Christmas ‘3 household bubble’ - anyone avoiding it?
Discussion
Just pondering the Christmas ‘bubble’ situation, and “could” vs “will” in terms of meeting up with family. There’s an article on the BBC page citing examples of people making the decision not to meet up...interested to hear if others are thinking the same.
We’re currently planning to travel 200 miles to spend Christmas Day and Boxing Day with my parents who are in their 70s. My partner works for the NHS so received their vaccine today, I work from home and barely see anyone at the moment, and we’ve just cancelled two planned meals out with friends that were scheduled for the days before Christmas. So I feel that we’ve done what we can to minimise risk, but the risk is still there....and obviously mindful that a vaccine is probably only a few weeks away for my parents.
Obviously it’s all just a balance of risk - anybody in a similar situation thinking of not seeing family, even though the restrictions mean they could?
We’re currently planning to travel 200 miles to spend Christmas Day and Boxing Day with my parents who are in their 70s. My partner works for the NHS so received their vaccine today, I work from home and barely see anyone at the moment, and we’ve just cancelled two planned meals out with friends that were scheduled for the days before Christmas. So I feel that we’ve done what we can to minimise risk, but the risk is still there....and obviously mindful that a vaccine is probably only a few weeks away for my parents.
Obviously it’s all just a balance of risk - anybody in a similar situation thinking of not seeing family, even though the restrictions mean they could?
Yes, me.
I work for the NHS (not frontline but have been in work as usual rather than working from home).
My parents are both in their 80s and neither they nor I want to risk them catching anything. I will be driving the 250 round trip to take their presents over, but will just leave them with my brother. I won't be going into his home either - his partner is also an NHS worker, although she is frontline, and they have her elderly relatives living with them. I will also hopefully meet my best friend to a do a 'socially distanced' present swap, but again won't risk anything as her mother has cancer.
I hate that it has to be this way, but I'm just not willing to take the risk as I would feel terrible if anything happened.
Of course this may all be inconsequential if the Welsh Government change their mind about the relaxation of rules over Christmas. With things as they are at the moment, I wouldn't be surprised if they did.
I work for the NHS (not frontline but have been in work as usual rather than working from home).
My parents are both in their 80s and neither they nor I want to risk them catching anything. I will be driving the 250 round trip to take their presents over, but will just leave them with my brother. I won't be going into his home either - his partner is also an NHS worker, although she is frontline, and they have her elderly relatives living with them. I will also hopefully meet my best friend to a do a 'socially distanced' present swap, but again won't risk anything as her mother has cancer.
I hate that it has to be this way, but I'm just not willing to take the risk as I would feel terrible if anything happened.
Of course this may all be inconsequential if the Welsh Government change their mind about the relaxation of rules over Christmas. With things as they are at the moment, I wouldn't be surprised if they did.
Was going to in-laws but not worth the risk after 9 months and a vaccine now in touching distance. Father-in-law has leukemia and struggles to recover from a common cold so is a major risk. And would possibly mean having 8 of us in total - missus, her sister and brother + partners (no kids) - who do you pick/leave out?
In the end weve all binned it off so we are at home xmas day (kids with ex) and then off to join up with some friends doing the same!
In the end weve all binned it off so we are at home xmas day (kids with ex) and then off to join up with some friends doing the same!
For us it would normally involve 4 households meeting up at my brothers. One member of the family is over 70 and another is immunocompromised, so this year there will be no get-together.. And the fact that I don't live locally to the rest of the family just simplified the decision.
Edited by rjfp1962 on Monday 14th December 23:00
We will be driving about 1000 miles total to pick and drop off up the mother in law.
I have been pretty socially isolated as Im furloughed from the hospitality industry and my other half is working in shetland most weeks
The mother in law is 70 and lives on her own (doesnt drive) so has had very lonely year. All her friends are the same age or older so are also social distancing to the extreme from each other.
Theres just the 2 of us and the mother in law for christmas so its almost like a support bubble just we live quite far away from each other.
I have been pretty socially isolated as Im furloughed from the hospitality industry and my other half is working in shetland most weeks
The mother in law is 70 and lives on her own (doesnt drive) so has had very lonely year. All her friends are the same age or older so are also social distancing to the extreme from each other.
Theres just the 2 of us and the mother in law for christmas so its almost like a support bubble just we live quite far away from each other.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
What about flu every year? You could kill them with flu? What if it’s their last year. There’s a one in 6 chance you’re Dad will die anyway if he’s over 85. 1 in 7 for your Mum.
Think about this. There’s a far higher chance of them dying a lonely death this year than dying of Covid.
I lost my 62 year old mum 8 years ago and I would give anything for just 1 minute with her.
Think about how short life is before saying it’s only one year.
PositronicRay said:
We're in a bubble with MIL, so it'll be just us and her.
We're not "hide behind the sofa" people but also not "super spreaders"
Plenty of time in 2021 to catch up and do stuff.
But Positronic there may not be plenty of time. You don’t ever know. Time together is precious. You can not remove all risk from life. We're not "hide behind the sofa" people but also not "super spreaders"
Plenty of time in 2021 to catch up and do stuff.
Talk to them. Make sure you know the actual risk levels eg fatality rates being below 2% of those over 85 who actually catch Covid.
Bursting your xmas bubble.
Looks like my Christmas is going to be in CV19 solitary confinement with whatever I can hoover up from the out of date final reduction shelves at the annual Co-op desperate present seeking males stampede at 8pm on Christmas eve.
In true Yorkshireman style I'm obviously hoping for finest Scottish smoked salmon, sherry trifle and a 20lb Norfolk turkey with all the trimmings for 4 people for under £10. I can make that last at least two days if I go steady. Not sure if Quality Street, Mince pies and 'Finest' Merlot go out of date? I hope so.
It's a bit of a high stakes gamble though. I might shoot myself comprehensively in the foot at the last chance xmas saloon, and literally be left with the last turkey in the shop, or more likely a deformed vegan sausage roll and one party popper minus its string.
The three bubble gathering limit will have a massive impact on families this year. It's going to be an organisational and logistical stress filled nightmare that will make a 500 feuding guests wedding seating plan look like a single post it note on the fridge door about buying more milk on the way to work.
Who to invite or not to invite that is the question?
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer Aunty Ethel or Uncle Bert?
You can bet they will both be well peeved by the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune if they haven't bubbled up to the top of the attendees list by Christmas eve.
To be fair not inviting them suddenly sounds like a rather good idea, and he won't be able to nick all the pigs in blankets either. Back to Hamlet and plan B then.
Unfortunately I would count as one whole bubble, (Ok I might be the size of two bubbles, but I only count as one). One of your three a day permitted healthy gathering allowance in fact. And not to put too fine a point on it, I would be a massive waste of a big soapy family bubble. You could easily get a legitimate and legal half a dozen foamy nephews and frothy nieces for the price of one of me.
I expect a lot of people will see the simple mathematical undeniable logic in all of this, fall on our swords, take one for the team this year, and let bigger bubbles merge for the duration. It's not heroic or noble, it's just simple common sense. To quote Mr Spock. "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." But bloody hell you better make it up to us next year we will have earned it!
But definitely don't waste a bubble on me. I shall be wallowing like a proverbial beached 'Life on Earth' whale on my sofa. Doggedly consuming the contents of my fridge and the TV guide in a veritable orgy of Netflix boxed sets, conspicuous consumerism and unhealthy eating.
If you are really desperate to see me I can' Zoom' in on your over catered heaving tables and the hordes of bored or stressed looking relatives and hosts via a stuttering and pixelated video link. I'll be comfortably merry in my y-fronts, watching James Bond and the Queen's speech, whilst chain guzzling Baileys Chocolate liqueurs.
I can at least relax safe in the knowledge I won't have to do the greasy washing up for 20 people in a sink the size of an egg cup with a thimble full of hot water. Or be forced to play the latest dire flavour of the season board game for three hours stuffed to the gills, whilst wearing a silly hat that doesn't fit, and simultaneously failing through the brain fog of gluttony to comprehend any of the mind bending rules of the game.
I can still pinch my fingers with the useless nut crackers, pick walnut shells out of my sticky carpet, and chuck the unopenable Brazil nuts away three days later as tradition and the xmas ritual requires. I might bring my vice in from the shed and use that to crack my nuts as I do like a challenge. I wonder if 'Tracey' my robotic vacuum cleaner can cope with a carpet skillfully impregnated with half a hundred weight of nutty slack?
Anyway thankfully I still have a few little bubbles up here, so can pop in and see some friends.
Have a good safe xmas and best wishes for the new year.
I thought about calling this piece 'I'm forever blowing Bubbles.'
But Bubbles is a gym bunny friend of mine and I'm not sure he's up for that.
Looks like my Christmas is going to be in CV19 solitary confinement with whatever I can hoover up from the out of date final reduction shelves at the annual Co-op desperate present seeking males stampede at 8pm on Christmas eve.
In true Yorkshireman style I'm obviously hoping for finest Scottish smoked salmon, sherry trifle and a 20lb Norfolk turkey with all the trimmings for 4 people for under £10. I can make that last at least two days if I go steady. Not sure if Quality Street, Mince pies and 'Finest' Merlot go out of date? I hope so.
It's a bit of a high stakes gamble though. I might shoot myself comprehensively in the foot at the last chance xmas saloon, and literally be left with the last turkey in the shop, or more likely a deformed vegan sausage roll and one party popper minus its string.
The three bubble gathering limit will have a massive impact on families this year. It's going to be an organisational and logistical stress filled nightmare that will make a 500 feuding guests wedding seating plan look like a single post it note on the fridge door about buying more milk on the way to work.
Who to invite or not to invite that is the question?
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer Aunty Ethel or Uncle Bert?
You can bet they will both be well peeved by the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune if they haven't bubbled up to the top of the attendees list by Christmas eve.
To be fair not inviting them suddenly sounds like a rather good idea, and he won't be able to nick all the pigs in blankets either. Back to Hamlet and plan B then.
Unfortunately I would count as one whole bubble, (Ok I might be the size of two bubbles, but I only count as one). One of your three a day permitted healthy gathering allowance in fact. And not to put too fine a point on it, I would be a massive waste of a big soapy family bubble. You could easily get a legitimate and legal half a dozen foamy nephews and frothy nieces for the price of one of me.
I expect a lot of people will see the simple mathematical undeniable logic in all of this, fall on our swords, take one for the team this year, and let bigger bubbles merge for the duration. It's not heroic or noble, it's just simple common sense. To quote Mr Spock. "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." But bloody hell you better make it up to us next year we will have earned it!
But definitely don't waste a bubble on me. I shall be wallowing like a proverbial beached 'Life on Earth' whale on my sofa. Doggedly consuming the contents of my fridge and the TV guide in a veritable orgy of Netflix boxed sets, conspicuous consumerism and unhealthy eating.
If you are really desperate to see me I can' Zoom' in on your over catered heaving tables and the hordes of bored or stressed looking relatives and hosts via a stuttering and pixelated video link. I'll be comfortably merry in my y-fronts, watching James Bond and the Queen's speech, whilst chain guzzling Baileys Chocolate liqueurs.
I can at least relax safe in the knowledge I won't have to do the greasy washing up for 20 people in a sink the size of an egg cup with a thimble full of hot water. Or be forced to play the latest dire flavour of the season board game for three hours stuffed to the gills, whilst wearing a silly hat that doesn't fit, and simultaneously failing through the brain fog of gluttony to comprehend any of the mind bending rules of the game.
I can still pinch my fingers with the useless nut crackers, pick walnut shells out of my sticky carpet, and chuck the unopenable Brazil nuts away three days later as tradition and the xmas ritual requires. I might bring my vice in from the shed and use that to crack my nuts as I do like a challenge. I wonder if 'Tracey' my robotic vacuum cleaner can cope with a carpet skillfully impregnated with half a hundred weight of nutty slack?
Anyway thankfully I still have a few little bubbles up here, so can pop in and see some friends.
Have a good safe xmas and best wishes for the new year.
I thought about calling this piece 'I'm forever blowing Bubbles.'
But Bubbles is a gym bunny friend of mine and I'm not sure he's up for that.
lrdisco said:
PositronicRay said:
We're in a bubble with MIL, so it'll be just us and her.
We're not "hide behind the sofa" people but also not "super spreaders"
Plenty of time in 2021 to catch up and do stuff.
But Positronic there may not be plenty of time. You don’t ever know. Time together is precious. You can not remove all risk from life. We're not "hide behind the sofa" people but also not "super spreaders"
Plenty of time in 2021 to catch up and do stuff.
Talk to them. Make sure you know the actual risk levels eg fatality rates being below 2% of those over 85 who actually catch Covid.
We live on the Isle of Wight. I have a ferry booked to go and see my parents in South Wales next week.
Seriously considering not going but will make a decision this Thursday. We were only going for the day, but parents are elderly and just does not seem worth the risks (either way) for the sake of waiting a few more months.......
Seriously considering not going but will make a decision this Thursday. We were only going for the day, but parents are elderly and just does not seem worth the risks (either way) for the sake of waiting a few more months.......
PositronicRay said:
lrdisco said:
PositronicRay said:
We're in a bubble with MIL, so it'll be just us and her.
We're not "hide behind the sofa" people but also not "super spreaders"
Plenty of time in 2021 to catch up and do stuff.
But Positronic there may not be plenty of time. You don’t ever know. Time together is precious. You can not remove all risk from life. We're not "hide behind the sofa" people but also not "super spreaders"
Plenty of time in 2021 to catch up and do stuff.
Talk to them. Make sure you know the actual risk levels eg fatality rates being below 2% of those over 85 who actually catch Covid.
But leave your parents on their own. Just because it’s about not spreading.
You have unfortunately watched way too much BBC and stopped thinking for yourself.
I feel sorry for your parents.
lrdisco said:
You don’t get risk do you? There’s risk in every aspect of life. With a couple of control measures the risk can be reduced massively.
But leave your parents on their own. Just because it’s about not spreading.
You have unfortunately watched way too much BBC and stopped thinking for yourself.
I feel sorry for your parents.
Harsh But leave your parents on their own. Just because it’s about not spreading.
You have unfortunately watched way too much BBC and stopped thinking for yourself.
I feel sorry for your parents.
lrdisco said:
PositronicRay said:
lrdisco said:
PositronicRay said:
We're in a bubble with MIL, so it'll be just us and her.
We're not "hide behind the sofa" people but also not "super spreaders"
Plenty of time in 2021 to catch up and do stuff.
But Positronic there may not be plenty of time. You don’t ever know. Time together is precious. You can not remove all risk from life. We're not "hide behind the sofa" people but also not "super spreaders"
Plenty of time in 2021 to catch up and do stuff.
Talk to them. Make sure you know the actual risk levels eg fatality rates being below 2% of those over 85 who actually catch Covid.
But leave your parents on their own. Just because it’s about not spreading.
You have unfortunately watched way too much BBC and stopped thinking for yourself.
I feel sorry for your parents.
Our usual approach would just be allowed in the current rules but we aren't doing it. Everyone is apart this Christmas for the first time in maybe 20 years. Its a small price to pay when the end is in sight.
It will be very frustrating when we have a spike in the new year due to all the selfish types but what can you do.
It will be very frustrating when we have a spike in the new year due to all the selfish types but what can you do.
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