Christmas mixing and Tiers

[meow1989]

I know we are all just guessing at the moment, but ..

I get that its likely we are allowed to mix 3 households total over the 5 days, but doesn't that become moot if your area is tier 1? Because in tier 1 you can mix up to 6 households technically (one from each). Do you think they will have the forethought to clarify this ir will it be more interpreting the rules as you go? (Fwiw I will follow whatever the guidance is, I'm not looking for loophole just curious as to how this would work)

[quote Username198]@RichardMarxisinnocent It is completely ridiculous. Either the virus is dangerous or it’s not. I have my own personal opinion but regardless of that if it is then why is Christmas any different and if it isn’t then why are we bothering for the rest of the year. There is zero logic involved which I suppose is in line with pretty much every other decision this government has made.[/quote]
I do agree that Christmas shouldn't be different, and yes it's ridiculous that it is. I interpreted your comment as it being ridiculous that there is a limit at all or ridiculous that it's only three households. Apologies if that isn't what was meant.

@LurkerTurnedPoster the guidance says that your Christmas bubble can stay together in private rented accommodation, but not in a hotel.

@EffOrf

We will just have DS round as usual, he’s probably relieved it’s a maximum of five days for visiting.

LOL, yes I can imagine my two adult DC wondering how they will get out of it now

Well there will be no despairing choosing between family members for me. I will be seeing my mum and dad (who are still together) plus my sister and her two kids which is 3 families in total so technically allowed but there is no way I’m going to see my family but dh is not going to see his parents. My side of the family won’t be mixing with my dh’s parents but technically there will be 4 families not 3 so against the rules. However my eldest ds is finishing college two weeks before Christmas as staff decided it was safer to do lessons online at home, my youngest ds’s school
Is closing a week earlier than they usually
would, my dh has always had two weeks off work finishing on the 17th of December and I work from home. So the contact we have with people is limited and our Christmas shop is being delivered to our house so no need to mix in a supermarket. My dh’s parents are retired and hardly leave the house, my mum works but from home and my dad is retired. My dsis works from
home and my nieces are also finishing school a week earlier the same as my ds. We have all weighed up the risk and we are all capable of making decisions and are taking steps to limit contact people before Christmas to ensure we can give our kids as close to a normal Christmas as possible. I won’t be seeing both sets of my grandparents except for through their window as they’re in their early 80’s and vulnerable. I won’t be seeing friends or anyone else but I refuse to compromise on seeing other family members. This year has been shit and if Boris is stupid enough to imply that covid will take a holiday for a few days then people can’t be blamed for thinking for themselves and making their own risk assessments.

Surely with divorced parents. You have to just break the rules so you can see them all. The whole thing is ridiculous. COVID is so deadly but it’s safe to mix for 5 days over Christmas!

Just do as you need!

Nobody - almost literally nobody - under 70 is dying from this. For anyone under 50 they are largely asymptomatic. That those of us under 70 should be getting back to normal - shield the over 70s - is a no brainer

Do you have links to back this up, esp. the part about under 50s being largely asymptomatic?

The government knows people are just going to do what they decide is right for them over Christmas, this bubble rule is just a feeble attempt to control things. I think the whole thing has the potential to be a disaster. That's why we're not bubbling with anyone, we'll just keep it the two of us. I'd rather party in a few months when it will hopefully be a bit safer.

We started spending Christmas on our own a few years ago. It’s lovely.

... has anyone read this? On the live bit of BBC news website.

Posted at 18:0018:00
BREAKING
What has been agreed?
The four nations of the UK have reached a deal on allowing people to meet over Christmas. Here is what they have agreed:

• Up to three households can meet between 23 - 27 December
• The households can meet in private homes, outdoor public spaces and places of worship
• They cannot meet in hospitality settings or other entertainment venues
• Current social bubbles in England will count as one household - but this may differ in the other nations
• *You can continue to meet people outside of your "Christmas bubble" but only in line with the tier rules where you live*

So your bubble is people you don't have to socially distance from, you can all still meet other people as long as you follow the rules for your tier.

I feel really sorry for NHS frontline staff, who will have to deal with the fall out from this lot.

Literally every family in Britain is arguing about this now.

So can we have my Mum over Xmas day and the inlaws Boxing Day for example (please say no, please say no, please say no)

@LostFrog

Literally every family in Britain is arguing about this now.

Bollocks to that, many of us have got more FUCKING SENSE.

@Hoppinggreen

So can we have my Mum over Xmas day and the inlaws Boxing Day for example (please say no, please say no, please say no)

No

HTH.

And from the actual government link someone posted above:

Between 23 and 27 December:

• you can form an exclusive ‘Christmas bubble’ composed of people from no more than three households
• you can only be in one Christmas bubble
• you cannot change your Christmas bubble
• you can travel between tiers and UK nations for the purposes of meeting your Christmas bubble
• you can only meet your Christmas bubble in private homes or in your garden, places of worship, or public outdoor spaces
• you can continue to meet people who are not in your Christmas bubble outside your home according to the rules in the tier where you are staying
• you cannot meet someone in a private dwelling who is not part of your household or Christmas bubble

So I suppose that means rule of 6 outside then, or if hospitality is open you can meet others there. Let's hope the weather is good...

Thankfully this works fine for my situation. Must be tough for larger family groups to sort though.

Yes you can...as long as your parents and your in-laws don't bubble with anyone else.

You, your parents and your in laws would be 3 households

@LostFrog

Literally every family in Britain is arguing about this now.

Literally they’re not. There are plenty of people who realise that this ridiculous plan has only been issued because a significant number of people are going to throw two fingers to the NHS who will be dealing with the fallout from this by the middle of January. Regardless of the risks to their vulnerable family members, the health service and society as a whole.

I feel really sorry for the NHS frontline staff, who will be left dealing with the fallout from Christmas.

midgebabe yes it does!
irememberthe as they will want to also see my brother/DH sister that won’t work.
Oh well xmasDay just the 4 of us (tragic)

@goodname

It’s impossible 🤯 and what about people that no one chooses! How sad would that be. Now people on their own will feel even worse
People who live alone can already form a support bubble which means they are classed as part of the household they form that support bubble with.

e.g.

1. My DH and I are in a support bubble with

my DB who lives alone. (All are now considered to be 1 household).

1. My DSis & BIL and their 3 kids have formed a support bubble with BIL's mother who lives alone.

(All are now considered to be 1 household).

1. My other DSis, BIL and 1 child have formed a support bubble with BIL's DF.

(All are now considered to be 1 household).

These 3 households comprising 13 people can now mix with each other if they wish for the 5 day period 23 - 27 December. They cannot mix with anybody else during this period.

The 3 households don't all have to mix together but they can.

Household 1 could see household 2 one day and household 3 another day.
Household 2 could meet up with household 3 another day or not at all.

The only thing to remember really is that you determine the other 2 households you will mix with in advance and you then cannot change those households.

We're going to do Christmas with my parents on 2nd January. We'll manage our contacts carefully over the 2 week school break, then see them just before we go back. Because that's the safest way of doing things.

Seeing my partner's parents for the 5 days, since that's been planned for months. They are much younger than my parents. They are going to isolate completely for the 2 weeks beforehand so that they aren't any risk to us, or to my parents. They aren't concerned about risk to themselves from me and our daughter (two different schools).

So, we're sorted. Fuck the rules, they don't make any sense.

Yes fuck the rules and protect your loved ones, by staying away from them.

There are plenty of people who realise that this ridiculous plan has only been issued because a significant number of people are going to throw two fingers to the NHS who will be dealing with the fallout from this by the middle of January. Regardless of the risks to their vulnerable family members, the health service and society as a whole

Yep. And then if it does all go tits up in January Johnson can absolve himself of any blame. It's notable that he got slimy Gove to co-ordinate and announce this - I bet he wants to try and distance himself from it.

Oh get a grip. We’ve all been in lockdown for a second time and it’s made no difference to the number of infections. I, like many have stuck to the rules 100% from day one but I will be seeing my family over Christmas.