Hi @Corfu80 and @Nichola75, I can understand both of your thinking’s and it has really brought through to me that we are all in unique personal circumstances, so our decision making is going to be different for everyone.
Usually m hubby and I see our son, who is 46yrs old, first thing Christmas morning then my hubby and I go to my hubby’s nephew and niece about an hours journey away and are joined by my hubby’s 2 elder sisters and a brother is law. They are in their late 70’s, early 80’s. We haven’t seen them since the end of Feb.
I talked it over with my hubby and I rang his niece this week to say we would not be coming for Christmas and she was so relieved as she had not known what to say to us and understood completely.
A confession here, I love all my husband’s family dearly, but I would rather like a ‘me and him’ Christmas here just doing our own thing for once, I have always been happier in a one to one situation than a group though.
This is a really good topic @Corfu80 as I think this is going to be such a dilemma and I really feel for you in your situation. It sounds as if you put so much thought into the presents you buy too.
You also raise the subject of isolation which must be so difficult and also Christmas can be such a difficult time for so many in different ways.
Other people might usually have to to stay with others because of where they both live and the lack of travel options.
Perhaps this is going to be the year of the Skype and Zoom Christmas’s, but there is nothing to beat that personal contact and a great big hug.
Whatever people decide we will all support people through Christmas and Covid here.
It will be interesting to hear the perspectives of others.
It’s Christmas time - How are you feeling about Christmas? Will it look different for you this year?
You’re certainly being very topical @Corfu80. It will certainly be a very different Christmas and I fully understand how you feel about wanting to live the life you’ve fought so hard to still have rather than shut yourself away and wait for the virus to go away. I’ve been taking every chance to go out and do things and have treated myself to weekends away once shielding paused and I like going out for dinner and enjoying cafe life. I do so carefully and abiding by the rules. As for Christmas, it’s unlikely that our family will gather together this year. The rest of them are in Birmingham whilst I’m in London and my sister is in chemo so will want to avoid contact with outsiders as much as possible and is unlikely to be well enough to have me as a house guest. Our Christmases have been a bit different since my mom died two years ago as she was the centre of the family and lived in the familial home and now we haven’t got one, we all live in separate homes so have no central place to gather. Two years ago I was the one in chemo and I spent Christmas totally on my own. I didn’t mind it so much as it felt less pressurised than normal and I had no one I needed to fit in with, which was refreshing in a way. Last year I stayed with my sister and we were all ill, so it was hard work. This year my plan B is to spend a couple days at a hotel and relax ,so as long as restrictions relax enough to allow I’ll do that but I can cancel right up until a couple of days before Christmas if needs be. As for the virus, I think you are right that it will be around for years to come. A virus is a life form and you can’t uncreate it, plus it mutates to adapt to changes so any vaccine will be limited in what it can achieve and will have to evolve to meet changes in the virus. Life is full of changes though and the human race are an adaptable breed and soon change the way they live their lives to cope with changes in the world. I hope you get the Christmas you want and do let us know how it goes 
@Corfu80 (hope you don’t mind me just merging this with a topic about similar Christmas themes). Thank you so much for sharing these thoughts around Christmas this year and how much it means to you, I think so many will relate.
How are others feeling?
@Alice_BloodCancerUK.
That’s fine!
I struggle with finding stuff on here, tried to find the right thread, failed!
Hi @Corfu80, you never fail on our forum, I never know if I am posting in the right place either.
It takes courage to join any forum and to post and I really look forward to your posts, keep posting anywhere. Take care
As it gets a bit closer to December and there’s more and more talk of Christmas, I just wanted to check in and see how people are feeling, especially with the recent general guidance that has come out around Christmas and bubbles. How’s everyone feeling? If you’ve chosen to not see family, or certain people, have they been understanding? Hope you’re all doing okay.
Hi @Alice_BloodCancerUK - this is a difficult one isn’t it. I think all off my family were really excited about the announcement, however, I really do have my reservations. My two daughters were so excited last night. We had a chat and I said we needed to think about it carefully. Off course they understood but they looked so sad. It seems so silly to put myself at risk for the sake of 5 days when we have all been so careful for the last 9 months. Nothing has really changed has it? Deaths and infections are still high and to be quite honest, if I myself in that situation I’ll only have myself to blame if I catch it or pass it on.
Hi @Alice_BloodCancerUK we have decided not to go to all my husbands family at Christmas, as per usual, I keep on thinking of the saying that Covid doesn’t take the festive season off and as @Nichola75 says I have also basically been shielding since March so why throw it away for a couple of days sitting in a stuffy room in close proximity to people either at a table or on a sofa.
We have been lucky, I made the call to my husbands niece and she was so grateful I had raised the subject as they didn’t know how to raise it with me without it sounding that she did not want us.
We have not seen the family since early March and we can wait a bit longer.
We are trying to link up for a zoom meet instead. I know it is not the same as human interaction and contact, but other faiths have already made the sacrifice so I am sure we can.
I think I’d already foreseen that even if restrictions were relaxed that it would throw up some awkward choices. Technically our family has at least 6 households and only my sister going through chemo has the capacity to be a host, something which I doubt she will want to do. It’s more important for her that she can spend Christmas with her children which are 2 other households. I’ve got a plan B for me and I’m not afraid of my own company as I’ve had lots of it over the years. We always all meet up as the vaccine gets rolled out and life drifts slowly back to normal after Easter.
Hi @Franko, you might no be afraid of your own company, but you are never on your own on this forum and we will all support each other on here through Christmas and beyond.
I’m intrigued to hear what your plan B is Frankie?
Ha ha well. Plan B is to book myself into a hotel like I did 2 years ago and find somewhere nice to eat Christmas dinner. Has the advantage of less travel, hassle and fitting in with everyone. Plus I get control of the TV remote to be able watch the Dr Who Christmas special 
I’m more concerned about my sister than I am about me as Birmingham has been put in tier 3 and she’s not going to be able to do things to offset the bad time she is going through. I can at lest go out and have a meal.
That’s actually sound like a lovely plan!
How is she holding up?
@Nichola75, @Erica, @Alice_BloodCancerUK, @Franko, @Lulu, @judesadventures & everyone else.
Hello All,
Thought I’d catch up on here & give you the latest.
Christmas plans all out the window! Boris put London into Tier 3 (daughter) & we’re in tier 2!
So Christmas Eve & Day spent with daughter (her boyfriend has to work all day) CANCELLED!
Had a very difficult decision to make as my son decided he’d not come on 27th if we’d been to see my daughter. I can understand this as my Daughter-in-law’s best friend has just been hospitalised with COVID, & it’s made it more real for them. Up until then they’ve been careful but a little blasé about it all. Working from home but grandson attending nursery still. He’s been out weak link, & we’ve been wary of seeing them.
So I had thought I had to choose.
However, when I spoke to my daughter to explain the predicament she just told me to see my grandson, she’d be fine on her own & we’d FaceTime.
So, the plans are Christmas Eve she’ll drive down, stand outside & have a coffee & chat through the window, collect & exchange gifts. Then when boyfriend returns Christmas evening we’ll connect electronically & raise a glass & open our gifts together.
On 27th my son, daughter in law & grandson will come over & we’ll reconnect across the ether so she can see Luca opening his gifts from us & that evening we’ll open our secret Santa gifts together.
I thank my daughter for being selfless & making the decision for us.
Not what we want, but the best of a bad deal!
Roll on a vaccinated Christmas next year.
Happy, safe & Healthy time to you all,
Christine
@Corfu80 I think it really helps when families are so understanding. It could quite easily cause confrontation, so the fact that you have all worked together to have some kind of plan is great! I’m glad you will get to see everybody important to you at some point. You’re right, it’s not perfect and off course, not the way we want it. However, staying safe this Christmas means we will be here for many more!
Hi @Corfu80, thank you, a very good example of practical dilemmas that families face this Christmas.
I am also so impressed how you all worked together to find an amicable solution, it shows that you all have honest communication.
We await hearing all about it, take care.
However folk spend the holidays, I send my very best wishes to you all. We are not able to be with our families- first time in 20yrs I’ve not been with my parents and first time out son who is almost 13 won’t be with his grandparents. But it’s not safe, it’s not sensible and it’s just not possible with us. I am so sad about it but it’s just how it is. I hear the PM is about to make a statement so we may find it all changes again. Take good care and lots of love to you all and my thanks for your support
It is very sad. Let’s look forward to a more positive new year and extra special Christmas celebrations next year.