How many can i bubble with over Christmas Dinner?

https://www.bbc.com/news/explainers-55056375

This will almost certainly change now, won't it?

We personally won't be visiting family and I think unless you're home alone I would really be very cautious and restrict who you see and try and see them outdoors if you can. Indoor settings have been found to be the highest risk, so I think we all need to exercise some common sense, especially now the end is hopefully in sight with the vaccines being gradually rolled out...

Yes, common sense is called for by everyone. It is one year and ask yourself, unless you can be absolutely sure you and those you plan to spend xmas with are not infected, if one Christmas is worth someone's life. Anyone planning to be in close contact with a vulnerable person absolutely needs to ask themselves this. If people (individually or as a family) can isolate in the 10 days leading up to Xmas gatherings, that would also be common sense. Xmas could actually be an opportunity to slow the spread of infection, if everyone does the right thing.

It is one year and ask yourself, unless you can be absolutely sure you and those you plan to spend xmas with are not infected, if one Christmas is worth someone's life.

Maybe if you are the one who's elderly and sick and may not expect to live to the next Christmas the answer is yes. When it's your life and otherwise you won't see, perhaps ever again, your loved ones.

The thing about advice Penguin, is that it is a general guide. There will always be a small number of individuals who, for very understandable reasons, will decide otherwise. For most people though, keeping older relatives safe from infection, will be a factor in making sure hospitals do not fill up with a third spike in January. Otherwise, it will be another lockdown, and that helps no-one.

My Husband will be seeing his 96 year old mother and saying hello on christmas day from the garden-happily she lives with his sister so will not be on her own.

In order to take extra precautions he's having a covid test (through his employer) this week and we will be isolating from each other in our house (luckily we have spare rooms to do so) and taking precautions in our home until he's seen her.

I will not be visiting because I use 4 trains a day and work in a busy oxford st store therefore we have both agreed that as the weakest link in the chain its best I remain in London for christmas day.

I think anyone who doesn't have a serious think about how safe it is to visit elderly relatives for Christmas needs to stop and think again.

Breaking news: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/tier-4-rules-london-covid-christmas-lockdown-b390412.html

I have bubbled with myself for the last 12 years and it's nothing so terrible after all, although I have lovely memories of Christmas nights with my brothers and other relatives. This year we have organised video calls and my 80yo mother is very happy with this innovation. there is an increasing share of the population made by households of one. I wish all the people who are clinically vulnerable (as myself) or extremely vulnerable to think twice before allowing visitors. Also Charities that organise volunteers' visits to the elderly could take the initiative and coordinate and organise donations of tablets and smartphones instead of close physical contacts.

There are many Charities who are closing down as their income stream has been lost due to Covid in all its forms/lockdowns, so where would they get monies to purchase tablets and smartphones?. Also many people still do not know how to operate smart phones and tablets and would need physical help from a volunteer to show them how to use the gadgets. I am assuming that you anticipate that many people will donate 2nd hand tablets/smart phones but who will pay for the SIMS, running costs i.e. contracts/pay as you go credits and organise top ups?

Excellent idea would also be to cook a meal for somebody who cannot have it or do it themselves and leave it on their doorstep. I think Age Uk have organised something like this. Since I am clinically vulnerable I prefer not to join this scheme due to the pandemic but last year it was a pleasure for me to share many of the ready meals I usually prepare for myself in double / quadruple portions with food banks and I also delivered them to homeless people on Christmas day.

Pugwash you ask engaging and good questions that could be effectively answered with a business case. Anybody seriously willing to transform or to start a charitable company adapting to a Covid / post pandemic / zero emissions world could count on my working contribution! In the meantime best wishes for a peaceful and healthy Christmas.