We don't need to cancel Christmas...

[SleepingStandingUp]

Anyone else fee up with the over dramatic "cancel Christmas" rhetoric.

Assuming we continue to allow single people to be in a bubble, even if they put everyone in T3 and cancel the Christmas rules, will anyone actually feel that Christmas isn't worth having??

You can still buy food and presents, you can still spend it with loved ones albeit a smaller group, still sing carols and watch trash telly.

It's just inflammatory language so we all feel compelled to have an emotional response rather than a logical one which says of you can't mix in big groups yesterday, and you can't in a week, you really shouldn't be doing so now

Everything has to have OTT dramatic language designed to provoke anger, reactions and bad feeling.

All a smokescreen to distract from the Brexit shitshow about to go down.

If that is what cancelling Xmas means then we won't have Xmas many years😂. Mil died 2 years ago and my family all live far away, with little space. So prefer to see them at other times of the year, rather than finding somewhere to stay over Xmas. We still enjoy it and have decs, presents, food and fun😁

Yes for us we may as well not bother if we can’t see family. First baby, we haven’t had a break since she was born and her grandparents have hardly seen her. Family are hours away so no outside or doorstep visiting possible. We will be visiting anyway no matter what the rules.

It’s on the bbc that the rules are unlikely to change 🤞🏻

They've announced this morning that the rules In England aren't changing and the other 3 nations probably aren't

I can see why people like Mousehole10 feel it's really important for them to be able to travel to see a small number of close family (especially since in some parts of England this has not been allowed for many months) but I agree that the whole 'Saving/Cancelling Christmas' rhetoric seems designed to generate an emotive response from the public rather than a careful consideration of the risks.

It seems in stark contrast with the messages the Government gave about traditional celebrations for other religions (eg. placing an area in the NW with a large muslim community in to additional restrictions the evening before an Eid celebration where many had also planned to meet with extended family that they had been apart from for a long time).

Makes no difference to me either way, wasnt going to have extra family members or friends visit anyway. But I agree, the overdramatics about this whole pandemic has been an issue from the start.

I don’t think Christmas is anything special if locked down, a meal with my family, people I’ve been locked down with for months on end

I’m fine to “cancel” the meeting of households but yes that pretty much means Xmas is pointless to me and thus cancelled

Okay so OP. What about this scenario?
A married couple with 2 grown up children who are both living on their own but separately?
What about someone like me who lives with other people because it is affordable but I have nothing in common with and would feel very lonely and isolated with at Christmas.
The rules are there not as a target but to try and help unique situations.

my best guess is that January will only be slightly 'worse' WRT restrictions if the Christmas release proceeds as planned, than if we were all lobbed into Tier 3 today and no Christmas release officially allowed.

However, my plans will make no difference assuming bubbles not cancelled, and I don't mind a Xmas all by myself if it came to it. DD may be working (care home). I think DH is down to thinking he will do one single day visit (no overnight) with his elderly mother who is desperate to see DH & some grandchildren. He'll talk to her a lot on phone in meantime & pretend that's enough.

ps: DH comes from an insular slightly extended family that barely interacts with the outside world beyond the core family members. Amazing to see even his relatives struggling without social contact. I didn't know it was possible. If they are suffering even a little bit, then many people are suffering horribly.

I completely agree @OnlyFoolsnMothers.

A roast dinner, a walk, playing games with DS, watching a film together.......yep been doing that for the last 9 months. Other than presents, it will basically be the same as most weekends over the last few months.

So yeah, without any extended family present, Christmas is effectively cancelled

It's just drama drama drama and headline grabbing. Too many looking to the government to tell them what to do because they can't think for themselves or demand the government are accountable. I believe some feel Boris should come wipe their arses for them.

Fact is, someone in the Christmas bubble has to have the virus in the first place to pass it on, there will be thousands of families celebrating together where no one has the virus. Schools and many businesses closing over the Christmas break I'm sure will help drive down the infections. If there is a huge spike, close the schools for a few weeks in January and add those weeks back on in the summer. If you are vulnerable, it's up to you how you spend this Christmas. If you don't feel safe,then hopefully you can have a big family get together at Easter. Even if you are vulnerable, you'd have to be seriously unlucky to catch it and get seriously ill.

@Mousehole10

Yes for us we may as well not bother if we can’t see family. First baby, we haven’t had a break since she was born and her grandparents have hardly seen her. Family are hours away so no outside or doorstep visiting possible. We will be visiting anyway no matter what the rules.

Ok so the other arguement against "cancelling Christmas" is that people will just break the rules and do whatever they want anyway. But even if they roadblocked you, why would you not bother if it was just you pair and the baby?

I totally agree OP.

I kind of agree OP.

The problem is that people are facing such different circumstances.

I have no sympathy at all for people who are making a fuss about not being able to have a big extended get together that includes several nuclear families.

I do have sympathy for singles and students who, if they follow the rules, will be stuck in miserable halls of residence/rooms in shared houses

We have to accept that if we get together at Christmas, then there will be an increase in the transmission of Covid. It's hard as we have passed over our agency regarding making these choices for the last 8 months to Government - and now they are essentially saying 'decide your own risk'.

To be honest 'allowing' the potential level of mingling that will occur is galling, as it flies in the face of the whole 'protect the NHS' message - and muddies the government public heath messages even more. We have had months and months of restrictions, that were at times nonsensical and have wrecked havok in the theatre and entertainment industry, and also food industry.

What we have is a situation now where companies who have invested hugely in trying to make their premises and experiences as 'covid' safe as possible (theatres, restaurants, exercise studios etc) having to close, whilst we allow large groups of intergenerational families to mingle in their own homes with inadequate ventilation, hugging and kissing, sharing food, laughing, drinking and spending large amounts of time together (extendwd human contact being prime virus breeding, transmission and viral load) It make no sense.

@AllTheUserNamesAreTaken

I completely agree *@OnlyFoolsnMothers*.

A roast dinner, a walk, playing games with DS, watching a film together.......yep been doing that for the last 9 months. Other than presents, it will basically be the same as most weekends over the last few months.

So yeah, without any extended family present, Christmas is effectively cancelled

I don't get the MN love for a Christmas 'just my little family' (bleurgh) in the first place, but I really don't get the appeal this year - who hasn't spent enough time with the people they live with?! I'm not saying that therefore the rules shouldn't exist/should be broken but I don't get the huge sneering at anyone who thinks a Christmas just them and their household will be shit this year. We're spending it just me, DH and our toddler and I can't say that I can work up huge enthusiasm for it; the one thing we have not lacked this year is time just the three of us!

Agree with the poster who said that the usual Christmas day traditions have already been done to death this year. Movies, games, baking, crafts, an after lunch walk. Surely if you've got kids and you're in a tier 3 area, this has been most weekends anyway?

@Hapixmas

Okay so OP. What about this scenario? A married couple with 2 grown up children who are both living on their own but separately? What about someone like me who lives with other people because it is affordable but I have nothing in common with and would feel very lonely and isolated with at Christmas. The rules are there not as a target but to try and help unique situations.

I did say that there should still remain something for single people Hapi, and imo that should include single people living in shared accommodation. I don't think anyone with a heart would argue people should be forced to be on their own / with essentially strangers

@MrsFrisbyMouse

We have to accept that if we get together at Christmas, then there will be an increase in the transmission of Covid. It's hard as we have passed over our agency regarding making these choices for the last 8 months to Government - and now they are essentially saying 'decide your own risk'.

To be honest 'allowing' the potential level of mingling that will occur is galling, as it flies in the face of the whole 'protect the NHS' message - and muddies the government public heath messages even more. We have had months and months of restrictions, that were at times nonsensical and have wrecked havok in the theatre and entertainment industry, and also food industry.

What we have is a situation now where companies who have invested hugely in trying to make their premises and experiences as 'covid' safe as possible (theatres, restaurants, exercise studios etc) having to close, whilst we allow large groups of intergenerational families to mingle in their own homes with inadequate ventilation, hugging and kissing, sharing food, laughing, drinking and spending large amounts of time together (extendwd human contact being prime virus breeding, transmission and viral load) It make no sense.

Exactly, they'd probably be safer in a pub!!

@MrsFrisbyMouse you're 100% right but god it's sad to live in a time where extended family 'hugging and kissing, sharing food, laughing, drinking and spending large amounts of time together' is a bad thing.

Fair enough op. Sorry I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you. I've just seen a lot of people talking about wanting it to move down to 2 households mixing but that could mean someone is alone. I just think people should be sensible.

We're not seeing people because I'm in a school, so are the children and husband doesn't work from home, so too many unmitigated contacts. I think it's for the best for one year, but it does feel pretty much cancelled. Large family gatherings is the whole point of Christmas for me.

@Hardbackwriter I agree, it's heartbreaking.