Poll: Should Christmas be postponed?

[Northern_Brewer]

There's been a suggestion that formal celebration of Christmas should be "postponed" until the summer, as a way of discouraging gatherings in December and keeping the pressure off the NHS.

I can see how many people would hate the very idea, but it wouldn't stop people doing anything Christmasy at all, and it would at least give retailers/pubs etc a second bite of the cherry (assuming they make it to summer). And saying that there would be Christmas, just not in December might take the pressure off people who feel they "ought" to be doing something.

So what do people think?

 

[Hanglow]

We can still celebrate xmas from our own homes should we wish. I'm sure the fictional son of a fictional god wont mind. Indeed He would approve of not going out and infecting and killing a lot of old people in the name of getting smashed for a few days.

As for postponing xmas....that makes no sense.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

We will be having Christmas at home, SWMBO is not working Christmas day and its the first time in years, we will deliver the presents to our parents houses say happy Christmas on the doorstep and come away not the best way to celebrate but the safest, this thing hasn't magically gone away, its one day of the year do you really want to risk the health of your family celebrating something most of us don't believe in?

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

As far as celebrations and family gatherings are concerned (and despite all the angst!) Christmas is the main event in the UK. We’ve all given up birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, family bbq’s and so much more for so long I honestly don’t think people will put up with any suggestion they also give up Christmas, regardless of the consequences.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

We can still celebrate xmas from our own homes should we wish. I'm sure the fictional son of a fictional god wont mind. Indeed He would approve of not going out and infecting and killing a lot of old people in the name of getting smashed for a few days.

As for postponing xmas....that makes no sense.

Well said, i was typing something very similar as you posted.

 

[Covrich]

Yeah I dont think telling kids Santa is coming for the summer BBQ instead is gonna fly, families with kids can just stay as they are and celebrate it together.

It will suck not having big get togethers but right now there is little for people to look forward too.

Whilst I do enjoy christmas very much I am not sure I want to hear those tunes in July

 

[Banbeer]

I think that we've all (well most) had to stay away from family and work/pubs/shops not had holidays and generally be quite civilized, keep to the 1 or 2 meter rule etc etc......But there are still a lot of people not sticking to the guidelines and still spreading the virus through sheer ignorance or stupidity hence the second lock-down. If it could be guaranteed that everybody will follow the guidelines then I say have Christmas at Christmas but alas there are certain people out there that still hug, shake hands and think it will never happen to them.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Whilst I do enjoy christmas very much I am not sure I want to hear those tunes in July

Agree! Have Christmas or don’t but please don’t have it in the summer - that’s the worst of options.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I honestly don’t think people will put up with any suggestion they also give up Christmas, regardless of the consequences.

Well that's the idea of saying that it should be postponed - hopefully people will feel a bit better about being "good" in the short term if Christmas isn't "cancelled" but postponed.

And it just takes a lot of the pressure off if there's some formal thing to say "wait until summer and have an Aussie-style Christmas".

 

[obscure]

Given that the choice of date for Christmas was almost certainly a result of wanting to replace the Pagan Winter Solstice celebrations (actually most religions and cultures seem to have a midwinter celebration properly down to it being such a miserable time of year) I would say move the family get together etc to Monday 21st June (Summer Solstice) and make it a public holiday next year, as hopefully by then we won’t be in the grip of a third (or forth wave) and can actually do something.

In reality I am hoping that small family get togethers will be possible (I’m pretty certain that larger events will be impossible) but who knows what next month will bring.

 

[The Cat]

Quite simple here really. Christmas will still happen in our house with gifts and food and alcohol. No visits elsewhere or from anyone else. We are allowed one other household to bond with which is my brother so he will come for dinner.

What won't happen is my usual boxing day jaunt to the pub - so what I can live with that for one year.

*edit* I should add my Mum lives in the same house so there is no issue for me with parents being on their own - I totally recognise this is an issue for other people.

 

[DavidDetroit]

my "no" was just "no," without qualifiers.
Christmas is quite the ordeal and requires tons of extra work. The payoff is worth it if done once a year.
I'm not of the mind to stomp on a another person's belief system and how they view the holiday but I will say, for me, Christmas exemplifies how people should treat one another every day, not just a couple per year (Christmas spirit, I guess it's called). For that reason, I kind of like the holiday season.
My wife and I are happy about Thanksgiving next week being cancelled since we're fairly busy but we'll still cook and deliver food safely to relatives (they're older).
I imagine our situation will be the same for Christmas as it is for Thanksgiving--no more than one other household invited over.

 

[BeerCat]

I believe the last person to try and stop Christmas was Oliver Cromwell so no.

 

[Gerryjo]

There's been a suggestion that formal celebration of Christmas should be "postponed" until the summer, as a way of discouraging gatherings in December and keeping the pressure off the NHS.

I can see how many people would hate the very idea, but it wouldn't stop people doing anything Christmasy at all, and it would at least give retailers/pubs etc a second bite of the cherry (assuming they make it to summer). And saying that there would be Christmas, just not in December might take the pressure off people who feel they "ought" to be doing something.

So what do people think?

Might suit the Aussies as it would be winter time there.
But seriously we're celebrating Christmas be it amongst ourselves and the in laws and are in our bubble but as for the rest shall be doing postman on the doorstep Christmas eve and Skype Christmas day.

 

[Clint]

People will "do" Christmas...it won't be stopped completely...and how could it?
Just like the rest of stuff this year...it's a difficult one...the going out on the ale won't be happening as the loads round your house...but it'll still happen.
We don't have a house full..but we do visit.. dropping off presents and stuff...that won't change.
To ban it would have to have the army on the streets...we haven't got that facility...the police can't do it...there would be riots probably...
To do a trade off...5 days of Xmas for 25 of lockdown is utter bollicks...it matters or it doesn't...

 

[marshbrewer]

I believe the last person to try and stop Christmas was Oliver Cromwell so no.

The absolutism of some of the lockdown protagonists is so viscous at times, that perhaps there are parallels

(Only teasing, folks)

 

[Clint]

We can laugh ..

 

[marshbrewer]

On a serious note, I'm not sure you can really suggest to the (however many) million Christians that they should just rearrange one of their major festivals, like you would a drinks party.

By all means, I think society has a right to say 'sorry, for the national good you can't do X, y and z', but to have a 'vote' on rearranging it is a bit off.

Set the restrictions based on science. Let individuals decide how they will adapt.

 

[Clint]

Through a this I've had mixed feelings...go out,stay in,eat out,drink out,don't do it,stand up,sit down,mask on, mask off,....science my arse...I don't think anyone has known their asre from their elbow ....it's been a total shitstrom...

 

[AlanHarper]

It's all a load of Bol***x. It's all been arranged to bring the country to it's knees. When the truth comes out they better watch out.