We’ have been really good over lockdown and during our time in Tier 3. We have seen very little of our families, preferring them to be healthy for next Christmas, rather than risking their health this Christmas. So, there is no way we are going to put anyone at risk over the Christmas period. You would think that sticking to the 3 family rule would have been a difficult decision for us this Christmas as we have 4 grown-up step-children before we even consider the wider family, but it hasn’t been as difficult as you would think.
Neither myself or my husband have parents to think about as one is in a nursing home and the rest passed away a number of years ago. If they were alive our choice of who to see over Christmas would have been a lot more complicated. As it happens, one step-son lives with us, so he’s stuck with us anyway and the other is seeing his mum and then his in-laws, so his decision is made. Our youngest step-daughter has decided to celebrate Christmas with her boyfriend and because he has a son who he needs to see her bubble has been created around him. That leaves one step-daughter who will pop and see us for one of the days as we are already part of her bubble as we look after our grandson once a week to help out with childcare.
As for the rest of my family, my sister has her own bubble with her in-laws and my remaining aunts, uncles and cousins will all be spending it together, so the decision of who to see over Christmas has really been taken out of my hands. We have never forced anyone to come and see us over Christmas and never turn up unannounced on anyone’s doorstep usually anyway. We are quite content to spend Christmas as a family of 5, where all the focus can be on the girls. Having my step-daughter come over is more for my step-son’s sanity if I’m honest.
So that leaves us with a bubble opening….. Obviously this is going to be filled by our girls’ old foster carers. They are just as much a part of our family as anyone else and they haven’t seen the girls in months! They are also finally taking them to the Harry Potter Studio Tour! They were meant to go for their Christmas present last year, but one of the carers had to have open heart surgery, so it was postponed!!!. Then they were meant to go at Easter, but that was obviously cancelled. So, 3rd time lucky???
As they are going on the 27th it means they can come over for Boxing Day lunch and then take the girls home with them so they can get the early start they need the following morning. This is the only plus side to the government’s plans for the Christmas period….. I’m dreading the new spike when we all return to school in January (which, unfortunately, seems inevitable) and am really concerned over how many people will not follow the rules as I’ve seen this happen too often recently. As I work in a school I haven’t seen my 98 year old grandpa in months as I am terrified I might be carrying the virus and I would rather wait until he has been vaccinated and it is safe to visit.
So, the only bubbles I have to worry about this Christmas are the ones I will be drinking on Christmas Day!