Here comes the time of year where we put up the Christmas tree in the living room, spread the decorations all around the house and gather around the dining table for Christmas dinner with friends and family. Yet another fun Christmas holiday. Unfortunately because of the never-ending fear of the covid-19 virus, Christmas just won’t be the same this year. So what exactly could this year’s celebration look like this time?
According to the current Prime Minister, families will be able to join “bubbles” with two other households from December 25th to December 27th. In addition to this, the restrictions on churches shall be lifted , permitting all Christmas services.
Boris Johnson said that, “We all want some kind of Christmas, we need it, we certainly feel we deserve it. But what we don’t want is to throw caution to the winds and allow the virus to flare up again, forcing us all back into lockdown in January.”
A few more additional rules include, not being able to go to pubs, restaurants or hotels with you bubble; You cannot form a bubble with someone who is self-isolating; you cannot host care home residents over the age of 65; and you cannot switch in between bubbles.
To ensure that family gatherings are as safe as possible, these government guidelines must be followed.
Despite the risk of the virus, the announcement of these eased restrictions may bring a glimmer of hope into some people’s Christmas’. Even after one of the most unusual years for most of us, having a “normal” Christmas may be what people need right now. Having said that, Christmas will definitely not be the same for most people. In fact, there will most likely be a significant amount of people choosing to not mix bubbles due to the fear of catching the virus.
In the end, the government are trying to “lift our spirits up” for the Christmas holiday. Even with the restrictions being lifted, people may not have the Christmas that they wanted to or deserved. Therefore we must remember that it is important to sustain a healthy physical and mental wellbeing for this year, especially after everything that has happened.
