5 day break...

For some Christmas is hugely significant and others less so. We all have a different perspective, and reasons for our decisions.

For me, I think it is extremely difficult to “be careful” with others inside, having a meal and socialising.
Tiny aerosol droplets circulate better inside than out and can stay in the atmosphere. You would need a drought blowing constantly through the room to dilute them. You need a big house to stay 2 metres apart at all times. You need to keep your to own serving utensils etc. Too much to expect realistically?

Use markets? It was supposed to be a bl**dy market it was started in wasnt it??

I feel for you Jinty64- my 17 yr old is still in college(he's my youngest child) he has severe asthma and a neurological condition& other problems- he got very ill (not covid) just a different bug, after 3days back in college in september- but in last 2 wks they've forced him to go back or threatened him with kicking him out of college as his attendance had dropped so low- no amount of explaining i did about his health did any good! Now I've got a letter from consultant to say he's sending the hospital trust a recommendation he be put on extremely clinically vulnerable list so if we have lockdown again he can work at home! They are also trying to force him (and other students) to do work experience- in a pandemic! Its bloody madness!?

There's plenty to blame govt policies for without waiting for people to mix too much over Christmas.
One is the shortage of nursing and care home staff which puts more pressure on the NHS than anything - Are the new Nightingale hospitals all in operation.
Another is losing the trust and goodwill of teachers, all those who work in schools and many parents.

I think most have already made up their minds already . There will be the stupid and the sensible . I feel schools could have done more to educate children . I think there should have been hard hitting videos made which included young people who have caught severe Covid shown in schools. My 11 year old granddaughter only hears it from family . School corridors are crowded and outdoors they huddle in great numbers and freely use washroom facilities . I could go on but I feel people have already got the message.

Wasn't it Mark Twain that said that common sense ain't that common?
People will do what they will do, and very little anyone can do now to stop them. The first lockdown only worked so well because everyone was terrified, and that won't happen again.
All we can do is manage our own situation, do our own risk assessment, and do what you feel is right for you.
If neighbours are disobeying rules, then let them bide, as my granny used to say. Unless there are 150 of them partying on your lawn of course. You will just drive yourself Xmas crackers if you watch everyone else.
The vaccination programme is marching forward now, so try and look on the positive side and look forward to better times.

I agree very much with Cambia. Perhaps because most of our family have had Covid ,I am not fearful as so many others are. I think part of this fear is generated by politicians, the media and even some in the medical profession. Two of our children are doctors so I well understand the pressures of the job. Both of us are classified as CEV - clinically extremely vulnerable- husband had a kidney transplant and I have fortnightly injections for RA. Therefore compromised immune systems. We nevertheless recovered from Covid in March/April - lucky I guess. We have been careful and sensible but not scared. Jonathan Sumption has written regularly about the whole situation - there is a good article in the Telegraph today. I agree with him.

I don't understand why Christmas should be treated differently to any other religious celebration. There were no 'days off' for Eid, Diwali or Hanukah. What makes Christmas different? We're not a Christian country although many people see themselves as nominal Christians e.g. they mark CofE on a list of religions when they go into hospital but in reality they don't practise their faith. Practising Christians know that Easter is the most important festival so there really is no need to have 'time off' from Covid. Of course it could be that we're all Pagans at heart and can't bear to give up our mid-Winter celebrations.

Why wouldn’t you want to spend time alone with just you? You are precious and unique and worth looking after. It’s only one Christmas.
Even if it’s your last you can be proud that that’s what you spent this Christmas doing. Protecting others and yourself. Use the time instead to reflect, meditate, pray. The first Christmas was pretty simple it’s ok if yours is too.

Travelsafar
What do you mean “IF there was a real Father Christmas” Are you suggesting he’s not real? OMG my entire life has been built on a lie.
Christmas is ruined ??

Let’s shut everything down for three weeks for goodness sake. We’ve had mass testing in our area which went from being quite good to worst in the country. There will still be idiots doing what they like as nothing is being policed. The government cannot get it right . When deaths reach 100,000 everyone will be moaning. The sooner we lock down properly the sooner it will subside especially now vaccinations have started.I know all the reasons for not doing it but there will be no point having a good economy if so many die . Not being miserable just realistic.

Theres 2 such 'father christmases' Travelsafar! They are called Hermes and Royal Mail! ?

Well said Cambia that’s just what I was going to say !

Everything has pretty much been said on here about the risks involved with mixing, but maybe it’s worth remembering that for the vast majority of people, if they do catch the virus they will make a complete recovery.
That is also true for our age group, although of course the risk is higher.

Obviously those who are shielding and those with particular health issues will want to take extra care, but Covid-19 is not an automatic death sentence.

I’m not saying we should all throw caution to the wind, not at all, but just putting another perspective on the situation.

Remember Boris DID say "keep it short"!

And just because he said 5days DOESNT MEAN YOU HAVE TO USE THEM ALL- OR SPEND 5WHOLE DAYS WITH THEM!!!?

I personally don't know of anyone who is planning to meet up with 2 other families over the Christmas period. Couples are staying at home together and singles like me will spend part of Christmas day and Boxing day with the one family that I am already in a bubble with.

No of course it shouldnt! Its five days of madness!(could be sung that could to tune of patridge in a pear tree!") Then 'four weeks of sickness'-'3 ventilators'- "2paramedics'- 'and a dose of covid you see'- try it to the tune) ? BUT Boris wont change it as his own close friends/family/possibly some Royals have leaned on him to request this long.So christmas is better, more pliable-, for them! So hes NOT going to reduce it.Nor ban it is he? Its nothing to do with it 'being cruel' as he said, to the general public.plus more folk round means more sales of food, drink& gifts!so more economy! Christmas is actually one day! He could have allowed just that- 2 at most- xmas&boxing day perhaps! But no hes got to go OTT! I wont be visiting other houses- not on any days! Not even boxing day when its GD's birthday! (I sent the gifts) theres always next year, God willing.?

I know exactly how you feel. It's just another day and you can be with your mother at a later date when hopefully she has had the vaccine. Does she not understand that you are trying to protect her as well as yourselves.? Does she live a distance away? Could you plate up a nice Xmas meal for her and hand it over and explain that you feel "under the weather" and don't want to risk giving her Covid? It's a bit of a white lie but sometimes it's justified when other people just don't see sense and you are forced to walk on eggshells so they don't get upset. Be strong and do what you know is right in this pandemic.

Personal responsibility is all well and good, but unless you live alone and have 100% control of decisions affecting your household, it's not that easy.

Not all couples are in agreement over what they want or plan to do, and not all couples will be able to overcome their difference of opinion or arrive at a mutually agreed 'safe' compromise through any amount discussion.

When it comes down to it, the cautious partner can't control what the other one, who even has 'the rules' on their side, ultimately does.

It's been clear from a lot of recent posts that many people are in this sort of situation, and would be in a much stronger position to say 'no' to Christmas get-togethers if the rules allowing it were changed or withdrawn.

Well I make no apology - I am spending the 5 days with my DD and SiL who I haven't seen for months as they live 200 miles away so no long distance wave when swapping presents at the gate. They both work from home, have been self isolating for 10 days and have had Covid tests. I am not if we could have been more careful. We do not have to share bathrooms and yes we can sit round the table 2 metres apart.

I am foregoing seeing my DGC and DS and DiL despite not having seen them for over a year as they also live 200 miles away.

Okay maybe your Christmas isn't particularly special and you can have it anytime but for us it is!

I think it is irresponsible to have Families getting together. As much as I would love to see mine, we are not meeting. The GC school is rife with Covid NHS is stretched to breaking point. Why be so selfish, one may think it won’t happen to them & they are careful but it can easily be us next. The outcomes are so varied and random that I am not taking the risk.

I think it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Throw alcohol in the mix, the fact people are on holiday from work and seeing family for first time in however long.My money is on any rules re covid will be out the window.

The virus is (mainly) airborne, folks. Washing stuff won’t protect you against aerosolised particles which are the main conduit of transmission.. If you have to shop, use outdoor markets or use places with impeccable ventilation. Dash, don’t linger, avoid places where masks are not mandatory and wear the best mask you can afford.
If you are going to be inside with others -not advisable - really, best not, but if you must, change the air in the room at least every hour by opening windows and doors, get an air purifier with HEPA filter and get a CO2 monitor to keep an eye on the air quality.

‘I continue to do my household shopping at 07:00, which makes it a delightfully solitary experience, and my hands and purchases are sanitized as soon as I get them home’. This will not protect you. Sorry.

As someone who was shocked to receive a message from the app this morning that I had been in contqct with someone positive, now need to isolate 7 days till midnight on Christmas day!! How awful & scary. No idea where it cqme from, very careful shopping etc. Luckily only 2 of us for Christmas, cancelled all the fqmily weeks ago. Just have to wait and see if I get it now, very scared.