So, who is going out in the run up to the 25th. ?

I so love the run up to the big day.

We have a lunch on Saturday to remember our dear friend on the first anniversary of his death, on Tuesday the 21st we will meet up with family and a friend at a holiday house in N.Yorkshire.

On the 22nd we have a table booked at one of our favourite restaurants to celebrate my husbands birthday.
The 23rd is the carol service at Ripon Cathedral followed by dinner in a restaurant, from there it’s mainly dining in but we may stumble into a pub or two on our walks around the Yorkshire Dales.

nandad

Reading about how many people are cancelling their plans for Christmas I’m not sure why we are having the booster? Is this how we are going to be living our lives from here on in? Yes, be cautious, and yes if you are vulnerable you will need to take extra precautions but to stop seeing people and stop doing things isn’t living, it’s only existing.

For me, I think this is the new normal.

I don't feel I'm just existing. I feel I'm living a less consumerist life.

This new variant is spreading like wildfire here - we haven’t had post for a week as our local sorting office 12 out of 16 staff all have covid - the backlog is piling up, my DGS nursery has closed due to staff absence, eldest DS boss has just been diagnosed with Omicron , so he is WFH isolating, we went out to dinner last weekend only to learn one guest had tested positive - PCRs all round - the concert we had booked this Saturday has been cancelled, we had decided not to go though, now trying to keep a low profile. Just wondering if the relatives from France will decide not to come……Could be. a repeat of last year.☹️

We’re acting as normal but there is a big cloud coming up behind us from overseas.

The run up to Christmas is my favourite time of year. Like most of my circle, I’m double jabbed and boosted (I’m also recovered), and take all sensible precautions. I have had several meals out and events with family and friends and am looking forward to more in the next week. Unless any are cancelled, I’ll be going, and enjoying them.

I’m going out for Christmas lunch with a dear friend today. We’re meeting in a popular restaurant in the city centre. She’s a senior nurse and also clinically vulnerable and I would have understood if she had cancelled but she hasn’t so we’re going.

We are meeting DS, DDiL and 2 DGDs for lunch in a pub and present exchange on Sunday and are all going to do LFTs before (and after). The four adults are all triple jabbed and the girls have had two jabs. We shall wear masks as appropriate but we really need to see our family after the difficult eighteen months we have had with DH's surgeries.

It does all feel a bit of a 1984-scenario. Surely we need to learn to accept that, like 'flu, this virus is going to keep mutating and keep recurring. Living life like timid rabbits is not a real life. There is not going to be a day when it is announced that it has all gone away, all restrictions are lifted and life is back to pre-pandemic norms.

Several Carol Services in our area have been cancelled.

Well, a few differences of opinion it would seem !
Although I totally agree we cannot continue to live in some kind of vaccuum it is very uplifting to see how many are following all the rules. Sorry if that sounds patronising !
If you could have seen my DIL having worked in A and E for 18 hours , doing her best as a Doctor and 4 months pregnant it broke my heart. She was more than shattered but also angry that new cases were consistently unvaccinated.
Rant over !

I will do all I can not to add to her burden hazel. I’m amazed how many people seem to be just carrying on as usual. There’s such a thing as being sensible and (literally) continuing to have a life.

My annual Christmas treat is to take my family to the pantomime. I bought 8 tickets for last year's performance which was cancelled and the ticket were transferred to this year. We are going on Sunday afternoon, come hell or high water. All of us except for the 3 youngest (9,8 & & 7) are fully jabbed and we will be wearing face masks throughout. I am not prepared to have my life limited by the anti-vax brigade.

My sister is staying with me from the US so that she can visit my mum in her care home ( first visit in over two years) and spend Christmas with me. So far we have not cancelled any of our plans, most of which are outdoors anyway.

We went shopping yesterday to John Lewis in Cheadle and the staff there said how quiet it was in the run up to Christmas, even the cafe had empty tables! Today is a visit to the Christmas Market in Manchester then a meal at a restaurant where we’re will be sitting in an open tent - with heaters luckily as it’s frosty today!

We have one other meal planned in an Indian Restaurant on Monday, we chose to go on a Monday knowing it was usually quiet then. We are still going but suspect that it will be half empty after some cancellations. We are all doing LFTs every day that we go somewhere to protect others and obviously wearing masks and keeping our distance from non family members.

I am a little anxious but we’ve all agreed that it’s best to carry on even if it risks our Christmas Day plans because my sister has come such a long way and every day is a special day.

We had so many plans including DDs 40th party and all sorts of associated shenanigans. All off now due to two little lines on a test.
We'll not be the only ones in a similar state of suspended social animation I suspect. I actually feel like taking down the Christmas tree right now instead of trying to have a pale version of what we might have been doing.

Will take sensible precautions, but will be going out for dinner tomorrow evening as planned.

DS is 50 tomorrow and we are going to a restaurant for a family lunch. DIL has asked for a private room as it is going to be emotional, first family gathering without DH.
I am hoping we will be okay but apparently there are a lot of cases at GDs' school.

Going for our boosters together today, but cancelled other family. DIL is 6 months pregnant and both she and my son have recently had Covid, even with 2 Pfizers. He was so ill on the phone, breathless. Thankfully DIL and bump are fine now.
I appreciate that he's disappointed, but I'm thinking of them, and they have lots of family where they are. I need to learn to Skype.

Going to have son and DIL tonight at home for dinner, friends tomorrow night at their house for dinner. We're all doing LFT before we meet. Christmas will be here for 10 of us. Again all testing. Avoiding socialising without everyone testing. Covid seems to be everywhere, albeit the new strain seems more like a short live bad cold.

Dog walks and late night trips to my local shop for milk, etc, that's it. I cancelled a lunch and also asked another, friend who was coming on Saturday night, could we give it a miss. I knew by his voice that he thought I was being an idiot, but he's never in and has everyone at his house. His daughter and grandkids have had Covid lately and don't wear masks, nothing. I'm taking no chances.

We have backed out of a dinner dance tonight. Apparently only 26 people now going but we didn't want to take the risk with v elderly parents to consider. Were 8 of us going 4 still are and one couple not speaking to the 4 who backed out as they are so disappointed

I feel rather like you Aveline, the trees and other decorations are cruel reminders of a second family Christmas get together cancelled, albeit by ‘choice’.

We don't go out much as hubby and I are so busy we enjoy being at home. Have plans, very limited, and am sticking to them. The hospitality and events industries have been hammered by restrictions; first to be closed, last to reopen. You should be able to make your own decisions on what you feel comfortable doing.

Advised to be very careful anyway as I’m CEV. Going for a small procedure at our local hospital early next week so isolating and doing LFTs until then - probably won’t be going anywhere before Christmas now.

The only time I’m meeting with friends is tomorrow evenings Strictly Final dinner party at mine. 6 of us, all fully vaccinated and LFTs and after. Oh, and Strictly masks! I’ve found full-face cardboard masks of Shirley, Motsi, Craig, Anton and the 2 presenters. C’mon Rose!

I’m going to a party on Sunday night and really excited. Some people have dropped out but the majority are still coming along. I’ve had my booster and plan to be sensible (no hugging) but refuse to put my life on hold any longer.

Our extended family were all due to spend a few days together over Christmas but one of my daughters (unmarried, London) has just tested positive and won't be able to come. My 93 year old dad has just returned from a Turkey and Tinsel holiday with lots of dancing. He'll also be with us but I'm a bit uneasy about it because his idea of social distancing is a couple of laps around the dance floor with a new woman from Wales...?