven’t seen husband’s family (who live in another home nation) since last Xmas. His sister is stuck in China.

I am of the view that people couldn’t have their usual Eid or Rosh Hashanah or Diwali celebrations either this year. It’s a tough year for everyone and I’m not sure Christmas should be prioritised over the rest.

@Bikingbear
6 couples isn't that many, if you've a partner with parents, your own parents and you have 4 young adult kids, and that's before you think about your siblings.

I do hope people use good sense and realise there is no need for all those 'couples' to join together. The very fact they are in a couple means they wont be alone! If it's absolutely essential to see all those people in person (it isn't) then surely space it out and see a couple before Christmas and a couple maybe after new year? The point is to catch up with people, it doesn't have to happen in one fell swoop, indoors,with a load of booze to stop social distancing. Education and livelihoods in January 2021 could be disrupted far more than necessary because people can't resist a whole family knees up!

The government isn't going to say Xmas is off, but that we might need to do it in a different way to keep everyone as safe as possible. We've decided (and luckily family agree) that spreading Covid won't be part of our Xmas. If everyone sees eachother as normal, we'll be back in lockdown in February, so am thinking we might be allowed to join with one other household.

We've agreed with DH's three siblings that it'll be a case of delivering presents and either a walk and flask hot chocolate/soup or fun over zoom while opening them. Not sure what to do about Mum as she has no one else. I've hardly seen her as I work in a school - she has said she'd like to see us but would be happy with a walk - luckily I break up a week before, so the risk will be decreased at that point.

I don’t care what Boris says or plans, covid won’t magically disappear on Christmas Day.
I work in the NHS and I can’t isolate myself to spend time safely with people. I could have contact with covid patients at any time.

So we are having a quiet Xmas day at home with doorstep visits to family. I don’t want the guilt of spreading anything to my family. We normally have a lovely gathering with food and presents. But like my dad who is v vulnerable to covid said. It’s just one year. We will still see each other. He would rather skip one to live to see a few more.

What do people exactly want the government to announce? It’s fine to see people and do your normal Christmas? Break the rule of 6 and have your family around?

Whatever the government announce people won’t like it and will continue to adjust rules conveniently to themselves regardless. I do worry how it will pan out after Christmas in regards to infections though after all that mixing.

Well, whatever draconian and stupid rules our glorious leader may put in, I will be seeing who I want to see when I want to see them and I will NOT be social distancing because there's not a chance in hell that I'll be social distancing from my own family and certainly not on Christmas day. I need to put my mental health first or I worry what I'll end up doing to myself.

@Bikingbear surely though, whatever is in place should be more to do with prevention of sky high transmission than the logistics of people deciding who to invite.

No one should be alone but other than that I can't see why most people can't make an exception this year. We've missed out in so much, why ruin it by insisting on a family gathering at Christmas?

@kittensarecute good luck with that approach. You're gambling with your health and that of your family.

I imagine we will come out of lockdown and go straight into tier 3 or there's rumours of a tier 3+ which will be similar restrictions to lockdown anyway.

Our numbers and hospitals admissions are increasing quite quickly in this area though.

And most importantly I should add to my last comment peoples lives shouldn't be put at risk for the sake of a glorified Sunday lunch!

Agree with @PeterPomegranate that other celebrations, most notably family gatherings for Eid were prevented hours beforehand. Everyone has made sacrifices to their normal celebrations this year.

There will be time for family gatherings down the line and they will be all the more joyous!

You're gambling with your health and that of your family.

That is their choice though. Avoiding Covid isn’t necessarily people’s only aim in life.

@TheKeatingFive

It’s a communicable disease.

All these little personal choices impact other people.

All the little bargains promote the spread and prolong this pandemic.

I dunno. I never thought I’d have to spend so much of my adult life explaining to other adults that we need to think about other people.

peoples lives shouldn't be put at risk for the sake of a glorified Sunday lunch!

It’s not that though. It’s a hugely significant cultural festival in the U.K., not comparable to anything else.

There will be time for family gatherings down the line and they will be all the more joyous

There may or may not be. People do die from things that aren’t Covid, remember. Without question, this will be some people’s last Christmas, Covid or no Covid.

I dunno. I never thought I’d have to spend so much of my adult life explaining to other adults that we need to think about other people.

I don’t know why others don’t understand there’s a limit to how much we can ask of people. Are you incapable of engaging with these complicated questions?

There are people who’ve been prevented from seeing close family members for 7/8 months of this year. I don’t think thats reasonable ask myself.

My parents are old. It may be their last Christmas. They’ve been denied so much time with their grandchildren this year. When do we say enough?