How to keep your festivities safe
Experts advise on family gatherings
CHRISTMAS Day evokes memories of quality family time, the scent of mulled wine, pulled crackers and, of course, the turkey and ham dinner, but Covid-19 means this is a very different festive season.
A brief relaxation of the rules, allowing up to three households to mix for one day — anytime between yesterday and Sunday — came as a relief to many.
But this could cause a range of headaches for families across Northern Ireland as they try and keep their loved ones safe on Christmas Day.
Usually grandparents, children, aunts, uncles, mums and dads descend on each other’s homes but, for this year at least, someone will have to miss out — if not all — due to limited bubbles.
Health experts have said that just because the government has given us the green light to briefly mix households this Christmas, that doesn’t mean we have to.
So what could Christmas Day in 2020 look like? Can I pass my granny a bottle of Shloer? Can my niece hand me a present? Will I be able to open a Christmas cracker with my brother? Can my mate pass me a pint at a restaurant? Will church services go ahead?
Westminster’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) issued safety tips. It recommended moving celebrations outside if possible, putting hand sanitiser at the front door, no touching, games or rowdy singing. So too limiting numbers, posting gifts, going virtual and not double dipping the canapes.
For many, Christmas Day begins with children racing downstairs to see what Santa delivered, and presents being shared.
Public health expert Dr Gabriel Scally recommended that the best thing to do this Christmas is have gifts delivered to your loved ones’ homes as delivery men and women have been properly trained in stopping the spread of the virus.
“Some people have also tended to leave their delivery for a day or two to make sure the virus is dead or they wipe it down before they open it,” he said.
“That’s a difficult thing to do if a loved one is giving you a gift. You don’t want to make it look like you don’t trust them. I think we have all got to be very respectful of each other.
“People in their teens, 20s or 30s would think nothing of Covid as they may not know anyone their age who has suffered from it. Their guard may be down but I’m sure older people will be concerned and I think it’s really important that relatives don’t impose upon people this Christmas.”
As Christmas morning continues, it is usually time to visit relatives or get the home ready ahead of their arrival for the big day.
Many people also attend their local church for the Christmas Day service but Shankill Church of Ireland Parish in Lurgan has decided to pre-record this year’s service and broadcast it online.
Rev Mark Harvey explained that his church can hold a maximum of 1,000 people but attendances have dropped to just 15% due to social distancing regulations.
However, Shankill still plans on hosting Midnight Communion tonight.
“Rather than plan a service in church what we are going to do is record a snappy and light family orientated service that people can watch at home as families,” Mr Harvey explained. “We’ll have the Christmas Eve Communion about 11 o’clock and that will go past just after midnight.
“Logistically, Communion itself is a bit of a nightmare and it will actually be the first time we’ll have had a Communion in quite some months.”
Just like many churches across Northern Ireland, Shankill Parish has installed the necessary broadcasting equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We now have that facility in the long term,” added Mr Harvey. Bellies will begin to rumble as the countdown to the Christmas dinner continues and relatives start to mix in each other’s homes.
Dr Tom Black, who chairs the British Medical Association in Northern Ireland, suggested a good way to limit contact is to use more than one room in your home and spread your guests out.
He did admit that wearing a face mask when you’re not eating or drinking will be a challenge, especially on Christmas Day.
“We always talk about limiting the amount of time you have in a room and increasing the ventilation but all those things are so difficult at Christmas and you nearly think the whole thing is working against you,” he said.
“One of the things that is really worth working on is being aware that if you’re going to a family gathering and there’s older members and vulnerable people there, you can certainly take due care and respect by not going out and gallivanting.
“You should be careful in this period coming up to Christmas knowing that you’re going to meet your elderly and vulnerable relatives.
“Don’t hug your granny and for once at Christmas, give your granny the elbow rather than hugging her because it’s safer for her.”
Meanwhile, Dr Scally said the best option is to behave as if you
‘Don’t hug your granny because it’s safer for her’
have Covid-19 and you don’t want to pass it on to your loved ones.
If people do decide to meet each other over the festive season, Dr Scally stressed that precautions must be taken.
“There’s nothing more important than grandparents to their grandchildren and grandchildren to their grandparents,” he continued.
“This is a great time of love, affection and generosity and so on, but Christmas in a time of Covid can’t be like that without it being risky.”
Perhaps a socially distant Christmas Day walk with your loved ones is the best way to spend time together?
Dr Scally said that if this is not possible, ventilation in your home is key to keeping it as safe as possible.
“Maybe open a window at the front of the house and one at the back of the house and keep doors open to create a draft,” he added.
“Remember all the usual stuff like social distancing and wiping down surfaces that people have been touching.
“Make sure you are careful about sharing plates, cutlery or glasses. Avoid all of that.”
Meanwhile, Shankill Parish placed a Christmas tree outside the grounds of the church this year and called it ‘A Tree of Hope’.
The idea was to allow people to come into the grounds at their own leisure and write their hopes and fears on stars which will then hang on the tree.
“We wouldn’t have done this any other year and it doesn’t matter if people are church goers or not, there’s still a lot of anxiety and fear about but there’s a bit of hope now with this vaccine on the horizon,” said Mr Harvey.
“We just want to give people a chance to express that.”
‘Maybe open a window at the front of the house and one at the back of the house and keep doors open to create a draft’