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Original poster

Are they really going to cancel Christmas?

718 replies

fedupfrances · 15/12/2020 13:59

And if they do, will loads of people just break the rules anyway?

It’s sodding ridiculous - myself and DP have barely left the house last week and won’t be going out this week either, other than walks in our local park. My parents have also been at home pretty much constantly. None of us has Covid 19 and the risk of catching it if we get together at Christmas is practically zero. So fed up with this shite!

OP posts:
QueenPaws · 15/12/2020 17:36

I'm not seeing my parents. Still shielding and they aren't so it's too much risk for me
Was meant to be going for a family meal but I have someone bringing me it as a takeaway to drop off at the door Smile
Everyone is "omg Christmas alone?"
Er yeah, been pretty much alone since March!

mouldygrapes · 15/12/2020 17:37

@Pan2

No-one is 'cancelling Christmas'. We aren't a nation of children.

There is a deep concern about the spread of the virus, and consideration is being given for us to behave like grown ups, like in Germany and Italy.

Johnson is SUCH a coward though he will as likely not continue the cull coz he doesn't know how to lead, as has been evidenced.

That's it.

Agree completely
Kaliorphic · 15/12/2020 17:39

I'm past caring if they cancel or reduce the days. After being pushed into tier 3 by schools and those who ignored the rules, the things I had planned are cancelled anyway.

timeforanewstart · 15/12/2020 17:41

@ifonly4 and how many people took part in that poll , I mean all the polls said brexit wouldn't happen as polls are such small numbers you can't ask 2/3000 people and decide from that what 60 million want

ChloeCrocodile · 15/12/2020 17:42

So there does seem to be public agreement not to have the relaxations.

Not very strong public agreement. And for those who aren’t keen on mixing - fine, don’t mix. If almost 60% of the population choose to stay at home instead the 35% who want to can mix within the rules. IMO, that’s better than 70% staying home and 30% ignoring all the rules entirely.

Pan2 · 15/12/2020 17:42

Thank you mouldy.

Besides, only Alan Rickman is allowed to cancel Christmas. Everyone knows this.

timeforanewstart · 15/12/2020 17:46

Well people need to be less judgemental you don't know someone elses situation , you may be fine being at home on your own , for others that may not be a good scenario
If people quoting polls are right then not much need to change too much as people loads won't be mixing anyway - or do they want the government to make that decision for them
I mean if you don't think its safe to mix then don't

Benjispruce2 · 15/12/2020 17:47

Talking to colleagues and friends this week, most are modifying their plans now that the numbers are climbing again.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 15/12/2020 17:48

@ChloeCrocodile

So there does seem to be public agreement not to have the relaxations.

Not very strong public agreement. And for those who aren’t keen on mixing - fine, don’t mix. If almost 60% of the population choose to stay at home instead the 35% who want to can mix within the rules. IMO, that’s better than 70% staying home and 30% ignoring all the rules entirely.

It’s fine to say just don’t mix if you don’t want to but then risk increases in workplaces and schools etc from all those that did.

I am hoping they say tier rules remain and no exceptions. It’s one year, young children will be at home it’s parents anyway and grown ups are old enough to understand it’s not a normal year and things aren’t safe enough to mix yet.

Cattybumbum · 15/12/2020 17:48

I don't believe for a minute people will follow the rules whatever the government say.
Personally it doesn't massively effect us as we always have Christmas Day at home, then on the evening walk round to my Mum's for a buffet tea for a couple of hours.
I have been trying to find a way to get out of the evening for years so am quite happy. I feel bad for my nephews and nieces but my kids have hit the stage they'd rather be at home on the xbox.

Katypyee · 15/12/2020 17:49

Enjoy what you can do because where I live (not the UK), we cannot have anybody in our home who is not a member of our household. We cannot enter anybody else's household. We cannot travel out of our community. We cannot go to a restaurant together. We are not even able to meet outdoors. Work, school, home. Our household only. No relaxation of the rules for Christmas.

My DB and family live out of town but my parents live down the road and we cannot be together. It is awful. My DM is beside herself and I feel huge guilt.

I know people will break the rules. They will be the people who prolong this for the rest of us.

It is one day. One Christmas. One year.

duffeldaisy · 15/12/2020 17:50

How would reducing it to 3 days help at all?
Once you've sat breathing the same air for a day, another 4 isn't going to make a difference.

I do hope they reduce the numbers of families - or even better, promise us all a 4 day bank holiday in the future for when this is over, ideally with some funding so that as many as possible can take it, and we can have a Summer/Autumn Christmas.

There could be a clause for anyone with a terminally ill relative at the moment, but otherwise it's absolutely insane and will do far, far more damage to the economy in January/February if we end up needing a proper, strict lockdown then.

maddiemookins16mum · 15/12/2020 17:50

Of course not BUT groups of several families meeting up (plus all the extras nobody will admit to) is a recipe for disaster.

likeamillpond · 15/12/2020 17:51

@Katypyee

Enjoy what you can do because where I live (not the UK), we cannot have anybody in our home who is not a member of our household. We cannot enter anybody else's household. We cannot travel out of our community. We cannot go to a restaurant together. We are not even able to meet outdoors. Work, school, home. Our household only. No relaxation of the rules for Christmas.

My DB and family live out of town but my parents live down the road and we cannot be together. It is awful. My DM is beside herself and I feel huge guilt.

I know people will break the rules. They will be the people who prolong this for the rest of us.

It is one day. One Christmas. One year.

That IS strict. Are you able to say where it is?
Tubs11 · 15/12/2020 17:51

outbreak in out school last week so not going to run the risk of passing it on to family and will stay home with the kids. Although I'm far from happy about this we'll make the most of it and already have my sights on a Christmas in July bash when hopefully transmission is next to zero and we can all have a right knees up.

looking forward to the boxing day thread when family mixing descended into chaos when someone sneezed on the turkey :)

PattyPan · 15/12/2020 17:52

[quote timeforanewstart]@ifonly4 and how many people took part in that poll , I mean all the polls said brexit wouldn't happen as polls are such small numbers you can't ask 2/3000 people and decide from that what 60 million want [/quote]
That poll is open to all of Yougov’s 1.2 million U.K. members as it’s one of the daily questions. You can sign up for free if you want to give your opinion - it’s also a way to earn petty cash as they pay you £50 after doing a certain amount of surveys. For the surveys they control for various factors such as age, gender, location, political stance etc so that they get a representative sample.

duffeldaisy · 15/12/2020 17:52

(And am not being hypocritical. We've not seen either side of the family since February, and aren't going to this Christmas either, as they're close to getting jabs and it's not worth the risk. The more careful people are, the quicker we can get through this and get our socialising and jobs back up and running again)

SantasBritchesSpelleas · 15/12/2020 17:54

Cases are falling in most of north England - the areas that have been stuck in tier 3 for ages. But, as usual, what happens in north England doesn't count.

Belladonna12 · 15/12/2020 17:55

@Cattybumbum

I don't believe for a minute people will follow the rules whatever the government say. Personally it doesn't massively effect us as we always have Christmas Day at home, then on the evening walk round to my Mum's for a buffet tea for a couple of hours. I have been trying to find a way to get out of the evening for years so am quite happy. I feel bad for my nephews and nieces but my kids have hit the stage they'd rather be at home on the xbox.
Yes, many of my DC friends have said they will be delighted if the rules are changed so that they don't have to visit relatives.
Suzeyshoes · 15/12/2020 17:55

‘But like I said, people are adults. Why aren’t we allowed to make our own judgements over the risks within our own individual circumstances?’

@fedupfrances
You’re assuming every adult in the uk has the ability to make an informed, sensible decision 😂 If you follow that thought process through, why do we have any rules? Surely every adult knows you shouldn’t drink drive or speed?

likeamillpond · 15/12/2020 17:56

@duffeldaisy

How would reducing it to 3 days help at all? Once you've sat breathing the same air for a day, another 4 isn't going to make a difference.

I do hope they reduce the numbers of families - or even better, promise us all a 4 day bank holiday in the future for when this is over, ideally with some funding so that as many as possible can take it, and we can have a Summer/Autumn Christmas.

There could be a clause for anyone with a terminally ill relative at the moment, but otherwise it's absolutely insane and will do far, far more damage to the economy in January/February if we end up needing a proper, strict lockdown then.

Good idea about exceptions for terminally ill people. Possibl add to the list people in nursing homes? And people with mental health problems who musnt be on their own.

The rest of us need to suck it up.
It's just one Christmas.

megletthesecond · 15/12/2020 17:56

No one can "cancel Christmas". Isn't that what Scrooge and the Grinch tried?

What our useless government should do is make it very very clear how mixing at Christmas with friends and family is going to risk the health and lives of many people and almost break the NHS.

I've got two stroppy teens to put up with, no one else to talk to and I'm probably grumpier than Scrooge most of the time tbh. Xmas will be boring and full of arguments. But our family decided it's safer than spreading the virus. We'll sit tight until Easter at least.

TheWichitaWineOne · 15/12/2020 17:56

*No-one is 'cancelling Christmas'. We aren't a nation of children.

There is a deep concern about the spread of the virus, and consideration is being given for us to behave like grown ups, like in Germany and Italy*

Yes. Although in rl, I haven't met anyone who is mixing families really - everyone I know is being super-cautious.

TheWichitaWineOne · 15/12/2020 17:57

bold fail

timeforanewstart · 15/12/2020 17:58

@icecreamandcandyfloss the risk is in schools hugely already its been rife and at work your social distancing and if not your doing a job thats at risk anyway
Even with all these lockdowns and tiers its still around isn't it and still passing among people
Maybe they should of allowed everyone to bubble with another household a while ago so people didn't feel so trapped in
I mean if your a grandparent caring for school age children as many are how are you suddenly more risk at christmas from them when there nit even in school

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