Christmas break?

We are very busy raising awareness that we are a multi racial diverse country yet there didn’t seem to be much relaxation for other religious festivals

I think we’ll be just two, maybe garden exchange of presents with blankets and chiminea. DS in a shared house with 4 others, DD single parent with two GC’s, she works in school, so all three in schools. Will any of us like it, no, we’ve had Christmas at ours for all of them since birth, will we survive? far more likely with no mixing.

If people live in small towns/villages that have no Covid infected folk, letting them get together with family who live near each other shouldn’t hurt for one day only. My two daughters live very near one another and have always celebrated Xmas day together with their children. They are both following the rules, so think letting them spend one day together should be ok. Am sure there are lots of families in similar situations.

I am not advocating folk travelling to be with families from all corners of the UK/world. Just those living within the same town/village.

Back in the 90s we had a year when 5 of our family died (1 Dad, 2xMums, 2 maiden aunts. I could not face Christmas day with so many empty spaces at the table. So, 2DDs Dh & I picked up a very late deal and spent Christmas in Spain, while my Dad went to my sister's, and the DD's boyfriends went home to their parents. We carried on doing this or similar for 5 years, until both DDs had babies within months of each other, and we returned to whole family + the Inlaws Christmases together.

This year, with our 3 DGC all young teenagers, who no longer believe in Santa, stockings, piles of presents, and my DH, their Grandad, no longer with us we had planned a different Christmas anyway, probably booking 3 lodges in the Highlands to accommodate us all. Now it looks as though, weather permitting, we may meet up in a garden for a Christmas Barbecue, perhaps building Snow Men? otherwise it will be a 3 way skype or Zoom call & Quiz.

What is the point of this long post? Only to say that Christmas Celebrations are not set in stone and vary according to changes in circumstances. We have had a wonderful time every year and many happy memories, eg swimming in the sea on Christmas Day, seeing Santa arrive, with presents, in a helicopter, or on a ten foot high bicycle. This year we will be starting a new format for our celebrations. I am sure it will be as enjoyable as all the others.

My village has 12+ cases (two hospitalised) because someone waiting for a test result went to three pubs in one night. So a village can go from COVID free to a COVID hotspot in the blink of an eye. And it’s been proven that people meeting up in other people’s homes is the main cause of the spread of the virus. So to relax rules for households meeting indoors even for one day will result in many deaths. Added to which hospital staff are not being allowed leave over Christmas I believe. It really isn’t worth it.

We live in a small village, about 200 homes, in an area that has a very low infection rate. We go out shopping and for walks very happily because everyone seems to have got the idea how to social distance. But one of our neighbours got COVID when she went into hospital for a small procedure and passed it onto his wife.
We walk round the village once a day and it’s interesting to see the different cars in people’s drives. They are already visiting. Of course some will be carers or bubbles.
If we get a carte blanche from the government I think it will be seen as permission to party with all and sundry for some.
Thankfully I do have faith in the majority.?

It's a stupid idea that will just leave us with higher infection rate in January

The UK has the highest per capita/population ratio infection and death rate from COVID-19 in the world. Johnson has shown a woeful lack of consistent leadership in strategic planning and management. A ‘five day break’ - really? I’m absolutely flabbergasted.

I feel as if I'm trapped on a roller coaster ride as it hurtles off the tracks.
No choice but to use public transport to go to work, and work with extremely vulnerable people.

Just hope it's a mild case, when I do get it, and that it doesn't last long.

Daisymae

The government seem to be putting signals out for a possible 5 day lifting of restrictions over Christmas. Can't see this being a good idea bearing in mind the situation that the country is in at the moment. What can possibly change over the next few weeks that would make this government policy? I can see they are in a very difficult position but I would have thought that there's a need to keep a lid on things until the spring. The idea of a near normal festive season doesn't seem reasonable.

What a ridiculous idea ??‍♀️

Whether families choose to break the rules or not, the government should not be supporting it.

Nothing like a free for all.

But then again, I feel the same way about giving a weeks warning before a lockdown.

I am hugely encouraged by most of the posts here. I also believe that we have a duty to have a very different Christmas this year. If we don't, there will be additional deaths which could have been avoided and that is inexcusable. I heard Christina Pagel (Professor of Operational Research & Director of the UCL Clinical Operational Research Unit and member of Independent Sage) on the radio and say something along the lines of Christmas normally being visits to one house on Christmas day, another on Boxing day, 3 or more generations, alcohol ... which will lead to more deaths. Many of our hospitals are close to being overwhelmed. Leicester hospitals have stopped some non-urgent operations today.
People will look for loopholes whatever the rules and I simply don't understand that. Missee I agree so much. They are risking everyone.
I will be very sad not to be with my children and grandchildren who we always see at Christmas but we need to make it a different Christmas this year. We need to make the best of it. Hopefully, with a vaccine on the horizon, this will just be for this year and next year will be extra special.
And Ajdswan, open your eyes - your attitude endangers everyone.

I've come late to this thread, but agree with the majority that we need to accept that this Christmas will and should be different to protect others and keep hospitals functioning. This will be hard as we now live a long way from all family members and this is not always easy anyway, especially as two are now seriously ill (not Covid19).

But our generation has in many ways been so lucky up until now. I think of my grandmother whose husband went missing for years while on active service during WW2, and who brought up 4 children alone during this time. And her brother, who was imprisoned in a Japanese PoW camp for a similar period, and came back to his family weighing 6 stone. I daresay some Christmases weren't up to much for either of them. However they endured, and so can I.

Think that the government are out of step with this. The trade off on the table seems to be 5 days off over Christmas then lockdown in January. On balance the majority would prefer to keep safe rather than increase the risk of passing the virus on to those they care about the most. Most people are prepared to do what they know in their heart of hearts is the right thing. What will probably happen is that most will not have the Christmas they want then have to go through the lockdown so that a few can have a normal time.

Good posts both DaisyMae and Cassandra - and many upthread, too many to name.
I feel we have come this far and if a Christmas “break” were to put us back to the stats of the spring or this Autumn, what was the point of it?
Perhaps that’s why Lockdown 2 feels more depressing than 1 - then we were optimistic that it would do what it set out to achieve , only it wasn’t enough of course and here we are again.
Think of pushing a snowball up a hill - and what happens if you ease off.
Anyway we still have 5 (?) weeks to go and who knows what may have happened by then. I’m not looking forward to it if I do have to be alone but if needs must...

I was wondering what people would do this xmas.My mothers first words to me yesterday were we can visit my son and his family now at xmas and go inside,my son and his family have said outdoors only they will not budge he has two children under three.So this xmas for us will be hard i worry it maybe my dads last age 83 but i respect my sons wishes,my parents find it so hard to understand i have had my son is mad from my mum everyone else is etc,and i am stuck in the middle.I feel for my parents,dont they think i want to touch my only child and his family only outdoor meets since march,but my son says they have had no contact since march with anyone there is no way he is messing it up for xmas,so it will be xmas day with my parents and then the 4 of us if we are allowed in Wales by then sat in my sons garden watching my grandchildren for as long as we can take the cold,but they are safe.Happy Christmas all.x

I apologise for having only read the first and last page of this thread, usually I read the lot before commenting.
It's reassuring that the consensus seems to be we need to continue to be very cautious, no matter what the government says.
I read this morning talk of a five day break in the guidance against meeting indoors, in groups. A suggestion that groups of 10 will be 'allowed' to meet. Like many others here, my age and medication meant I was told to shield in the first stage and had a 'be very careful, don't go shopping, only leave the house for exercise' letter this time round.
I love Christmas, the getting together with loved ones, the religious backdrop reminds me of its central importance to many. I haven't done our usual day of child care since February. My four young grandchildren haven't stayed here and have been inside the house briefly on about four occasions. I miss them so much and miss the very regular times we would all spend together in a large family group. It's really tough isn't it. I want to see those little ones grow up if I'm lucky enough. I do not want to get the virus. The grim suggestion by one of the scientists interviewed this week was that those of us in the clinically vulnerable group are likely to die if we get the infection. I knew this but it sounded even more harsh when spoken out loud.
The bubble idea is a non starter for us and I suspect for many. If you are honest and factor in the various contacts one of your adult children has, you'd be mixing with 20 people very quickly.
Keep safe everyone. Things will improve.

I think that the mixed messages from the government are making it more difficult to do the right thing. For instance mix over Christmas then wait for the consequences in January. Some people may feel disappointed if people choose to stay at home, others torn between the real longing to be with others but fully understand the risks. The guidance should be clear, stay at home.

The vaccine is just around the corner now. I think we should all just celebrate Christmas at home. I haven't seen my kids/grandkids since August but am prepared to wait maybe a few more months until I get my jab. I'm glad to see most posters on here have got the same opinion. I urge everyone to just WAIT we're almost there!

How long will it be before people start pushing for meeting together on New Year's Eve too? This four/five day break is a crazy plan and just shows those who wish to ignore guidelines that if they push long and loud enough the Government will cave in.

Along with most of you, I will be staying home over Christmas even though I have only seen my family once this year because of the distance.

Apart from the worry of Covid, just imagine how jampacked the roads will be and because of that I'm sure lots of people will decide to leave one day earlier, or return one day later, or even stay until after the New Year, turning it into a 10 day break.

I despair.

I feel guilty posting this, but it’s what I feel.

We live in an area that was low risk in the first wave, but has now become much higher. We have seen very little of our son and family since March, we live quite close and saw a lot of them before Covid.

We have spent every Christmas with them, either at their house or ours for the last 15 years.

Both GC’s are teenagers now, so it’s not like when they were little and so excited about Christmas.

I would be perfectly happy to have a quiet, restful day, just DH and me, in our own home, for one year, as although it is lovely to be with them, sometimes it would feel easier to be just us.

So on a selfish level, I hope that unless the situation alters greatly, I would prefer it to be made quite clear by the government that a ‘stay at home’ day is what is required.

I should add that DS’s family are at work and school, mixing with many others, and I really don’t fancy a whole day indoors with all the risks that entails.

It’s just not worth jeopardising everything, and the five day scenario sounds crazy, although I’m sure that Boris and co honestly think that the country will just do as it likes, and they are trying to find some sort of compromise.

Whatever the government decides about Christmas I don't think it will greatly change peoples' minds now. Those who were always going to get together will do so and those who have been staying home alone will continue.
I go along with a few posters here who are trying to come up with a compromise. Fresh air present swapping, isolation for a week before we meet up, only 6 people who were pretty much mixing before lockdown anyway, lots of hand washing.
It is New Year we need to worry about far more. All those parties with alcohol flowing, singing and hugging. No thank you.

I agree with the majority of posters who say they will not be spending Christmas with family this year. I don’t see the point of having this lockdown and then allowing households to spend five days together over Christmas. It’s totally
mad. I think the press have made matters a lot worse though and have encouraged this hysteria about not seeing family at Christmas. It’s one Christmas and if this saves lives and allows us to get back to some normality in 2021 this is all to the good.

I intend to keep to whatever regulations are in force, and even if they're greatly lifted we will not be having any big, mixed families gatherings. As a Christian, I've been unable to attend Church, let alone family celebrations for any important dates this year. Easter is the most important festival in the Christian calendar but we were unable to observe Holy Week with services. Having said that, a friend will be 102 next week. She does not have internet, lives alone with carers in 3 times a day. Should she really be only able to see one of her sons this Christmas, does anybody think her chances of seeing next Christmas are high? Yes it's one Christmas, for some it is realistically their last. I think there has to be some compassion practiced in amongst being sensible.

I've just read this online and it could not be clearer:

There's no point in having a very merry Christmas and then having to bury your relatives in the New Year.

Apparently there is a survey on Twitter that is coming out against a Christmas Break. They mentioned it on the ITV breakfast show.