Going by average UK mortality rates, this will be the last Christmas alive for at least half a million people - old age and illnesses other than Covid do still exist, which seems to get forgotten.
We're still in tier 3 here so our plans haven't changed, but if I'd been told my Dad - who has deteriorated so much over the last 9 months that he's now virtually housebound - couldn't be with me on Xmas Day, then I'm afraid I would absolutely have ignored the 'rules'.
I also take the view that if having him here meant he risked picking up the virus, then it would still be a risk worth taking. Better shorter & happier than a few months longer lived in pain, misery & almost total isolation.
Families will be making these heart-breaking decisions up & down the land, and for those who decide to 'follow the rules' and miss out on what would have been their final Xmas with their loved ones, then yes, Christmas IS cancelled.
For every family that says in 2021 'I wish we hadn't', I think there will be far more saying 'I wish we had'.
Moderator comment: topic split. The other posts on this thread can now be found here:https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=841910.0It had wandered off into other areas