What are your predictions re Christmas?

[SuperAlly]

I live in Tayside in a tier 2 area. My in laws are in Dundee and my family are in Glasgow (both tier 3).

I am desperate to get to Glasgow this year. I haven’t seen my parents since August and more importantly neither have my children.

I am in the depths of despair at the thought of a Christmas up here without my family (in laws are lovely but it’s not the same) but I just don’t see it. In fact I’m not even confident we’ll get to my in laws either.

Just wondering if anyone else is any more optimistic and what you think, realistically, Christmas restrictions will look like

It's only ever the 4 of us anyway so it won't make any difference.

I think they will relax rules for a brief window. They'd not be able to police the disobedience if they insisted on restrictions. X

Like @ssd there’s only the 6 of us (sometimes we get a fleeting visit from my Dad) this Christmas will be no different from the others.

I feel for you, that’s hard when you want to get together so badly. This year would be DH family Xmas in Ireland which is certainly off the cards, so possibly if things are relaxed we would be with my side of the family, but they have commitments to their other sides. So I’m secretly hoping it can be just us for the first time ever. I think it is unlikely that they will encourage a normal Xmas, but maybe make exceptions for certain circumstances? The virus numbers will have to get pretty low for multiple households meeting indoors. I hope that happens but the numbers seem to be a bit up and down just now, hard to say

I'm hoping they will allow 2 households for the day.

I think people have generally played by the rules, but this is the one that they will rebel over.

Am in a level 2 area in Tayside also. From what I see, it won't be long before we are moved into level 3 alongside Dundee 🙄

We only do Christmas Day with immediate household anyway so it won't affect us much. I believe that people are going to do whatever they want regardless of whichever rules are in place at Christmas 😕

TBG people would need to be pretty daft to do a big indoor gathering just because it's Xmas day. The virus thrives on indoor gatherings. I think if people are by themselves of course they should join their bubble and spend the day together. But individual families meeting up with a mix of age groups could be disastrous. It's only one day, you can zoom or phone call each other. Why put others at risk, it's just not worth it.

TBH lol

No or limited restrictions at Christmas and New Year followed by hard nationwide lockdown.

Too many restrictions over the holidays would just bring mass civil disobedience and regardless of all other considerations Sturgeon will be focused of the coming election.

Sadly when the government extended the furlough scheme until March next year, I knew Christmas was doomed. They wouldn’t commit to that kind of money if they didn’t think the lockdown would be extended IMO.
I know it’s different in Scotland ... so hopefully things will be ok. Think positively but be prepared for the worst would be my advice.

Just to save ruining the Christmas of all the police staff I'd expect scot gov to be sensible and let people do something Christmas Day. Happy Pfizer vaccine news today.

I expect all government levels in the UK to ease restrictions in time for Christmas. I think they want the popularity boost that it will give them.

It's only one day, you can zoom or phone call each other. Why put others at risk, it's just not worth it

I understand this point @ssd but I also understand and empathise with many other people who will weigh up their chances of getting the virus, their need to see family, and their chances of seeing another Christmas and will think it is worth seeing family for.

I also don't particularly like the way that we only talk about 'putting' our older generations at risk. The way my relatives are acting is much about them having decided they want to take that risk! Given that they have had such a miserable time of it, much more than I have, I don't blame them.