Christmas IS going to be cancelled - last minute.

[Elephant4]

Isn't it?

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/18/boris-johnson-calls-crisis-meeting-to-discuss-response-to-new-covid-strain

They're panicking now.

You are as wrong as a wrong person on wrong day in Wrongland

Just love this and am going to be using it at every possible opportunity!
Back to the OP, yes I agree the Xmas mixing will be officially cancelled- the way it goes now is that it is leaked to the press on a Saturday and then solemnly announced a few days later. Even on the scale of the whole bonkers way this has been managed, the ‘relaxation’ for Christmas took the biscuit. None of theses measures are remotely scientific because there is no ‘science’ on the number and type and duration of mixing -every country has decided differently but the all have access to the same ‘science’.
I am a teacher and have been mixing with hundreds of people in close proximity throughout and it is utterly ridiculous that we can sit having lunch with random other adults every day less than a metre apart but can’t officially meet up with one of those staff friends indoors.in our homes.

No, it's not cancelled. Johnson can say whatever he likes, if people want to stick to their plans, they will.

And by ‘officially’ I mean the edict will go out but people are pretty much making their own decisions now. Even my totally law-abiding DC is meeting up now with friends have been completely completely in the first lockdown when the gvt decision had a modicum of credibility.

having been completely compliant in the first lockdown

Whether it gets officially "cancelled " or not I doubt many will change their plans now. Those meeting with others would have done and will continue too anyway regardless of what Boris says

We've all had tests - asked to do so through school letter even when symptomless. So assuming they are negative, we will be having dinner with PIL regardless of any change of rules. No travelling is required either, we are walking distance.

If they make it difficult we will probably go the whole hog and have DS down for a couple of weeks instead of the 4 days we had planned at Christmas, if we risk a fine it might as well be worth it.

The government strategy is on off again lockdowns. If they work, great. If not they blame the public for not complying. I am done with this guilt tripping and threats of more lockdowns. Our household is seeing one elderly relative who wants to be with us over Christmas. It is not about turkey it is about being together. And the argument about it being just one day won’t wash when we have had almost a year of restrictions and no sign of easing.

@CantSayJack

Christmas isn’t cancelled though is it. People can still celebrate, just keep to your own households or pay the price in January. Quite simple really.

EXACTLY. People who say ‘Christmas is cancelled’ are ridiculous. Stop with the dramatics and start with some common sense.

I have always been completely compliant too.

I have also arranged my working patterns around the fact that I'm not cooking Christmas dinner this year. When it's my turn I finish a few days early so that I can shop and prepare. I wouldn't have minded if they'd have said a month ago that we have to stay in our own households. I am someone who normally plans things well in advance and it's the constant chopping and changing of rules and tiers that really gets to me. It's just all absolute bollocks - what a way to run a country.

@MercyBooth

Im going to my mums. Its a half hour walk so local. If they try and stop me from doing this i wont comply with a Jan lockdown. And i will also expect all non essential flights to stop.

And i will bump the Eid threads and tag in everyone who swore blind they wouldnt do this at Christmas.

Seriously? It's frightening to think there could be lots of people who would openly have a strop and flout rules because they're not getting their own way. All over one day.

@Flyingin

The government strategy is on off again lockdowns. If they work, great. If not they blame the public for not complying. I am done with this guilt tripping and threats of more lockdowns. Our household is seeing one elderly relative who wants to be with us over Christmas. It is not about turkey it is about being together. And the argument about it being just one day won’t wash when we have had almost a year of restrictions and no sign of easing.

Matey in Wales is blaming the public already. Drippy boy will be doing the same after Christmas.

@ChristmasTreeFairy5000

Aw bless them thinking anyone is actually going to take a blind bit of notice.

Maybe that’s why other countries are in better places as people comply.

I’ve been astounded at the amount that haven’t followed the rules/guidance as we’ve not had that harsh rules compared to other places, maybe we should have.

A country run by a bunch of wankers who never have to make any domestic arrangements. They can fuck the fucking fuck off to the far side of fucketty fuck with their rapid changes and eleventh hour announcements on Twitter about what you can't do the next day.

I haven’t been astounded by people flouting the rules but I’ve been astounded by the posturing and the pride some take in breaking the rules. How clever they are. No one tells them what do you know.

‘A country run by a bunch of wankers who never have to make any domestic arrangements. They can fuck the fucking fuck off to the far side of fucketty fuck with their rapid changes and eleventh hour announcements on Twitter about what you can't do the next day’
This.

It won't be illegal.

But I really hope that people think seriously about not squeezing in as many people as possible for as long as possible. And that people don't bend the rules as far as they can. It's only going to be a few months before the vaccine means that things will be much, much safer. In most situations it's really not worth risking it all now.

So, you know, don't feel that you have to spend Christmas alone, but also, don't try to see every single member of your extended family. Most of all, don't try to do that and get drunk, because that is the absolute death knell for social distancing, hand sanitising, mask wearing and all the ways of minimising spread.

It's being called travel advice in some papers, that is not law and could be from today and looks like London and south east, Kent has been mentioned. I wouldn't be surprised if he does this to show he doesn't favour London/South East after leaving the North and Leicester in lockdown for months

@MercyBooth

And as for the guilt tripping over seeing family part of the reason DM struggles so much physically now is due to over 50 years working in poultry factories . She retired in December 2015 (that was a good Christmas) It all caught up with her in January 2016. And she has been fobbed off ever since She has problems with headaches and her hearing, Her leg is swollen. And problems with circulation. So she wouldnt need so much help now if she had been treated properly to begin with. How many families are in this situation i wonder , Coudnt get treatment PRE pandemic and now are expected to make family suffer more to protect something that didnt treat them in the first place

Im with you there. Medical treatment has been put on the back burner and lots of people now have more problems.

I wonder if they will be using ANPR on the M25 like they have done in Yorkshire

I hope it is

@Superstardjs

I find this hyperbole irritating. Christmas is not cancelled. Christmas Day is on the 25th December, the same as every year. They cannot cancel Christmas. Your plans may be curtailed somewhat, but Christmas itself really is not cancelled as a general premise.

This so much! I'm sick of reading that Christmas is cancelled.

We will still be watching Elf and It's a wonderful life on Christmas eve, still having our cheese board, still putting out treats for santa, presents will still be put under the tree, we will still start our day with bucks fizz while opening presents, we will still eat a massive meal and play games.

Christmas is far from cancelled. Yes my in laws are staying at home and eating a morrisons Christmas for two meal, no we wont be seeing my siblings or aunty and cousins in person and will make do with video calls but Christmas is far from cancelled.

The government shouldn't have ever said three families can meet, it was always a terrible idea and as threads on here show, many people are deliberately misinterpreting the rules so that they can see people meaning that many people will be passing the virus around.

Terrible idea. Keep to your own household unless you are a single adult and bubble up for the day.

So much anger on this thread.

They won't 'cancel Christmas' they told us we can mix, now they advise against it, people will still meet up then when there's a massive spike they can blame Joe Public and reading the comments on this thread it looks like we will just take it. Turning us plebs against each other is typical of this shower of shite.

Let's remember what got us to the state we are in now.