I spent Thanksgiving alone, though I did zoom with my family. I did do a food swap with a friend.
Anyhow, My sister (who isolated extra long as she was expecting a new grandchild) has invited me for Christmas if I so desire. Christmas eve would be 4 adults and 2 children. Christmas itself would be 3 to 5 adults. I would leave morning the 26th.
Not sure how I feel about this.
Thoughts?
Brian
Since you asked: I wouldn’t go. YMMV.
Thanks for the input. To be clear, my sister is totally OK if I don’t come so that isn’t a factor.
Brian
I agree with Thel.
There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. The way I look at it is, I’ve made it alone through this thing and now is not the time to take chances. I’m planning to celebrate the “holidays” with family maybe in the summer.
Can you organize another time post-Covid you can get together with your family? You don’t say how important Christmas actually is to them - are they true believers, or is this just a traditional time for them to get together because it’s ‘what’s always been done,’ or because it’s when most people get some time to off to travel, or what?
I don’t have much family left and I’m not religious in any way, so Thanksgiving and Christmas don’t mean a lot to me from either of those standpoints. I do have a group of longstanding good friends from my hometown, though, so Christmas has been one time to gather since that’s when a lot of folks have time off, though I usually personally can’t make that one. Early to mid-summer is another period that we try for, and for now we’re all focusing on that, since that seems most realistic.
You might want to think in post-vaccine terms for now, when it’s a better, smarter time to get together, even though it may be shorter due to work schedules. Maybe the 4th of July, or Labor Day. Make a new tradition, even if for a short while.
Flexibility is good if the actual ‘reason for the season’ isn’t that big a deal.
Don’t go. COVID cases are expected to skyrocket in the months before most of us can get vaccinated. And keep your fingers crossed that those who do go don’t spread COVID to each other.
I imagine your sister must be under pressure, or surely she wouldn’t invite people over during a pandemic, but she’s risking her guests’ health, which I’m sure she wouldn’t want to do. I’m also sure your sister is a wonderful person; by not going, you’re keeping her from having to feel guilty if you should contract the virus during her well-intended, possibly super-spreader event.
I’m torn about the same subject. I skipped Thanksgiving and then discovered that one gathering attendee had been exposed but got the all clear that morning. Another attendee flew in to attend but felt she could do so because she had been cleared after getting Covid and recovering.
As I type this, I’m realizing that my answer should be no. But dammit!
I agree with these 3 o’ wise ones. I wouldn’t go. In fact, I’m not getting together with family or friends for Christmas.
We had people on the fence regarding getting together. I decided we’re going to do Christmas in June or July. That way we can be outside. The day you celebrate doesn’t matter, it’s getting together with family safely that matters.
My parents are actually driving several hours this weekend to have a distanced outdoor Christmas visit. The forecast high for that day currently stands at 29F. We are going to have to bundle well.
My FIL is actually going to visit us indoors for a day, but our exposure to the world is very low, as is his, so the risk of getting together is also low.
My late husband and I sometimes celebrated our half-birthdays,* i.e., six months from our actual birthday. So Jesus’ half-birthday would be June 25-- much nicer weather! You can share half-presents, like one sock, one glove, one earring… Serve half-sandwiches and half-burgers, splits of champagne. Decorate with half-wreaths.
Okay… getting a sugar-caffeine rush now. Leaving…
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*One time he had the grocery store make me a half-birthday cake. Yup, a two-layer cake cut right down the middle with
Hap
Bir
written on it in icing. He was such a sweetie. 
As far as I’m concerned, Christmas (like a hundred other things) is canceled this year. I’m lucky that almost everybody I care about feels the same way.
Agreed
I love this!
I agree with the consensus. I will be visiting my folks for a few hours on Christmas, because we live in southern California and they have a big backyard where we can sit 20 feet apart. I realize it’s unfair to say to people in colder climates “too bad; you just have to be alone.” But these small home gatherings are the primary way the virus is spreading now. Your sacrifice is heroic.
My brother usually hosts Christmas brunch and gift exchanging. This year, he was going to set things up in his garage and driveway and have the family spread out. We weren’t going to go because our daughter wanted to host in her new house (there would be 5 of us and because I watch my granddaughter, we’re pretty much the same household.)
Come to find out, two different families that my brother knows had large Thanksgiving gatherings and the majority of those in attendance now have COVID, so he canceled. I think that was the right mood, and not just because it was going to be too freekin’ cold to have an outdoor party that day! We’ll all gather soon enough when we’re all vaccinated, and I suggested we have a White Elephant exchange at that time.
Bottom line: yeah, I agree that maybe you should give it a pass.
An old friend of mine has been doing that for years, her birthday being 24 Dec – though it got a little complicated while she was married to her first husband, as their anniversary was 23 Dec…
Thank for so eloquently expressing empathy. It is hard what we are asking people to do and forgo and it should be recognized and positively reinforced, so from the bottom of my frozen and alone Christmas and New Years heart, thank you. Peace and good wishes for 2021 to you and yours.