When will this shit end?

[Zoo Music Girl]

24 minutes ago, WestCountryGirl said:

I am pretty bummed about the Christmas prospects. For the first time ever I didn't spend Christmas with my family last year, staying in Liverpool with my boyfriend instead. It was just not my kind of Christmas - it didn't even feel like Christmas. And I love Christmas! So I was determined that this year I'd be with my family again.

Even so, our "big family Christmas" kind of reached it's breaking point in the last few years anyway. The family are scattered across the country, so there is no one place where there are enough houses/beds to put everyone, up especially as more children are born. Naturally, my aunts and uncles who are grandparents want to spend the time with their grandkids, and their grandkids have other grand parents who want to be with them too, wherever they're living.

Best case scenario for this year - boyfriend and I are in Plymouth with my parents, my brother and sister-in-law and my 1 year old nephew. And even that will probably not feel "right". 

 

I'm not sure how old you are, but in my experience this fragmenting over Christmas happens naturally over time anyway. We used to have huge family Christmases as a kid. Now it's just four of us usually.

Edit: Mind you, this would massively depend on the size and location of your family so ignore me...

Edited September 10, 2020 by Zoo Music Girl

[Zoo Music Girl]

7 minutes ago, squirrelarmy said:

If cancelling Christmas means there’s more chance of Glastonbury going ahead without any changes would everyone accept the lack of xmas spirit this year?

I would but, as stated above, fuck Christmas. Very low down my priorities list.

[MEGABOWL]

20 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

what sort of people might be applying for this job ..... before the introduction of this id thoughts about my company introducing something like this and me taking up the role .... why ? because im petrified about me or my work colleagues becoming ill ... does that make me an ass ? maybe but if it kept people safe id be ok with that . 

However the liberty thing scares me ... the right to protest is fundamental and now that will effectively be banned .... with brexit just round the corner and the coverage of the XR protests at the printers it does seem rather coincidental 

It’s the latter that bothers me. People can take the roles with good intentions and that’s fine.

 

However, this Government is demonstrably untrustworthy. They proudly show it on an almost daily basis. Now they can stamp out any BLM/XR/Brexit-related Civil unrest. Further, as scary as things may seem there is going to be a world after Covid and the amount of control they are giving themselves over that world (because nobody can assume they will relax these laws) is beginning to unnerve me.

[Crazyfool01]

1 minute ago, MEGABOWL said:

It’s the latter that bothers me. People can take the roles with good intentions and that’s fine.

 

However, this Government is demonstrably untrustworthy. They proudly show it on an almost daily basis. Now they can stamp out any BLM/XR/Brexit-related Civil unrest. Further, as scary as things may seem there is going to be a world after Covid and the amount of control they are giving themselves over that world (because nobody can assume they will relax these laws) is beginning to unnerve me.

I can’t disagree ... how can we stop it though ? Without protest ? That’s not acceptance by the way ... I presume they need to vote for the powers to continue ... 

[MEGABOWL]

2 hours ago, st dan said:

Genuine question - those who are going to be affected by this new ‘6 maximum’ ruling, are you really going to stick to it? Im not talking about attending parties or mass gatherings, more about if that number creeps to 7/8 people if you meet friends or family and there are little kids included in that number for example?

Ask me again at Christmas. 
 

We live 200 miles from Family that was meant to be coming up. If my Mum (66-year-old, has COPD) and Gran (91, every day is a blessing) who’ve been virtual Lock-ins since March and will be again after Christmas don’t want to come up that’s totally understandable. However if they want to chance seeing their Kids/Grandkids/Great-Grandkids, as fully capable adults (mainly) who have assessed the risk, that should be up to them. Not Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings.

[Crazyfool01]

17 minutes ago, Henrik said:

You guys are out of your minds if you are going to let these clowns tell you if you can spend Christmas with your family or not. 

I will be having a big family Christmas as usual. It's not even up for debate. 

How about those of us that deem it sensible because of health worries ?  

[DeanoL]

32 minutes ago, stuie said:

That's just an impossible situation for some people - I'm one of 6 siblings, my sister and her boyf just about to have their first baby in November, others have long term partners and kids.  I guess we'll literally have to draw straws or pull numbers out of a hat.

I'd consider spending Christmas with your partner and a couple of kids spending it "with family" quite literally.

It'll be interesting to see what happens. Outside of our bubbles, the reality is most folk don't have houses that can comfortably host more than six people anyway. Unfortunately those that do tend to be the Tory base.

What's inevitably going to wind me up, is when people do start breaking the rules "because it's Christmas" and getting all uppity about it, when they'll inevitably be the same people who were criticising the "young people" for ignoring the rules earlier on. I think for a lot of people, Christmas will be the first time the rules will impact on something they actually really care about. I'd like to think that would give them more empathy for what others have been doing (especially those who want to see their family more than once a year!) but am doubtful that'll happen.

[zahidf]

Interesting.  Death rate also down amongst the over 65s

 

[Zoo Music Girl]

What I find interesting is that most people posting in this thread have been pretty compliant and accepting of the rules up to now. The amount of people in here saying they would flout the rule of six (me included) or be understanding of those that do is telling. I imagine compliance will be very low nationally.

[squirrelarmy]

I shall be taking one for the team and letting my mum and her partner spend Christmas with one of my sisters and their kids. 
 

At least it gives me a valid excuse for not showing up this year 😂

[Crazyfool01]

2 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

What I find interesting is that most people posting in this thread have been pretty compliant and accepting of the rules up to now. The amount of people in here saying they would flout the rule of six (me included) or be understanding of those that do is telling. I imagine compliance will be very low nationally.

It’s law now ... so we rebel  

[jparx]

Just now, squirrelarmy said:

I shall be taking one for the team and letting my mum and her partner spend Christmas with one of my sisters and their kids. 
 

At least it gives me a valid excuse for not showing up this year 😂

Haha yeah, thought I was the only rubbing my hands with excitement over a potential 6 person rule for Christmas. Can’t really handle the huge gatherings. Fiancé and I eating and drinking a lot and watching a load of movies, couple of friends over here and there sounds much more ideal.

[funkychick2007]

20 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

No no no ... post away ... that’s not the idea ... we are all in very different situations and learning to accept and be tolerant to others is something we have moved away from ... we are better than that on here ... glastonbury spirit will prevail 

People on here are great and are opinions are respectful of each other!! I’m just very aware what I have posted today could be personal and highly emotionally for people and it would be fair for me to put them in a unsafe position! 
Yes Glastonbury sprit will prevail! We will all be back there in June! 
 

[Fuzzy Afro]

4 minutes ago, MEGABOWL said:

Ask me again at Christmas. 
 

We live 200 miles from Family that was meant to be coming up. If my Mum (66-year-old, has COPD) and Gran (91, every day is a blessing) who’ve been virtual Lock-ins since March and will be again after Christmas don’t want to come up that’s totally understandable. However if they want to chance seeing their Kids/Grandkids/Great-Grandkids, as fully capable adults (mainly) who have assessed the risk, that should be up to them. Not Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings.

With all due respect, is it really proportionate for a 91 year old to be in a “virtual lock in” for 6 months and counting at that age? I’m aware that Covid is far more likely to have dire consequences at that age (although not sure what her general health is like. A healthy 91 year old would still be odds on favourite against the virus), but I’m also aware that when you get to that age you never really know what’s around the corner and spending your says locked in could mean that you don’t get to spend the final years of your life around your loved ones. Obviously it’s a matter for individual risk assessment, but an elderly relative of mine recently passed away from heart failure after shielding for months and I can’t help but feel that we might as well have just visited her during the lockdown, given that even in the worst case scenario where she caught covid and passed away from it, it’s have only shortened her life by a few months and she would have gotten to spend her final months around us. 

[DeanoL]

5 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

What I find interesting is that most people posting in this thread have been pretty compliant and accepting of the rules up to now. The amount of people in here saying they would flout the rule of six (me included) or be understanding of those that do is telling. I imagine compliance will be very low nationally.

Honestly I think a lot of people have been breaking the rules before, it's just a lot clearer now. Pretty sure numerous people on here have broken the "only two households indoors" rule when going to the pub and most likely the "1-2m distance from those not in your household" rule.

They're just a lot woolier and easier to explain away. 

[Crazyfool01]

Anyone a 5 and want a guest ? I’ll bring the lights  

[Fuzzy Afro]

6 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

What I find interesting is that most people posting in this thread have been pretty compliant and accepting of the rules up to now. The amount of people in here saying they would flout the rule of six (me included) or be understanding of those that do is telling. I imagine compliance will be very low nationally.

I can’t imagine that it’s going to be enforced on a small scale. Take an example of a friend of mine who lives with 4 other girls (5 in total). Does this mean only one of them can have their boyfriend over at a time? Even if all the couples are doing their own thing within the household?

 

The rule is clearly aimed at people taken the piss and having house parties with 15, 20, 25 people. I can’t imagine the police knocking on your door if you have your brother and his wife and kids round for dinner. 

[km9]

So it would seem that quite a lot of people who regularly post complaining that people are breaking the rules are saying that they will probably be breaking the rules.

I know that this will go down like a shit sandwich on this thread, but I'm not singling anyone out, just very interested to hear that now the government have got stricter (which many were calling for), a good number no longer want to stick to the rules.

[DeanoL]

2 minutes ago, Fuzzy Afro said:

I can’t imagine that it’s going to be enforced on a small scale. Take an example of a friend of mine who lives with 4 other girls (5 in total). Does this mean only one of them can have their boyfriend over at a time? Even if all the couples are doing their own thing within the household?

I mean, yes, but it was also the rule beforehand also, because of the "2 households" limitation. That people in that position will now realise that "oh, we can't do that" when they didn't before is sort of the point I guess?

[Zoo Music Girl]

2 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

Honestly I think a lot of people have been breaking the rules before, it's just a lot clearer now. Pretty sure numerous people on here have broken the "only two households indoors" rule when going to the pub and most likely the "1-2m distance from those not in your household" rule.

They're just a lot woolier and easier to explain away. 

 

1 minute ago, Fuzzy Afro said:

I can’t imagine that it’s going to be enforced on a small scale. Take an example of a friend of mine who lives with 4 other girls (5 in total). Does this mean only one of them can have their boyfriend over at a time? Even if all the couples are doing their own thing within the household?

 

The rule is clearly aimed at people taken the piss and having house parties with 15, 20, 25 people. I can’t imagine the police knocking on your door if you have your brother and his wife and kids round for dinner. 

Both good points. Isn't it pretty impossible to distance from people outside your household in a pub or restaurant anyway? I've had one meal in a restaurant and one drink in a beer garden since lockdown. In both situations it was impossible to sit that far away from the people we were meeting, even if they were from one other household.

 

[Crazyfool01]

3 minutes ago, funkychick2007 said:

People on here are great and are opinions are respectful of each other!! I’m just very aware what I have posted today could be personal and highly emotionally for people and it would be fair for me to put them in a unsafe position! 
Yes Glastonbury sprit will prevail! We will all be back there in June! 
 

People can and will decide based on them ... your post will probably make little difference tbh ... we all have to make difficult judgements in every day life now .. and Christmas just adds to concerns anyway .... 

[Henrik]

10 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

How about those of us that deem it sensible because of health worries ?  

Then feel free to isolate until you feel safe to come out. 

I have 20 guys who work for me. None of us have missed a single day due to covid - we have worked closely together all through the pandemic. I will be telling anyone who says I can't spend time with my family to fuck off - and I will deal with any consequences. 

[Fuzzy Afro]

Rees-Mogg self isolating

[MEGABOWL]

37 minutes ago, fatyeti24 said:

As others have said, the 'rule of six' is largely unenforceable.  It seems aimed at preventing larger gatherings and I'll be amazed if anyone is prosecuted for going above the limit by a person or two. 

It doesn't really affect me, except in one specific and limited way:  we weren't going to host family at ours for Xmas, now, against my wishes, we are.  We have more space and don't want to end up at my mum's, which was the alternative.  Now, thanks to this new law, we can at least keep the numbers down.  Every cloud.

Thing is, once people start breaking one rule it’s easier to break others. They start looking at the Logic of it all. In full Lockdown (at least pre-Cummings) there was a real all-in-it-together feeling. Then we got to a stage where everyone was following the same rules and same advice and-while there were always exceptions-everyone knew what was being asked and compliance was good.

 

Now people are being scolded for not going back in the Office and were bribed to go out for Dinner but told they have to choose which Family/Friends can visit them. I’m in a part of Scotland where my Son is in school mixing with all those Children but can’t have one of them round for Chicken Nuggets and Mario Kart. People living in some areas are being ‘punished’ for the ‘failure’ of others living in that area. The quicker people weary of it all, the quicker they switch off, then it snowballs (‘there were loads of people not wearing masks in Asda and No.8 must have had 10 people round for a Birthday Party, whats the point in me bothering?”). Won’t be long before it all unravels and we’ve got all sorts of Draconian rules that hardly is following.

[Matt42]

I still haven’t got my fucking test results back. This is a joke.