How are people going to make Christmas safe?

[jinglejanglerumbalows]

My DM lives alone. We've only see her outside since March. Although legally she can bubble with us, we've been cautious as we are a risk to her.

I've just had a chat with her and she's almost certain that she won't be visiting us at Xmas. From the start I said the decision was hers, based on how she perceived the risk, and that the DCs and I cannot isolate on the run-up to Xmas. Her decision was made based on a report on a radio show by a doctor about staying 2m apart indoors, no board games, using your own cutlery etc. She thinks she'll just spend the whole time with us worrying, so it's not worth it. I completely respect her choice.

Those of you that are joining together this Xmas, what are you doing to ensure you all stay safe? The fact that we can join with two other households doesn't mean that the risk has reduced. Will you be SD indoors? Keeping all the windows open? My DM may well change her mind when the reality of spending all of Xmas alone sinks in, so I'd appreciate some suggestions of how others plan to deal with it.

Huggy not huffy!

The only precaution we ate going to take is to only mix with my parents.

Once we are together we are going to hug and eat together and not socially distance at all. My 4 year old will not be able to resist Grandma and Grandad cuddles.

So we are taking a gamble on none of us having coronavirus over Christmas. If we had symptoms we would of course cancel.

In the meantime we are doing as much as we can to avoid catching it and hoping for the best.

In our area we haven't been allowed to meet another household inside since July. This meet up will mean a lot to us.

@Stepstepmother

Bloody hell this thread is insane. Do you all do this every year with vulnerable relatives for flu and norovirus too?

We certainly wouldn’t see vulnerable relatives if we have flu or norovirus, no! Although I am not sure how either of those are relevant since they are completely different illnesses to Covid and also not likely to passed on by asymptomatic people.

By taking the kids out of school next week and self isolating til the 26th. Which was a tough decision to make.

We've been sticking to the rules the whole way through.
I'm not worrying who else is doing what, because you can only control yourself and not others actions.
Worrying about what others are doing is extra head stress I'm not willing to take on!
We'll be meeting up with family over Christmas as allowed - I've barely been able to see my parents properly this year what with the lockdowns, and haven't seen brother and SIL all year so we'll be meeting up as allowed three households between you.
Looking forward to it

@juliasetiono

We are trying our best to stay in but it does get boring after a while. I recently found this product that's helped us to cope with the boredom at home no-bars.co.uk I bought their date night box for me and my DH to stay in and rekindle our typical date nights

Ooo - like the sound of those boxes, will have to take a look!

I wouldn't bother. That poster has been advertising them on several different threads.

I wouldn't bother. That poster has been advertising them on several different threads

Oh fair enough, did have a look and do look good.
Not really on to self promote over several threads if that's the case though, thought MN didn't allow that

We have a reservation for an outdoor fire pit in a local park. We will meet with family outside, wearing masks, and maintaining distance. Presents will be opened and we will head home. We are skipping a meal so masks can stay on. DH is extremely vulnerable and we know the relatives won’t quarantine for 2 weeks before Christmas so meeting inside is just too dangerous.

The 3 people in my Christmas bubble are people I've seen several times during the last 9 months anyway. I do have my 87 year old mil living here but in her own set of rooms and she will not have contact with anyone else but me over Christmas.

It's too risky for us - one child has had five self isolations now (and Covid). The other son two, cases rife at secondary, so he may bring it into our home.

We are going to go and visit my mother, who lives alone, in her garden, accessed via a side gate. We'll wrap up and take flasks. This is her preference and very sensible given the likelihood of my other DC catching Covid too is very high in his tier 3 school.

We are going to my parents as normal, they are in there 60's but my mum works still so is exposed work days , plus my brother lives there at the moment who also goes out to work daily .
My nan in her 80's is going to my aunties & cousins rather than be alone
They don't hug her etc but will sit round table together , again my auntie is my nans carer so in their daily anyway and my nan has made the decision to go over for a few hrs rather than be alone .
I plan to keep ds2 home 17/18th and us isolate as much as possible ( except dh work ) he will miss 1.5. Days as they finish early on the 18th always have been planning too.

Too risky this year!

I am going to be with my friend and her husband who are my support bubble on Christmas day and Boxing day. I'd received an invitation to go to another close friend's on Christmas eve but I have turned it down as her daughter will still be in school until the 17th and my support bubble friend isn't comfortable with the risk. We're seeing each other in an outside setting to exchange presents instead.

Just because we're allowed to mix at Christmas it doesn't mean it's a good idea in my view.

It's us, our DDs and the ILs ( 3 households) for the whole time.

Student DD is getting tested twice before coming home (although it's been through her household and she's been clear, so think she had it in when she was ill in ) March.

I've also bought a box of private lateral flow test to check we're clear for the protection of the ILs. We won't SD or have windows open any more than normal- but the ILs aren't very tactile and we've got big, drafty rooms so we won't be on top of each other,