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Original poster

Why can't people see that it is stupid to mix at Christmas?

472 replies

MagicSummer · 26/11/2020 18:36

I know that the Government had to relax the rules for the 5-day period because so many people would have broken them anyway, but can people not see that mixing families, travelling and close contact is going to cause another spike in the New Year? It makes me so cross - why can't people just knuckle down and have a quiet Christmas this year without endangering the lives of their older relatives?

OP posts:
Quaagars · 26/11/2020 22:23

Why did it need to be 5 days? The two bank holidays (25th and 26th) is enough

I'm assuming so it'd stagger travelling times and not just cramming everyone into two days?
Makes sense if so

Sandyplankton · 26/11/2020 22:24

SheepandCow

Do you see why, for some people, it might be slightly more important than "they just want a roast dinner together" to see family at christmas, yes or no?

Quaagars · 26/11/2020 22:25

Now I see why we still have such a high rate of drink driving including repeat offenders. They were told to "just do you".

Hmm Yeah, because that's remotely comparable. WTF Did you miss where I said (and presumably others too) that I'd be sticking to the rules? Which includes being allowed to meet two other households, or are we supposed to be sticking to Mumsnet's version of the rules instead?
TheKeatingFive · 26/11/2020 22:25

Covid will see to that.

Plenty of other things can ‘see to that’. Or have we forgotten that Covid isn’t the only killer in town?

Sandyplankton · 26/11/2020 22:25

Why did it need to be 5 days? The two bank holidays (25th and 26th) is enough

If you had two braincells to rub together you'd realise that that would have completely fucked the entire country's transport infrastructure

Even as it is it'll be pretty fucked.

islockdownoveryet · 26/11/2020 22:26

Ffs why do some feel the need to tell others what to do .
If you haven't seen anyone since March bloody good for you .
But so people miss people .
A few weeks months maybe but this has been going on for 8 bloody months .
I've spent quality time with my mum I can count on one hand this year .
She's not going to be around forever and yes she could catch Covid and die but she's well and if she did I would've wished I'd spent more time with her and I know she would .
So do what you need to do but let others make their own judgment and less of the judgment as you don't know peoples struggles .

Sertchgi123 · 26/11/2020 22:27

@MagicSummer

I know that the Government had to relax the rules for the 5-day period because so many people would have broken them anyway, but can people not see that mixing families, travelling and close contact is going to cause another spike in the New Year? It makes me so cross - why can't people just knuckle down and have a quiet Christmas this year without endangering the lives of their older relatives?
^ this +++
ZebraStripez · 26/11/2020 22:27

People are stupid. I’ve refused to mix with anyone until I’m vaccinated and now my husband is calling me a selfish bitch because he wants us to visit his mother.

AliceMadHatter · 26/11/2020 22:28

Everyone I know are seeing people over Christmas as allowed. They know we will have restrictions after. We would have restrictions after regardless. I am not saying what is right or wrong I am just saying what they are doing. I dont know anybody who have said they aren't seeing family as allowed.

Cantspeakpublic · 26/11/2020 22:28

@LegoPandemic

I’m cross that the rules haven’t been fully thought through. They aren’t following the science. We are off 19th December to 4th January. Many people have this as a break including schools and universities. We have no plans to go anywhere and have online shopping booked. It would therefore be safe so see older relatives for a festive meet up around New Year, having isolated for a good while. Boris says only allowed until 27th! They should break schools up early IMO, if these are the rules.
Completely agree. We will either have to go over in the new year period or have a week off school poorly to give us the two weeks needed. No way am I going to risk taking covid to my parents and having the guilt of potentially killing them!
Sandyplankton · 26/11/2020 22:28

People are stupid

Yes, that's exactly right. People are stupid. It definitely isn't any more nuanced than that. Hmm

TheKeatingFive · 26/11/2020 22:28

Now I see why we still have such a high rate of drink driving including repeat offenders. They were told to "just do you".

If we applied Covid rhetoric to driving, the aim would be no one driving at all. Because there’s always a chance of killing someone, remember?

Cantspeakpublic · 26/11/2020 22:31

I also don’t understand what people don’t get. It’s not about the restrictions afterwards as I agree this isn’t much different.
Quite simply this is about taking the virus to loved ones and dealing with whatever that brings.
I feel so sad for some people who unfortunately are going to pay the ultimate price due to this awful Christmas campaign.
However those who fully understand and want to take the risk then that’s fine as long as you can live with the consequences should there be one that’s with you.

SheepandCow · 26/11/2020 22:32

@Sandyplankton

People are stupid

Yes, that's exactly right. People are stupid. It definitely isn't any more nuanced than that. Hmm

Yep. I mean, why listen to the world's economic, medical, and scientific experts, when instead we could follow the advice of Trump...
Sandyplankton · 26/11/2020 22:33

Yep. I mean, why listen to the world's economic, medical, and scientific experts, when instead we could follow the advice of Trump..

Oh please go away. I'm not having a maskless free for all with seventy other people. I'm seeing my mother, my two sisters and their children over christmas, all of whom will self isolate for two weeks beforehand.

Nordman · 26/11/2020 22:36

Because some people (many people!) are genuinely struggling to get through lockdown. I'm seeing my elderly parents are Christmas. They are fully aware of the risk and it's their choice to spend time with us, we wouldn't go otherwise. We will self-isolate beforehand just in case and be careful about space when together, so I don't see it as dangerous. I haven't seen them for months and we are all desperate to be together.

Mischance · 26/11/2020 22:36

We are not being offered the chance to mix at Christmas because it is safe to do so, but because the government realised that the chances are that irresponsible people will simply do their own thing anyway and they would be unable to stop that.

The mixing at Christmas will without a shadow of a doubt increase infections and deaths further down the line. We will all pay the price for that with further lockdowns; or even with our lives.

Sandyplankton · 26/11/2020 22:36

I seriously don't understand why people are so frigging obtuse about this, on both sides of the divide.

If you want to see family at Christmas that doesn't automatically make you a covid denying, anti mask, science denying thick piece of shit.

SURELY there's a massive difference between holding a Christmas party for 30 people composed of kids who have been at school, people in high risk jobs etc vs having a Christmas bubble of 3 households where all parties work from home and have self isolated for 2 weeks prior.

Cantspeakpublic · 26/11/2020 22:39

The mix up in the thread I think is lots are saying yes they are seeing people then when you read what they put they say they are isolating beforehand for 2 weeks.

That’s fine. That’s not a problem.

It’s the non isolating ie finish schools on the 19th and see relatives under a week after that’s the risk

islockdownoveryet · 26/11/2020 22:40

Those who don't or won't see anyone than the own house hold are obviously a lot stronger than others so pat on the back to you .
I won't apologise for seeing my family after 8 months of this shit show .
We are not stupid nor are we not aware of the risks but like I said on a previous post we make our own judgment so you do what you want to do but let others do what they want . Seeing family at Christmas is allowed it's not perfect but in greater Manchester we've had restrictions since July then the tiers then lockdown then tier 3 so seeing family is all we've got to look forward too .
It's all very well those who've not had the toughest restrictions so it's no big deal but to some of us it is .

BeigeFoodLover · 26/11/2020 22:41

@callistography

Oh. And for everyone who posts about how we should respect the desire of people to see family.

Sod that.

It's very very selfish and people need to just deal with the fact that this year IS different and by not putting people at risk, we stand a better chance of making next year better.

Oh. And also - you don't then have to live with the guilt if you pass on the virus and infect/potentially kill a grandparent or vulnerable family member.

All because you want to have a day or two of a meal/watching crap tv/ more than likely having some kind of traditional family Christmas row...

It's just so worth it...

Or you’ve been bitten by people dying quickly and unexpectedly from one of the many other things that kill peoples. They are struggling to put one foot in front of the other, while waiting for the next thing to shit on them, while their anxiety and depression tells them they’ll potentially never see the person they love for a special occasion again.

Everyone’s dealing with different shit. Not everyone is selfish, some people are just trying to survive and those around them to enjoy life because it could end - whatever bloody age you are.

Stop being so fucking judgemental, I am a massive believer in realising I don’t have a clue what goes on in other peoples lives. They might look like privileged dicks, but they might be breaking.

Nicknacky · 26/11/2020 22:41

Sandyplankton I would get used to this quickly. There will be A LOT more of these dramatics before Christmas.

And as for the poster who compared it to drink driving🤦🏻‍♀️. Whose the stupid one?

ZebraStripez · 26/11/2020 22:41

We are not being offered the chance to mix at Christmas because it is safe to do so, but because the government realised that the chances are that irresponsible people will simply do their own thing anyway and they would be unable to stop that.
This. It’s NOT safe. Any mixing carries an increased chance of catching Covid. It’s up to you to decide if you’re willing to take that risk. According to my husband I’m a selfish bitch because I won’t risk it.

BefuddledPerson · 26/11/2020 22:41

@Mischance

We are not being offered the chance to mix at Christmas because it is safe to do so, but because the government realised that the chances are that irresponsible people will simply do their own thing anyway and they would be unable to stop that.

The mixing at Christmas will without a shadow of a doubt increase infections and deaths further down the line. We will all pay the price for that with further lockdowns; or even with our lives.

I agree with this - the same people would mix whether it was allowed or not. Policing is by consent and there's no point starting a fight you can't win.

It is definitely not a good idea with older relatives, but people don't want to hear this.

Quaagars · 26/11/2020 22:42

Yep. I mean, why listen to the world's economic, medical, and scientific experts, when instead we could follow the advice of Trump.

FFS, it doesn't have to be one extreme to the other - just because people are meeting up with parents under the rules doesn't mean it's a free for all or that they're COVID deniers or something!