Christmas needs to be cancelled.

[AlternativePerspective]

So the suggestion to make it possible for the world to go and be super spreaders at Christmas is to stay in lockdown until Christmas, then open up for five days, then go back into lockdown for another 25 days (at least), five days for every day we’re out of lockdown.

Are people really that desperate to have a get together they could have at any other time of the year, maybe in the summer when this pandemic is under control, that they’re willing to spend months in lockdown to achieve it? Really?

My personal opinion is that it is our duty as a society to have a low key Christmas regardless of whether they take this ridiculous measure or not.

I understand that for some they want to see family at Christmas, but these ridiculous suggestions have gone too far.

Just cancel Christmas and give us an extra bank holiday next year to make up for it.

It pisses me off how they treat us like children. I think that they know we do need to be in lockdown for longer but they think that saying "if you are good boys and girls and put up with the lockdown then we will let you play out at Christmas" will shut everyone up and keep us happy.

I work in a restaurant, I want to go back to work, I want the company that I work for to survive this. I couldn't give a flying fuck about Christmas

@AlternativePerspective

@ Neron well they could just get rid of the extra one they’re planning for 2022 and move it into next year.

But that aside, the damage to the economy done by an extra month (at least) of lockdown so people can socialise for a few days is going to be far worse than it would have otherwise.

Added to which, about two weeks after Christmas the figures will start to rise again, meaning that the likelihood of coming out of lockdown at the end of January will be less.

The hope would be that people would have a low key Christmas regardless, but reality is that they won’t. It’s part of the reason we had to introduce such draconian measures in the first place. If people had stayed away from large events, not gone out drinking in the streets when the pubs closed etc, not flocked to the beaches when they were asked not to, we wouldn’t have had to be in this situation in the first place.

Measures are put into law because people refuse to use common sense.

Patent nonsense.

With the promising vaccine news (and hope next years Xmas things will be a lot more ‘normal’) then I’d have thought we should just put up with a quieter Christmas this year

This with tinsel on.

I am totally against further extending this lockdown and I am not prepared to lockdown again in Jan just so other people can have a nice Christmas. For starters, my job will be gone if retail are shut down into Jan.

Our plan was to host Christmas for 8, that includes 4 households and GPs. I'd rather we spilt this into 4 and 4 or us plus GP and the other couple do their own thing. My own family are happy not to have people over for Christmas or mix and are just going to get on with it, no drama.

I am really not prepared to do this just for a Turkey roast. I appreciate some people have very ill relatives etc. and if you have then you should be made an exception.

I think we will be in lockdown in January regardless of Christmas

@Whatafustercluck

I've gone with yanbu, although I don't think it's a case of 'cancelling Christmas' it's a case of 'low key Christmas'. Massive family gatherings are not necessary, having your terminally ill relative over is entirely understandable and reasonable.

I agree with you that being able to see a few more people, for longer than a few days, is preferable to a free for all on 25th Dec followed by a month of disruption to everyone's lives.

Exactly. As long as no one is on their own and with exceptions for terminally I'll I think we should make Christmas as low key as possible. I don't know how they set rules for that though. We usually have a huge Christmas with about 20 of us. Won't be doing that whatever the rules but would make sure no one is alone

Heeeere you go OP

Not so much unreasonable as not in reality. Too many people will simply ignore the rules.

I've set my PILS up with Zoom so that's what we'll do. But all my kids will be home and I'll be pulling out the stops this year with food and decs.

@makingmammaries

I think "What are you giving Granny for Christmas this year? Covid-19?" needs to be on advertising posters everywhere.

I agree with you, OP.

What do you think about those of us caring for elderly people? Are we committing some sort of crime?

I don't think it matters whether a few people on a mumsnet thread want Christmas cancelled instead of a lockdown in January. The January lockdown will happen anyway because the vast majority of people in this country will not sit at home on their own over Christmas.

We've seen how much infection rates rose with universities going back which affected a fairly small number initially and then spread exponentially. Christmas will be worse.

Couldn’t agree with you more not worth it at all especially for businesses

@makingmammaries

I think "What are you giving Granny for Christmas this year? Covid-19?" needs to be on advertising posters everywhere.

I agree with you, OP.

I agree too. TV ads could have Last Christmas playing. Because if we’re not careful, this will be the Last Christmas for our loved ones. What’s the point of undoing all that lockdown will achieve by having big parties? Christmas still be celebrated, but in social bubbles.

The government know they'd face the biggest social disobedience this country has ever known and the police don't have the manpower or the appetite to enforce the draconian methods that would be needed.

I'm not hugely fussed about the actual day- but I live in Greater Manchester and we've been under restrictions since March. I've seen several friends lose their jobs and businesses, peoples' physical and mental health eroded, the community spirit of the first few months dissipated by a hotchpotch of mixed messages and cheating ministers.

Huge numbers of people are breaching lock down- most in small ways - but like speeding, recreational drug use and adultery, many people chose not to disclose it. We are tired and weary of being taken for fools and well meaning but misguided posts like this just serve to exacerbate the divisions.

@Sarahandco

I think we will be in lockdown in January regardless of Christmas

This with bells on. We will be in lockdown anyway, Christmas just gives Government an excused to blame the general public for it.

It's been nonsense all along to look only at one side of the equation IMHO. People are struggling, suicide rates are rising. Xmas is a stressor for some which will exacerbate that. But for many others it's a time of celebration, emotional refueling and renewing much needed connections. If you 'cancel' that there will be consequences. Lower key is perhaps the best compromise but talking of cancelling is unhelpful and simplistic. The idea that an extra BH can make up for not having this is quite frankly ridiculous.

We’ll be having a quiet christmas at home, just us and the kids. We’ll be posting presents to other family. It won’t be as busy as most years but it will still very much be Christmas with stockings and presents and a roast and a tree and family games. It’s possible to have Christmas without extended family around, it doesn’t have to be cancelled at all.

@Iamthewombat

Steady on, Oliver Cromwell!

I was thinking more of the great Alan Rickman....

They will relax restrictions at Christmas because people will ignore them if they don’t anyway! Take responsibility for your and your loved ones health and have a low key Christmas regardless what the restrictions say - the virus doesn’t know or care whether it’s Christmas or not...

@Iamthewombat

Steady on, Oliver Cromwell!

Can I ask a question the this. Would it work for all people who would be potentially joining to create their Christmas 🎄 bubble, to all test before seeing each other? Maybe close schools a week earlier so kids could isolate for longer too? Not an expert, obvs just a question to see if it might work?

Actually I think we should go back to rule of 6 for Christmas. Seems like a sensible compromise. (And it suits us as we’re us 4, DM and DB!)

I suspect this is what the government will do as it will help to disguise the incoming shitshow of Brexit in January

Yes, people will do what they want over Christmas anyway, and yes, thousands of deaths will result.

I just don't think the government has the power or goodwill to orchestrate a stay at home Christmas. All the time schools are open, these half hearted "lockdowns" are just fuckig up the economy/people's jobs, without reducing the spread of the disease.

Well - ignoring the science and putting the population at increased risk and prolonged lockdown is now a pattern -

1. Questionable and now discredited ‘herd immunity’ plan.
2. Education prioritised - schools and universities open
3. The hospitality industry ‘eat out to help out’ etc
4. The economy more generally
5. To allow bigger family groups at Christmas. General mental health of the nation benefit.

All (other than 1 imo) understandable. All pretty disastrous. Some understandable balancing acts. I thought well for goodness sakes other religious festival/cultural mega festivités weren’t accommodated, also thought ‘can’t we all just have a quiet Christmas ?’ But this thread has shown how important for many this will be. I’m conflicted. Personally I think it’s a nonsense but it’s not all about me and my circs.

Christmas does not need to be cancelled but what you consider to be Christmas may need to be different this year.

So Christmas will just be your household and any support bubble member.

Meet other households for a belated get-together later next year when it is safe to do so. That doesn't mean Christmas is cancelled.