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

so sorry to hear watermeadow- and good for you for not losing your sense of humour in such difficult times. Yes, get the deer stalkers and bright plastic water guns ready- and have wonderful fun all together x

Good for you watermeadow. I do hope your daughter’s child is ok

We are having a family gathering long before Christmas. One daughter has a seriously ill child and wants family support.
If asked why twelve of us are together I shall reply that we are grouse-shooting, so the rules don’t apply.

It was actually our turn not to have any of the family on Christmas Day this year - they all alternate coming to us with going to the inlaws. I've a feeling the rule of 6, if it still applies, might mean we will end up with a few visitors after all. It's an ill wind and all that.....

Christmas is now more or less like any other Sunday since our DC and DGC moved overseas and the older generation passed away. I've always liked Christmas and still try to make something of it. Just the two of us so the'rule of 6' doesn't apply. ?

What MawB2 says. Exactly right.

In our family we try to have a rule that nobody mentions the “C” word before October! But I have come to the realisation that it is not a good thing to have inflexible Christmas traditions because the one year that somebody wants to do something different, somebody is going to feel hurt.
“But we always go to Granny” or “The children always come to me” etc - leads to setting ourselves up for heartache. .

I am not bothered about Christmas, haven't been for a few years now. We used to have big family celebrations but now that the old ones are no longer with us and youngsters have moved away it is not the same. It is too commercial too. I am not being bah humbug either!!! . As long as everyone stays safe from this awful virus it really doesn't matter. Perhaps it will get things back in perspective as to what life's values are.

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

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) .

Phloembundle You would love an Icelandic Christmas

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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 ?

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.

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.

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

Do we really have to discuss Christmas just yet.

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