Why is everyone so bothered about the rule of 6 and Christmas.....

I think it's more disappointing to think that many people just don't seem to abide by the rules and carry on doing their own thing whatever the consequences. I will be abiding by the rule of six but anticipate many will be of the opinion that if the govt can break international law then the rule of six can be treated in similar vein.

There seemed general agreement that the announcement that effectively cancelled Eid coming the night before was shocking. People talked about it in terms of cancelling Christmas on the evening of Christmas Eve.

But Eid was not cancelled, and Christmas will not be cancelled. Celebrations and gstherings for them were/may be cancelled. There is a difference!!

We have 6 children, 5 of whom have spouses and children. With my parents too, there are 22 of us. The only day of the year put aside to get together is Boxing Day so I am disappointed because it is the highlight of my year. However, it is probably a necessary evil so I am mainly philosophical but being a normal, imperfect human being, I don't mind having a little moan about it.

merlotgran

Well, I'm not going to apologise for feeling a little bit sad about Christmas.

Me too. No outrage, no anger, just sadness. Not just for me, but for the families who usually have GPS with them, etc.

There are 3 months until Christmas - considering how many times the 'rules' have been changed since March, it's reasonable to assume that the rules will be changed yet again, family Christmas will happen, not least because the economy needs everyone to spend, spend, spend!

For God's sake, we are in the middle of a pandemic which shows no sigh of decreasing. Just be grateful that you and your family are still alive and that thanks to the wonders of technology you can still see and talk to each other. There is a deeper meaning to Christmas than parties and puddings.

I think you're barking up the wrong tree, JaneRn.

There's nothing wrong with expressing sadness at the prospect of not being able to see family at Christmas. It's human.

It's a long time since we bothered with Christmas parties but we're sure as hell not going to miss out on the pudding.

Our family aren't planning anything until November. Why worry about it now when the rules keep changing.

Do we really have to discuss Christmas just yet.

Frankly I’m not bothered about what anyone else is doing.

I think the press are always stirring things up and have a lot to answer for!

I will just see what December brings. Restrictions could be eased, stay the same or be more restrictive. Too early to tell I think so I wont worry about it yet.
I do feel sorry for those who have missed out on religious festivals already but we just have to concentrate on keeping ourselves and others safe.

Jilly, I’m sorry, that sounds so hard. Could you perhaps have them each over on different days? That way you spread it out?

My MIL would always get intense expectations over how Christmas “should” be and brought out the guilt each year we didn’t hop to do what she wanted. I’m so impressed you are trying to not inadvertently guilt your children. My husband only tolerates Christmas because of her attitude. I love it, but her tears always brought my joy down. Nothing I did was ever enough, so in the end we saw her when it suited our family.

People who are thinking of "spreading out" their family in sixes over several days.

That's a pretty good way to spread the virus through your whole family.

The whole idea is limit the number of people you mix with ?

I’m not surprised Summerlove that you only saw MiL when convenient for yourselves.
We always had a happy, family Christmas. I loved it when the children were young, and I have happy memories of Christmas as a child. To be honest, it’s not been quite the same since the adult children married, and they all have Christmas in their own homes, with us as visitors.
If the six rule persists we might have my elderly mother and my son and his wife on Christmas Day, but that may not happen, they may go to my DiL’s daughter’s house. My own daughter will be devastated as she loves having us at Christmas time. Oh well, what will be will be.

It would be sad for many, while others may quite like a quiter time with less of the stress that C brings.

I would rather be in isolation for Christmas, Diwali or whatever the festival this year than be dead for them next year!

I have a pleasant somewhat regular Christmas invitation. However, if the price to pay for increasing the safety of my loved ones, is to forego the special occasion then, so be it. Very small price to pay methinks. Let's try making our health the priority rather than rituals no matter how enjoyable and coveted they may be.

I will be keeping the rule of 6.

My thoughts are with those who can't have their usual number because someone who would have been with them at Christmas has died from the virus.

With so much notice we all have plenty of time to reorganise our plans to make sure we see everybody we want to see, just not more than 6 at one time.

We have already made our plans to enjoy our Christmas within the rules.

Yes it's very sad for all faiths who are missing out on important festivals this year but the thing I really find hard to take on board is what is so different about under elevens in England to their contemporaries in Wales and Scotland that makes them so much more of a risk that they cannot possibly be excluded from the count of 6. I'm fairly certain that Covid is not really clever enough to know where the borders between different parts of the UNITED Kingdom lie so why is that families of all religions in England appear to be being subjected to so much harsher rules especially as they don't appear to backed up by science despite what the powers that be are trying to tell us

maddyone

I’m not surprised Summerlove that you only saw MiL when convenient for yourselves.
We always had a happy, family Christmas. I loved it when the children were young, and I have happy memories of Christmas as a child. To be honest, it’s not been quite the same since the adult children married, and they all have Christmas in their own homes, with us as visitors.
If the six rule persists we might have my elderly mother and my son and his wife on Christmas Day, but that may not happen, they may go to my DiL’s daughter’s house. My own daughter will be devastated as she loves having us at Christmas time. Oh well, what will be will be.

It was Never my intention To only see her on our terms at the beginning, but with a large family in my side with many events we were game to split Christmas every year. However she kept moving the date of her Christmas celebration. So on our year with my side she’d choose to host the same day and get angry at us for not attending. Then the following year she’d host Boxing Day, but be upset we’d seen my side on Christmas Day.

Truly, there was no winning

My daughter will be devastated as Christmas is a very big thing to her, its all about having the family together, this Tradition has come from my mum and dad, then me and now her. Of course she will go with the rules, but it sill wont stop her disappointment

Phloembundle You would love an Icelandic Christmas

When you think about it, it doesn’t make sense that a very young baby, who can’t go anywhere on their own, who doesn’t go to school or nursery, is seen to be as much a separate risk as an adult, and is counted as such in the numbers.( in England) .

vegansrock look on the bright side. We can take baby to the local pub and share the space with strangers ?‍♀️