Rule of eight and bring your own cutlery for Scots’ festivities

SCOTS have been told that family gettogethers over Christmas should be limited to eight people, as Nicola Sturgeon unveiled harsher rules for the festive season than the rest of the UK.

In guidance issued by the Scottish Government, those taking advantage of five days of relaxed rules were also told to observe two-metre distancing wherever possible, while only one “extended household” will be allowed as part of a three household “bubble” next month.

Ms Sturgeon was accused of confusing the public by signing up to a fournations plan, only to then issue tighter guidance than other UK nations.

In England, there is no advisory limit on the number of people that should be part of festive bubbles between Dec 23 and 27, which allow families to meet indoors. Nor is there a limit on the number of existing support bubbles that can join households in a festive bubble.

The Scottish guidance also urges people meeting up indoors to “avoid sharing cutlery or crockery if possible” and to “consider a Christmas walk with family, rather than a meal indoors”.

Partrick Harvie, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens, said: “Within a day of announcing the looser rules, the First Minister is appealing to the public not to use them. It’s a confusing message.”

Under the Scottish Government’s rules. children under 12 will not count towards the eight person limit and will not be expected to remain physically distanced from others.

Ms Sturgeon said: “The default advice and position is that, if people can get through this Christmas without interacting physically, particularly indoors, with members of other households, they should do so.”