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.

"Cancel Christmas" is ridiculous hyperbole.

I still do not understand who peopel do not understand that these type of viruses spread rapidly. This virus was running amok Nov - March - globallly and unchecked.

These lockdowns are futile, and multiple leading epidilogists and medical scientists agree. Read Mike Yeadons article. Eye opening

Unfortunately you can't rely on people to use their common sense. They think they won't have to suffer any consequences if they do as the government says.

I wish people would be sensible and realise that one day is not worth the potential risk of losing a loved one early.

A couple of households mixing so no one is alone is fine, say 6-8 people, but those who believe it will be a good idea to have a normal Christmas with 20 distant relatives mixing in the same room need to give their heads a shake.

@ancientgran sorry but you haven't a clue.

1. lots of people work Christmas Eve and can't just take a days leave. Many also work Christmas Day
2. public transport of all varieties finishes early Christmas Eve and very little starts up again before 27th.
3. lots of peop,e don't live within walking distance of family.

'If they want to take that chance who are you to stop them?'

Because it isn't just about them, its affects us all. That is the point. If it wasn't a higher infectious disease I would not give a rat's ass what risks others took. However, people that have a houseful for a few days running will have an impact on nhs resources. So imo we should keep it to a minimum this year.

Honestly selfish people, it'll be all be back to normal next year!

@AcornAutumn

I’ve developed a weird habit of reading dads old medical papers. If some posters here read them, they’d never leave the house.

If some people adapated the same rationale of risk of death, they would never enter a car, go on a plane or eat a peanut ever again.

This really has show me how people are unable to think logically for themselves, and lap up the fear mongering narrative the media is throwing our way.

If you want to do something useful today, read the ONS twitter feed. Pure, un altered, un spun data.

No! Christmas should not be cancelled. Keeping the pubs closed etc fine by me. Let the people have 2 days for Christmas with restrictions on how many can visit per household.

A Christmas tree doesn’t spread Covid.
Father Christmas (the one that comes down the chimney) doesn’t either.
Decorations are fine.
The poor turkey hasn’t broken any rules.
Presents under the tree all fine.
The telephone will still be busy especially for
The tv is on. It is only a couple of days.

If this restriction allows us to still be here next year so be it.
Of course there are exceptions when the bereaved and terminally ill are concerned. They will have to be given priority in our decisions but that is not the same as just socialising because it is 25th December.

Everyone who wants to 'cancel' their own Christmas can do so.
Those who don't want to don't. Fewer family gatherings will mean less transmission, which we have been told is the goal, in order to 'save the NHS'.
I personally hate Christmas so won't be adding to the death toll any more than I do usually by simply being alive and therefore a possible host for a virus.
It is totally depressing that so many people feel the need to police everyone else's behaviour with such hysteria and vitriol. There are things other than Covid.

Oh piss off

I have seen my Dad twice since March, as we live in different counties and have been unable to leave our counties or move more than 5km from our house.

I am not leaving him alone on christmas day. we will have isolated for 2 weeks before.

@GetOffYourHighHorse

'If they want to take that chance who are you to stop them?'

Because it isn't just about them, its affects us all. That is the point. If it wasn't a higher infectious disease I would not give a rat's ass what risks others took. However, people that have a houseful for a few days running will have an impact on nhs resources. So imo we should keep it to a minimum this year.

Honestly selfish people, it'll be all be back to normal next year!

Exactly so stop pretending you actually care about other people and not just yourself!

the virus is having an effect on NHS resources. This people blaming is ridiculous!

Ooh if we all comply it'll go away. No. We all complied in the first place and look what happened.

The government have created this mess it is no wonder nobody is listening to them anymore.

The NHS isn't there to pick up the pieces of you deliberately putting yourself at risk

That's almost exactly why it is there otherwise it wouldn't treat half the population with sporting injuries, drug and alcohol issues and the majority of people in a and e on a friday night.

@madcatladyforever

I don't know why people have to be so irate its the sensible thing to do not to be driviving all over the country to see relatives. Obviously if its someones last Christmas then you will want to be seeing them and I'm sure OP or anyone else wouldn't object to that but xmas as usual is just downright selfish and irresponsible and I'm fed up with being locked up because selfish people want to crowd the beaches all summer and spend xmas packed into shops and travelling all over the country. One lockdown xmas isn't going to kill us.

Yes, I'm selfish for wanting to see what's left of my family after an incredibly difficult year. We lost my mother. I'm on my own for the first time, because I was her carer.

But sure, let's continue to isolate vulnerable mentally unwell, sometimes to the point of self harm and suicidal ideations, because people couldnt stop going abroad when restrictions were lifted the last time.

I made my sacrifices this year already. I couldnt see my mother for four months before she died because of visiting bans in the hospital. When I did get to see her, the day before and the day she died, she didnt even know I was there.

So yes, I AM Selfish for wanting to spend ONE day with the remains of my family. And you know what I dont give a fuck!

@MrsMiaWallis

The NHS isn't there to pick up the pieces of you deliberately putting yourself at risk

That's almost exactly why it is there otherwise it wouldn't treat half the population with sporting injuries, drug and alcohol issues and the majority of people in a and e on a friday night.

Of course and you don't need to tell NHS workers that, it is what they do everyday. The difference is this time there are nurses with PTSD from what they went through in March/April/May and faced with maybe having to go through it again in Jan/Feb/March. Plus the more patients in hospital with Covid-19, the more everyone in hospital is exposed to the virus - staff and patients alike. The more transmission there is within hospital, the more people take it home to their families.

Funny isnt it, the ones who endlessly fart on about 'The War' and 'Snowflakes' are the first ones to lose their shit when they might have to have a lowkey christmas.

@EminemsMandMs

Sorry, hogging thread.

"I'm dreaming of a low-key Christmas".......

I would love, love, love to be able to tone it all down. Tell everyone I am not hosting. tell everyone I am not buying expensive presents and just token ones etc. I could totally reset Christmas.

Just say you don't want to do it?

Well the latest news is that covid gets into the testes in men. So those catching it may not be able to reproduce as easily.

We are unlikely to see our family this Christmas. It sucks but so does getting an illness that is doing long term damage to a, so far unknown, percentage of people who catch it. And before people chime in with most people get it mildly - long term effects are beginning to appear in some of those who thought they got off lightly.

I will probably do a 12 hour round trip on several trains and a rail replacement bus to be with my Grandmother as she has termainal cancer, it’s her last Xmas and I’m dammed if she’s spending it on her own, especially as we lost my Grandfather last month.
I will take as many precautions as I can but don’t label me selfish.

countrygirl well aren't you rude. If it is all eased for 5 days do you think the issues will be any different. Listen to people being selfish about how they don't care about risking other people's lives, they are doing what they want, pretty sure if they get 5 days they will take 5 days and the crowds will be the same.

People who work Christmas Day will be working Christmas Day which is normal for many of us.

If people work Christmas Eve and can't travel then 2 days or 5 days won't make a difference will it, they won't be able to travel late Christmas Eve, they won't be able to travel Christmas Day and according to you they won't be able to travel Boxing Day so they won't be meeting up at Christmas anyway. If you mean they can travel on the 27th because such poor public transport on Boxing Day then they aren't doing it at Christmas are they, if they can celebrate two or three days after Christmas then why not the weekend before, or the weekend after or the month after.

Well we’re going to be in lockdown regardless so we may as well safely enjoy Christmas Day with our families. IF people do wish to mix then they should be careful, keep guest numbers low and maybe not do all day gatherings. 🙋🏻‍♀️I’m happy to wear a face mask until and after the dinner.

The ‘vaccine’ will cure us all anyway... 😏🙄🤭

'If some people adapated the same rationale of risk of death, they would never enter a car, go on a plane or eat a peanut ever again. This really has show me how people are unable to think logically for themselves, and lap up the fear mongering narrative the media is throwing our way.'

What a silly way to think. I'm quite happy driving, getting on a plane etc etc etc. What it is though, in a pandemic, is my parents are so very important to me and I'm not prepared to risk them having a protracted and unpleasant hospital stay all so we can have a big Christmas knees up. It's a mn cliche, but people really need to develop some resilience. The vaccine is coming, the end is in sight.

And before people chime in with most people get it mildly - long term effects are beginning to appear in some of those who thought they got off lightly and lots of people who had it in March are back living completely normal lives.

"Cancelling Christmas" won't just impact families, though.

The economy needs as normal a Christmas as possible to happen.

Funny isnt it, the ones who endlessly fart on about 'The War' and 'Snowflakes' are the first ones to lose their shit when they might have to have a lowkey christmas.

Indeed.

It is utterly meaningless to have a lockdown, halt it for a few days, then start it up again.

Then again, this 'lockdown' is meaningless anyway IMO seeing as schools and unis are still operating, so

@HappydaysArehere

A Christmas tree doesn’t spread Covid. Father Christmas (the one that comes down the chimney) doesn’t either. Decorations are fine. The poor turkey hasn’t broken any rules. Presents under the tree all fine. The telephone will still be busy especially for The tv is on. It is only a couple of days. If this restriction allows us to still be here next year so be it. Of course there are exceptions when the bereaved and terminally ill are concerned. They will have to be given priority in our decisions but that is not the same as just socialising because it is 25th December.

Nicely put.

No-one is against support bubbles for isolated people or exemptions for the terminally ill etc. Some people go off the deep end when their situation is currently even allowed in lockdown.