Elderly relative Christmas gift shopping

[StillCounting123]

Anyone else experiencing this currently?

MIL and DM are both sort of glossing over the fact that Christmas this year won't be as it usually it - both quiet too about the fact that we have family abroad who won't be coming back to visit as planned.

My DM loudly announces that "Christmas is cancelled!" every so often, but in next breathe she'll be reminding my Dad that it's nearly time to get tree down from attic.

Neither are clued up with internet shopping and I am worried about how they feel the need to do their usual trips into town to buy gifts. Also, neither appear to have given thought to how they are going to get these items to people as they won't be socialising with them as in previous years.

I feel sort of guilty that they are heading out and about to buy things for my DC, niece, nephew etc.

I've said I'm happy to go online and buy them xyz and parents can give us money. But then DM and MIL mention that they have gone to the shops to buy toys and gifts anyway!

I'm not being ungrateful, and I understand that we are all in strange times and trying to make sense of the world.

But I just feel a sense of guilt that MIL and DM may be putting themselves under strain and pressure and fearful for their health.

MIL and DM are in reasonable health for their ages, but in that age bracket where they also have elderly parents (circa 90 years old) who they are in a support bubble with to help.

Any advice or solidarity?

Your parents seem fairly young, in that they still have elderly parents, so I am assuming 60's or 70's? Honestly, at that age, I don't think you need to worry about them.

Now, my parents are late 80's and 90's and for the last few years, let alone this year, I do all the shopping for my children, my husband, and for them to give to each other, and then put an account in for payment! It's work for me, but easy for them, and we all get what we want .