It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Off Topic Chat

Loughc

The Independent running with a "Christmas will be Cancelled" headline if we don't adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines has almost triggered me to the point of no return.

A couple of things,

1) Christmas won't be cancelled

2) Worst case scenario we will be advised to stay within our own counties, but I honestly don't see there being enough Gardas on shift over the holidays to enforce that rule and I honestly don't see a Garda willing to stop people from going home to see their parents/family for Christmas.

Those headlines are just completely irresponsible and will only lead to mass panic buying again.

DvB

Loughc wrote: »

The Independent running with a "Christmas will be Cancelled" headline if we don't adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines has almost triggered me to the point of no return.

A couple of things,

1) Christmas won't be cancelled

2) Worst case scenario we will be advised to stay within our own counties, but I honestly don't see there being enough Gardas on shift over the holidays to enforce that rule and I honestly don't see a Garda willing to stop people from going home to see their parents/family for Christmas.

Those headlines are just completely irresponsible and will only lead to mass panic buying again.

Haven't seen the headline but I know I'm raging even reading about them here. That is such irresponsible reporting, have they no idea of the strain & mental anguish that will be put on people already struggling mentally with the situation at present? I agree with you Loughc, there simply wont be any kind of a level of buy in from the general population around christmas to make any draconian restrictions work, and the resources simply aren't there to police it either. It criminal that all this is happening because the HSE are incapable of providing a service worthy of the billions of euro that have been pumped into it over the last 20 years, never mind the billions its consumed this year alone. This kind of behaviour isnt happening in Germany, Denmark, Austria etc because they have a functioning health service representative of similar investment, its a national shame we've squandered so much money and are still so unable to provide anything like the service provided in other EU states.

Christmas wont be cancelled, as has been said many times on here before, you cant cancel a feeling. When they come out with utter garbage like these headlines if anything it encourages me more to try & make this year the best Christmas ever!!

Loughc

DvB wrote: »

Christmas wont be cancelled, as has been said many times on here before, you cant cancel a feeling. When they come out with utter garbage like these headlines if anything it encourages me more to try & make this year the best Christmas ever!!

That was my main takeaway point too.... I'm not sure how yet... but I am going to Christmas even harder this year.

DvB

Read the article, talk of closing off licences & all sorts of stuff, sounds to me more of a threat than anything. Akin to a parent talking to a young child "If you don't behave you can't have christmas" or suchlike. Total nanny state nonsense.

TRS30

Think we need a group reply to editor letter :mad:

wes

If restrictions are needed then people should adhere to them. My family is mixed Christian/Muslim, and we all had to spend the last 2 Eids in our own homes due to restrictions.

It certainly sucks, but if things go pear shaped, then its best people adhere to restrictions as required and be careful even if we move to level 2 or 1. Things can quickly go out of control.

While stuff like Christmas being cancelled is alarmist as people can celebrate in there own household, level 4/5 restrictions would shut down all but essential retail (unless they tweak the system), so present buying would have to go online.

I think if people are extra careful and reduce there social contact we can avoid that, but the sad thing is that with this virus, even if most people are careful, all it take is one or 2 fools to cause a major outbreak (look at incidents in South Korea and Australia etc, where people broke rules and caused major outbreaks and then resultant lockdowns).

SarahLil

Thanks Freshpopcorn for the photos
For sure Christmas is a feeling no better feeling

freshpopcorn

SarahLil wrote: »

Thanks Freshpopcorn for the photos
For sure Christmas is a feeling no better feeling

They were taken in Mahon in Cork. From what I remember In some previous years they were later getting stuff in.
They had no trees or sets of lights in tough.

Loughc

wes wrote: »

If restrictions are needed then people should adhere to them. My family is mixed Christian/Muslim, and we all had to spend the last 2 Eids in our own homes due to restrictions.

It certainly sucks, but if things go pear shaped, then its best people adhere to restrictions as required and be careful even if we move to level 2 or 1. Things can quickly go out of control.

While stuff like Christmas being cancelled is alarmist as people can celebrate in there own household, level 4/5 restrictions would shut down all but essential retail (unless they tweak the system), so present buying would have to go online.

I think if people are extra careful and reduce there social contact we can avoid that, but the sad thing is that with this virus, even if most people are careful, all it take is one or 2 fools to cause a major outbreak (look at incidents in South Korea and Australia etc, where people broke rules and caused major outbreaks and then resultant lockdowns).

I don't want to get into this too much or go too political as we have some fantastic forums covering this and the Christmas forum is our oasis/break away from all the misery, BUT....

I'd adhered to every guideline going, I've been WFH since March, I pushed hard in my office to get the place working remotely to protect everyone.

I've cancelled all holidays/trips away and I've only been able to visit my family once, the last time the restrictions were lifted.

I will be visiting my family at Christmas no question. Last year my Mam spent Christmas Eve in hospital, so I'm not taking for granted that oh we'll have next Christmas together. I will stay isolated prior to Christmas and get tested before I leave Dublin and provided I'm negative I am going home for Christmas.

I'm not been punished after adhering to every restriction and rule going since March. I wear my mask in every shop and I stand by and watch 100's of people not wearing masks, I haven't been out to the pub since this happened and again I stand by and watch as videos or house/street parties are shared on social media.

I will not stand by and be told stay at home for Christmas. One person at a house party infected 40 people directly... how many did those 40 go on to infect and no legal action taken against that person. I will be going to my family to a household of 6 people. I won't be the cause of cases going up and haven't been since March.

/RANT

Bassfish

Christmas cancelled my backside! Alarmist rubbish from the Indo as usual! We won't be able to do everything we'd like to do around Christmas but everyone knows that at this stage! Having said that, all my family are in the one county so I would feel for people who have to travel!
The presents for the kids are bought, we have plenty of board games and movies, I've nice whiskey to drink, plenty of wood for the stove. Fek Covid, I'm looking forward to a nice chilled Christmas

wes

Loughc wrote: »

I'm not been punished after adhering to every restriction and rule going since March.

Restrictions are not a punishment. They are there to reduce transmission.

Loughc

wes wrote: »

Restrictions are not a punishment. They are there to reduce transmission.

For me not getting to be with my family at Christmas despite doing everything asked of me would be a punishment. As I've clearly stated in my post above I've reduced my risk of catching or spreading COVID19, I'll be taking measures to ensure I won't spread it with me in December too.

Neyite

wes wrote: »

Restrictions are not a punishment. They are there to reduce transmission.

Honestly, I think most people will be of the same mind as Loughc. It would be smart of the government to pre-empt the inevitable rule-breaking that will occur for Christmas and work with people rather than against them. And they could. They could mobilse the schools to do a week of remote teaching, encourage employers to allow their employees to WFH, or offer paid quick-result testing etc.

The ones who are already disregarding the restrictions will not turn around and behave for Christmas, and those of us that have abided by each and every restriction and even have gone above and beyond what the government recommendations will just think "Well, I've been behaving for 9 months while others haven't so meh, Nan isn't spending Christmas alone, and I don't care if I've to smuggle her past a checkpoint in the boot of the car "

Basically Michael Martin needs to be Santa Claus this year. God knows he could do with the popularity boost it would give him :P

wes

Neyite wrote: »

Honestly, I think most people will be of the same mind as Loughc. It would be smart of the government to pre-empt the inevitable rule-breaking that will occur for Christmas and work with people rather than against them. And they could. They could mobilse the schools to do a week of remote teaching, encourage employers to allow their employees to WFH, or offer paid quick-result testing etc.

I completely agree. All steps should be taken to try and reduce the rate of transmission before Christmas.

We really need to get our act together with track and trace, which should have been done during the summer, and we need start enforcing rules in regards to people needed to self isolate if they are a contact or if they have come from abroad.

Basically, the government dropped the ball once already, they need to learn from there mistakes.

freshpopcorn

Can we just talk about decorations?


Buddy the Elf Monopoly is now a thing!

https://www.google.as/amp/s/www.thesun.co.uk/money/12869509/new-elf-version-monopoly-christmas/amp/

Loughc

wes wrote: »

I completely agree. All steps should be taken to try and reduce the rate of transmission before Christmas.

We really need to get our act together with track and trace, which should have been done during the summer, and we need start enforcing rules in regards to people needed to self isolate if they are a contact or if they have come from abroad.

Basically, the government dropped the ball once already, they need to learn from there mistakes.

They dropped the ball by not address the shortage of beds in the hospitals, COVID was coming in February and they've done nothing since it hit regarding hospitals.As DVB perfectly put it, our health service is a joke and has been for years, if it was anyway functional we wouldn't be half as bad as we are now.

Anyway... back to Christmas

Loughc

On a change of topic and tone is it just me or is this new Chat thread absolutely flying it?

Loughc

freshpopcorn wrote: »

Can we just talk about decorations?


Buddy the Elf Monopoly is now a thing!

https://www.google.as/amp/s/www.thesun.co.uk/money/12869509/new-elf-version-monopoly-christmas/amp/

I regret not buying the Christmas Edition of Monopoly from last year.

DvB

Loughc wrote: »

On a change of topic and tone is it just me or is this new Chat thread absolutely flying it?

I suspect it's the thoroughly engaging & incedibly inviting new thread title

Caranica

This arrived this morning. Instead of new decorations from my travels, this is what I'm stuck with for 2020

SarahLil

Has anyone seen the Christmas Gin from Marks and Spencer the bottle lights up like a snow globe ?

Here is the link, I have seen it on Instagram it looks cool https://www.marksandspencer.com/c/food-to-order/adventures-in-food/christmas-gin

Mutleyboo

SarahLil wrote: »

Has anyone seen the Christmas Gin from Marks and Spencer the bottle lights up like a snow globe ?

No but I'm intrigued... where did you hear about this delight?

SarahLil

Mutleyboo wrote: »

No but I'm intrigued... where did you hear about this delight?

Link above x

Mutleyboo

Loughc wrote: »

On a change of topic and tone is it just me or is this new Chat thread absolutely flying it?

It's great! I've been a long time lurker ( about 10 years) and used to pop in everyday just to read, including the summer. Can't believe it's taken me so long to post but happy I did.. yous aren't that bad actually!

Mutleyboo

SarahLil wrote: »

Link above x

So it is! They're beautiful, even if I wasnt a gin drinker I'd be tempted

Caranica

Caranica wrote: »

This arrived this morning. Instead of new decorations from my travels, this is what I'm stuck with for 2020

I love it! Especially for your circumstances. You'll be showing your tree to someone in ten years saying ... This one was from the trip to New York in 2008 and this one was from my travels in australia in 2017 and of course this one was from the year we couldn't go anywhere!
I'd be of the mind that whether we like it or not we're never gonna forget this bloody year no matter what we do so I'd have no issue acknowledging especially with a more understated decoration like that one. Anyway... That's enough covid talk..

I just can't wait to get decorating this year. I'm definitely, definitely, DEFINITELY, doing it early!

Caranica

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I love it! Especially for your circumstances. You'll be showing your tree to someone in ten years saying ... This one was from the trip to New York in 2008 and this one was from my travels in australia in 2017 and of course this one was from the year we couldn't go anywhere!
I'd be of the mind that whether we like it or not we're never gonna forget this bloody year no matter what we do so I'd have no issue acknowledging especially with a more understated decoration like that one. Anyway... That's enough covid talk..

That's precisely it. I actually have a little Christmas tree decoration from New York in 2000 that has little icons of New York on it. Yellow cab, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State, and twin towers. 9 months later they were gone. There's always a little sense of sadness when I hang that on the tree. My tree tells a story, lockdown is part of that.

wes

I hope they do a Baby Yoda Christmas tree ornament. Will go well with my Baby Groot one.

Loughc

Caranica wrote: »

That's precisely it. I actually have a little Christmas tree decoration from New York in 2000 that has little icons of New York on it. Yellow cab, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State, and twin towers. 9 months later they were gone. There's always a little sense of sadness when I hang that on the tree. My tree tells a story, lockdown is part of that.

I’m doing the same with my tree a lot of the decorations tell a story. There is a worry it will look silly over the years as it losses symmetry but it will tell a story.

tuisginideach

Not to put a dampener on it but my favourite decoration (including ones from Australia in the 80s, USA in the 90s etc, named ones for children etc etc) is a sparkly fabric sphere which the wife of a colleague of OH (I had never met either her or him) gave me the Christmas one of my parents died (died in December). This lady said she always made a decoration for people who had been bereaved. As I said, I had (and have) never met her but I was so touched by her gesture. That decoration is so important to me now.