Christmas with loved ones is worth a January lockdown

There are many things about Christmas I won’t miss. Weeks of money-sapping drinking, and the hangovers that follow. Forced fun in the office. Whisper it: seeing particular relatives. But I’m looking forward to a few days of family time at the end of December more than ever this year. Don’t we all need it?  

Despite the Zoom yoga and banana bread, 2020 has been a year of stress and loneliness. Not seeing each other has been tough. Landmark events, like births and marriages, weren’t properly celebrated. Students have been stuck in halls for their first weeks away from home and lots of us have spent months alone, worried about work. We all need the comfort of time with loved ones.

The Government’s scientific advisors  told us this week that breaking out at Christmas may mean locking down for the start of next year. But who goes out in January anyway? It’s a month of sobriety and tedium, a time to stay inside, sheltering from cold, dark nights. Save up some good TV.

Not everyone will be celebrating Christmas. Those whose Diwalis or other religious holidays were  disrupted but got no lockdown leniency are reasonably irritated that a Christian one is treated differently. Some can’t visit relatives in countries that are still locked down. Others are shielding  or have family who are protecting  themselves.

On top of this, thousands of us spend Christmas alone anyway, through choice or otherwise. At the risk of sounding festive, perhaps we should be thinking about people on their own more than ever this year, and search for new ways to unite as a country (does anyone remember clapping for carers?).

To be clear: of course we should listen to the scientists. I don’t want to encourage more deaths just as we are getting back to some kind of normality. If  

Chris Whitty tells us to stay locked down, let’s do so.

But if he doesn’t, I say: break out the sherry and crackers, just for a few days, and welcome in a Covid Christmas. Let’s all shove swabs into our nasal cavities to spend some precious time together half-watching the Queen’s speech (will she wear a mask?). If you can, buy festive goods from local businesses who rely on Christmas to survive all year round. Sing carols badly in the privacy of your own home, instead of at the annual church visit.

Those of us lucky enough to meet for Christmas will really appreciate it this year. And the traditional festive family fall-outs should make us all glad to go back into lockdown for 2021.