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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:
SpeckledyHen · 15/12/2020 15:23

I’m not sure how you can cancel a religious festival OP ?

movingonup20 · 15/12/2020 15:23

@fedupfrances

They aren't cancelling Christmas, they are suggesting you spend it in your household/support bubble. Having one or two others that live alone over would be ok but what I'm hearing here is those who aren't seeing family arranging meet ups with different families on different days each with maybe a dozen people in attendance, one group I overhead were socialising with 6 different households over Christmas, completely stupid!

StatisticalSense · 15/12/2020 15:24

Those moaning about Leicester need to realise that the problems are caused by a mayor who is impossible to work with and who hasn't bothered sticking to the rules himself (along with most of his councillors and deputy). If there is as much as a rumour that the government won't bow down to his every demand Peter Soulsby refuses to turn up for any talks which makes it impossible for anything to ever be agreed.

Miamarshmallows · 15/12/2020 15:25

They know people will mix regardless of what they say. It's impossible to police. By putting a limit on it, they regain some resemblance of control.
Personally, DP and I are meeting with family but within the rules. We have really missed everyone but of course, we will be careful and sensible.

timeforanewstart · 15/12/2020 15:25

Reducing days means nothing if i have been with them for 3 days 5 isn't going to matter
If they were really bothered kids could of finished a week early and people told to stay home and isolate as much as possible before mixing ,

Belladonna12 · 15/12/2020 15:26

@fedupfrances

It's not essential to mix in order to celebrate Christmas

It chuffing well is if you live on your own!

People that live on their own are already able to form a bubble though so why do you need permission to mix at Christmas?
Itscoldouthere · 15/12/2020 15:26

Not read the whole thread, but I'm currently in Montreal Canada, they cancelled Christmas last week, we've been in similar to Tier 3 since September, they had planned a 4 day Christmas break but decided it was too risky last week.
No household mixing allowed ☹️

timeforanewstart · 15/12/2020 15:27

@Kazmerelda because its also public bank holidays lots of people have to use their holiday up as well as places close for a week , its a time families meet up as many are off at the same time
If it wasn't such a big thing there wouldn't be such a big build up to it every year

MercyBooth · 15/12/2020 15:27

"Families don’t tend to live in the same immediate area as each other nowadays"

No. Because they were told to "get on their bike" and look for work in other areas.

Anyone else remember the MN threads about cost of housing where Tory voters wanged on about how you have no right to expect to live in your home town near family if you cant afford it??

luckylavender · 15/12/2020 15:28

They announced the restrictions in Manchester at 10pm on Twitter on the Eve of Eid. They don't care.

ProfessionalWeirdo · 15/12/2020 15:28

In my city (north) cases are coming down and now lowest they've been since September.

If they cancel it will be because of cases rising in London and I'm done with that shit now.

Where I live (also in the north) we've been under Tier 3 (or equivalent) restrictions since July. Our infection rate is now well below the national average (lower than some areas which are currently in Tier 2), but we've been at best overlooked, at worst deliberately victimised because our Mayor had the guts to stand up to Boris.

But as soon as London goes into Tier 3, all hell breaks loose. Funny that...

StatisticalSense · 15/12/2020 15:30

@luckylavender
There is a massive difference between Xmas and Eid so they couldn't do anything like that for Xmas (mostly relating to the fact that the majority of essential shops are shut on Xmas and many on Boxing day meaning that preventing planned gatherings could see many without food).

ThelmaNotLouise · 15/12/2020 15:31

I don't think they'll cancel it and they shouldn't. They should simply make it far stricter for Tier 3 (I'm in London so including myself in that!) so other areas don't suffer. Tier three should be two households only and no travelling to or from the lower tiers.

But I also want to say this isn't a knee-jerk reaction just because London is going into Tier 3. Cases are rising in the south and in Wales and the north east has plateaued, meaning they're not going up but they're not coming down either. The fallout from mixing too freely at Xmas will affect all areas, not just the capital.

MercyBooth · 15/12/2020 15:32

@luckylavender Correct And there were threads on here full of posters swearing blind that they wouldnt dare do this at Christmas, I said yes they would. I may bump the Eid threads and tag in certain posters who said this wouldnt happen.

a. they did it at a few hours notice which was disgusting.

b. with Christmas they announced they were going to relax the rules but then have subjected us to weeks of emotional blackmail

Recycledblonde · 15/12/2020 15:33

@PrincessNutNuts

People will die because of who they see this Christmas.

The only way to guarantee it won't be my loved ones is not to see them.

So that's what I'm doing.

You may have other priorities.

Some people will die because of who they don’t see this Christmas, people whose mental health has suffered dreadfully, elderly people who are so unhappy being left alone for what could easily be their last weeks anyway. I’m going to carry on with my plan, DH and I have both had COVID and I have a test twice a week anyway. We will have 3 households, two of whom are single people and no one is clinically vulnerable except DH and he’s had it.
timeforanewstart · 15/12/2020 15:34

@movingonup20 but those people will do it anyway as they were breaking the rules as it is
It was 3 households 5 days or less not 3 households one day , 3 another
The ones meeting various family members or 6 households will do whatever rules , no one can police it.
The vast majority I know who are mixing are doing very sensibly
I. E having dinner with grandparebts who already look after dc or meeting up with relatives that are low risk ( i know we can't guarantee that but we send our kids to school so always put at risk)
I can see it going very badly if they backtrack on this now and some will be more defiant .

Covidnomore · 15/12/2020 15:34

^You've forgotten the people who have taken risks so you can self isolate.
People like the person who picked your shopping, the drivers who delivered food to the supermarket and your home, the people in warehouses who load the food onto trucks, the people who keep your utilities working.
It's good that you've lowered the risk to the family that you're seeing but you're in the privileged position of having others taking risks on your family's behalf and they shouldn't be punished for going to work and keeping the country ticking along.^

Yep, we definitely have an I'm all right Jack to hell with everyone else attitude on MN.

Chaotic45 · 15/12/2020 15:34

@StatisticalSense I do realise that our mayor in Leicester is part of the issue. It doesn't change the fact that we've been in a hard lockdown forever, there is no end in sight and it is brutal. I'm not sure why you've suggested that realising this fact will help!

To the poster who said they don't know what I'm complaining about as Leicester isn't the golden child- what a strange way to think about it! Plenty of us have done everything asked of us but we are seeing that no help is forthcoming and that is a bitter pill to swallow.

Thanks to those who have acknowledged how tough it has been.

Unsure33 · 15/12/2020 15:34

I can confirm a hospital near to me . Teir 2 , today has 76 seriously ill covid patients , but also 74 staff off with covid related symptoms . They have been getting covid vaccines this week thank goodness.

But for those saying it’s a joke . It’s not . None of it is.

MercyBooth · 15/12/2020 15:34

I said yes they would AFTER they could be sure that people have spent the money. Like they did with Eid. Looks like im going to be proved right

TibetanTerrier · 15/12/2020 15:35

@fedupfrances
"It’s sodding ridiculous - myself and DP have barely left the house last week and won’t be going out this week either,

Wow, you haven't been out for a whole two weeks? How have you survived?

other than walks in our local park.

Oh, so you are getting out of the house after all. So you're much better off than all those of us who haven't left our houses for 9 months. Get a grip fgs.

ifonly4 · 15/12/2020 15:35

Unless we're made to work xmas day (only day over hols none of us are working in this household), then we'll still be having Xmas as safe as possible and as planned. Presents, carols played in background, a nice meal, wine, the Queens Speech, games, maybe a walk - for three people in the same household. Desperately missing not seeing my lovely Uncle and Auntie, but we're holding onto the thought that hopefully we can see eachother next summer and can have a meal out (even if outside).

MercyBooth · 15/12/2020 15:35

@Chaotic45 That is truly truly SHIT Flowers

Twizbe · 15/12/2020 15:36

Let's also not forget that the mixing ends on the 27th which is conveniently 7 days before schools go back ....

Unsure33 · 15/12/2020 15:36

@Chaotic45

I sympathise.

It must be very depressing. I am missing my grandchildren so much .

But have been lucky enough to keep working which is a distraction.