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Original poster

Christmas Bubble - what are your plans?

81 replies

ClaireP20 · 02/12/2020 05:52

Hi all, I can't sleep as worried about the bubble! Determined to be good and stick to the bubble, but struggling to work out how. My mum is going away to stay with her sister. That's good, one less. I have my brother and children, my mil and fil, my sil and children. My mil and fil, and sil and children all want to meet as 1 gathering. But they will definitely see others during that time. Tricky..

But...what are your plans? How are you managing your bubbles..are you honestly sticking to the 3 households?
X

OP posts:
Justmuddlingalong · 02/12/2020 11:11

We're not bubbling with anyone. We'll spend Christmas at home with the possibility of seeing other family members for a distanced walk on the beach or a drink in the garden. All weather permitting. We've not been careful this long to blow it now. Christmas can be celebrated at any point after things are calmer, so if Christmas in June is possible, that's when we'll have a proper get together.

ifonly4 · 02/12/2020 11:21

We decided in the summer we wouldn't be meeting up with anyone else indoors. It won't be the same, but feels safer and the right thing to do. (I work in a school and DD in a shop).

Your in-laws have eachother so won't be on their own, and if they're mixing with others that'll meet or exceed the three household limit. I'd suggest meeting up outside with them either now or as soon as you can in the New Year.

IdblowJonSnow · 02/12/2020 11:22

I think we'll be seeing my in laws who pick up our children after school sometimes anyway, so already in our bubble. And their other grandchild and their parents. Retired or wfh. So fairly safe, it's the kids I guess who are on the obvious risk.
I'm really keen to see my parents but thinking the window makes it too tight to be safe. But maybe we'll drive over (long drive) and see them from outside. I cant decide, makes me very sad just thinking about it! Sad Maybe it would be harder to do that.

bigbluebus · 02/12/2020 12:01

@Bikingbear they'll miss them a lot more and for lot longer if they pass Covid onto them and kill them.
No one has said they aren't seeing family because they don't miss them - they are staying away to protect their nearest and dearest.

Confuzzlediddled · 02/12/2020 12:02

my mum (70's) is coming xmas eve and staying till boxing day, however she is part of our household as she is alone so support bubble.

Oldest daughter will come up on christmas day and remain in the garden - she works in retail so will be being heavily exposed, though is part of a vaccine trial we won't know if she had the vaccine or a placebo, so not worth risking it as I'm also CEV
DH will be out at the office in the final week of term for one day as well as the teenagers attending college until the 18th, so we have risk from there just like any other day.

other than that we will be at home, apart from one planned covid safe theatre visit (though that is dependent on us coming down from tier 2 so not looking likely!

Magissa · 02/12/2020 12:17

I have three DC one lives with gf. The other two live alone. Both Ds plan on self isolating for two weeks in order to come here for Christmas. My DD is worried because as well as going into work she does see friends outside. She has a GP friend who is not seeing family so thinks we are taking a risk to all be together.
Both DS really want to come here for Christmas day/boxing day. (Gf is going home to her family). I would happily give Christmas miss this year but one ds has really struggled this year with several isolations because of contact but he also had Covid himself. I figure he may have some immunity still so by isolating as well he will be safe. Surely by them isolating beforehand we should be ok. Keep windows open etc...
I just don't know. My heart says yes my mind says no.

ginandtonic80 · 02/12/2020 12:24

I'm really struggling with this. My partner is spending Christmas with his family, which will be three households, but 12 people including five school age children. I'm currently pregnant and I really don't feel comfortable about the increased risk.

I've shared my discomfort with him but think I'd literally have to say "I don't want you to spend Christmas with your family" in order for him to consider it, which I obviously don't want to have to do.

I'm spending Christmas with my two sisters, but they're both single households and haven't been in contact with anyone else, unlike my partner's nieces and nephews who will have been in contact with 100+ people between them at school.

Calmandmeasured1 · 02/12/2020 15:17

Sticking to my support bubble to try and protect and be as protected as possible this year. It's a disappointment but I'd sooner my family all be safe and well and it be a quieter Christmas.

LolaLollypop · 02/12/2020 15:21

Nice and easy for me. I’ve just joined a bubble with my parents and my brother - bro is single and has been bubbling with them all along. My DS is under 1 so we can all get together legally now! We’ll probably see some friends outside for pub lunches or walks over the festive period too.

Dollywilde · 02/12/2020 15:21

I have a support bubble with my sister, so she + me + DH + our daughter is one household. My parents are a second one, and my DH’s mum is a third one. DH is an only child so it works out quite neatly. I so feel for people with bigger families tho. And we are doing a week of isolation ahead of Christmas, just in case.

MrsJonesAndMe · 02/12/2020 18:47

We are staying at home as it seems the only sensible thing to do.

FedUpOfAllThis · 02/12/2020 18:50

To see my parents my sister and her two kids on Christmas Day at my house and then the next day we’ll see dh’s parents. Technically 4 families and not 3 but I haven’t seen friends in months and had no contact with anyone other than my dh and dc so I’m past caring.

lockdownalli · 02/12/2020 18:51

I will only see adult DD over that 5 day period, and she won't see anyone else.

Afterwards I have plans to meet up with friends outside, and will have fun.

runninguphills · 02/12/2020 20:04

We are a huge family and everyone comes to our house for Xmas day. It's lovely but incredibly expensive and exhausting to prepare Xmas for all my children, work, clean the house, buy all the food and host for half the day.

I'm not overly worried about Covid (I work as a clinician and am already exposed to lots of people). However, my family are very worried so we have all made the decision to spend it seperately this year.

I was initially sad about it but after a short while - I cannot wait to have a quiet relaxing Xmas. Dh and I have decided we will do a beach walk and have a luxury M&S buffet rather than Xmas Dinner.

KitKatastrophe · 02/12/2020 20:07

I would have been happy to break the rules. But DHs parents want to be compliant and they have 3 kids, all with families, so have decided in the interest of "fairness" to not see any of us in a bubble.

Good news for me, so we can form a bubble with my parents and grandparents and great nan. We are actually a support bubble with my parents, and nan is a support bubble with grandparents, so that's only "officially" 2 households.
My grandma will also see my Auntie, although the rest of us won't, so I guess she is the 3rd household.

So yes we were following it, but more by luck than judgement.

Whirlwind14 · 03/12/2020 08:08

God knows!
Sticking to just my parents and FIL- all elderly and vulnerable. DS and DD stopping nursery on 11th as they’re our main risk. Just had a ‘scare’ this week waiting on a test from nursery so can’t face that over Christmas.

Then meeting another family on the beach on Boxing Day for bbq and swim...

As for everyone else, our usual Boxing Day party with the rest of the family will have to wait until next year. Really disappointing as that’s the best part of Christmas, when our house is overlflowing with 15+ little ones and the adults that we love the best.

It is what it is though. I’m embracing Christmas as I honestly didn’t think we’d get together at all. There’s always next year when I sincerely hope things will be so much safer, merrier and brighter

Katie517 · 03/12/2020 21:09

Seems I am in the minority and will probably get shot down but we are “bubbling” with parents/in laws/SIL (part of in-laws bubble) none of us are vulnerable or come into close contact with vulnerable people, They WFH ,No school age children and I’m on mat leave and I feel the risk to us is low. I’m surprised at how many people are claiming to not be seeing anyone at all or those who haven’t seen anyone since March (who aren’t vulnerable) we are social beings and I am very much looking forward to Christmas albeit a smaller more low key one than normal.

jerometheturnipking · 03/12/2020 21:15

We’re not having a “bubble”. Kids are in school until 23rd, I work in a different primary. We’ll see my mum and dad because they provide childcare anyway but not opening it up to any other people - why would we add extra exposures?

Well probably see MIL and PIL outdoors at some point but not in a bubble because DH refuses to be in a bubble with SIL and her kids (they don’t get on).

Sherin18 · 03/12/2020 21:18

I’m really confused about bubbles, I’m in a support bubble with my DM, DSF and DGM (I’m single and they live together). My DF, DSM and Dsis’ are in a bubble with my aunt and her DC as she’s single. Does this count as 4 households or only 2 because of the support bubbles?. The gov website seems to say that a support bubble is 1 household and you can form a Christmas bubble with 2 other families but I’m finding it all really confusing.

Bikingbear · 03/12/2020 22:36

I think that's classed as 2 households but I wouldn't want to add a 3rd as its already a lot of people.

Sherin18 · 03/12/2020 22:47

@Bikingbear I don’t think I will add a third person, I was just confused about the situation

Choirbells · 03/12/2020 22:57

No bubbles here either.
I am a key worker and working all over Christmas.
I also think this window of time to meet loved ones is an awful idea and we will suffer for it in January and February.

Original poster
ClaireP20 · 04/12/2020 00:56

@MrsJonesAndMe

We are staying at home as it seems the only sensible thing to do.
I've made the decision to do the same thing. If the Queen can do it, so can I!
OP posts:
BefuddledPerson · 04/12/2020 01:01

Not doing any indoor mixing other than school.and work, I think the Christmas bubbles are a silly idea.

I understand the government had to do it as people were going to meet anyway but I think anyone sensible will not do that.

January in schools will be dreadful because of this.

lunar1 · 04/12/2020 07:00

We aren't mixing, we are so close to the vaccine that it seems madness. I have school children and DH is NHS, that's enough mixing.

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