What are your tier 2 and tier 3 Christmas plans?

[bestwisheskindregards]

I had planned to see my family for Christmas Day only (tiers 2 and 3, 3 households, no one is vulnerable) but I’ve just found out that my MIL needs to have an operation on 29th Dec and my DH has offered to take her to hospital and collect her - which means seeing my family a few days before will impose a risk to my MIL. I now don’t know what to do as we were supposed to host and I don’t want to disappoint my family but I also don’t want to risk my MIL getting poorly after her op. The announcement yesterday also makes it all feel more serious and scary again.

What are your plans in tiers 2 and 3? Have they changed in light of yesterday’s news?

Tier 2, unchanged plans. Meeting PIL + BIL outside around the fire pit in the evening + overnight camp in their back garden. Home Boxing Day morning.

No longer seeing my family over the weekend. As for MIL it depends if she is still in hospital or not, even if she isn't I can't see her wanting to come to us, so we will pop down there for a bit.

Tier 2, just DH and I at home, DH is picking up tier 3 DS (support bubble) for a few days at Christmas. Amount of cases similar in both areas, circa 150, so no change of plan

My MIL was meant to be coming to us for Christmas. We are tier 3, she is in Scotland and we’re in a bubble as she is by herself. My mum was meant to be coming 26-27 Dec, from tier 2. All now cancelled, as people in Scotland can’t come to the other nations of the U.K., and my mum can’t come as her visit was not on Christmas Day.

Tier 3. Shifted a visit from Christmas eve to Christmas day. We weren't seeing anyone else anyway.
I'm looking forward to it.

Tier 3 and we are having Christmas just the two of us. We have intended it to be that way since about October because it is the sensible and safe thing to do.

We normally spend it with my family - parents, siblings and their partners and their children and partners.

It is the first Christmas in over 60 years I have not spent with my parents and yes I am sad but it is for the best.

I never thought people getting together over Christmas was a good idea and Boris should never have said it was ok

Can I ask someone for clarify on my situation as me and my sister are confused about it...

The situation involves

My sister and her two children
Her Ex
Her Ex’s new partner (they live together)
Her Ex’s parents.

On Christmas Day they are planning to get together for a Christmas meal minus the Ex’s new partner.

Is that ok?

It was my understanding that my sister and her Ex were already in a bubble because they share the children.

Does that automatically make the Ex’s new partner part of the same bubble?

She won’t be present at the Christmas Day meal as she will be seeing her own parents.

So where does this stand with regards the bubble?

We are just trying to work out what plans to have with our mother (who lives alone) and do it as safely as possible.

My sister’s understanding is that it’s fine for her to be there at the meal because:

Bubble 1: Her, the children and the Ex.
Bubble 2: Her Ex’s parents
Bubble 3: Our mom.

I’m guess I’m just confused as to where the Ex’s new partner and her plans fit into the picture??

Totally agree with @lynsey91 who said
I never thought people getting together over Christmas was a good idea and Boris should never have said it was ok

We are Tier 2 but we are about 6 miles away from a Tier 4 area. Our locaion and the Tier 4 area often interact and my husband (teacher) has colleagues and students in his class who would be in Tier 4.

So we have changed plans and we are not going to visit his mother who is in Tier 3 (age 83, poor health, 3 hrs drive away) as we think there is too much risk to her. We will do zoom calls instead with her. I expect she won't understand our logic but we have made the decision.

We had previously changed plans so we will not be seeing my mother or sister either.

Tier 3 and my Christmas plans haven't changed. I decided back in August we'd be staying put and seeing no other family at Christmas (I live with my DH so it's just the two of us), we did see family in August and told them this so they knew what to expect. I'm a teacher and thought I'd be too high a risk, my return to school just confirmed this risk - we've had loads of cases. We committed to our plan in October when I ordered our Christmas food. I'm currently recovering from covid, so although I'd almost certainly not be a risk to family at the moment I'm glad we aren't going anywhere as I still feel shattered.

Tier 2 here.

Mum is on chemo and had it this week so risk was always high. She decided she wanted us anyway and had planned weds tea for 1.5 hours and Xmas day for 3.

Just Xmas day now but will still keep it short.

We are all isolating for the week beforehand but I will need to do food shop and will walk outdoors.

I'm really anxious about it but she wants this as likely her last Xmas anyway

Tier 2. We are in a support bubble with my parents and my brother and SIL as they all live in the same house. So we will see them on Christmas Eve/Christmas day/Boxing Day as planned. My grandparents might come over in the afternoon as their travel plans have been cancelled.

We were planning to see my other grandparents but have cancelled that as they are further away so we would have to go there for the whole day. We will probably meet them outside for a walk (they are early 70s). We will also meet PIL outside for a walk on boxing day afternoon.