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So it’s now just 15 days until Christmas! For many it’s just another day. For others it’s an excuse to travel abroad to visit family and kill other people because you couldn’t just NOT DO THIS in the exact same way for just one year. Still others (like you and me!) are looking forward to enjoying the holiday season and celebrating it in our own way. And so rather than complain about all the Covidiots out there (for a change), I thought it would be nice to talk about how we have been adapting to the changes thrown our way this past year and, especially, how we are going to celebrate this very special Christmas.
This will be the first time in years that I haven’t spent at least a few days in Málaga to see the spectacular lights there and visit friends. And well, also visit Málaga, which I love. So that’s a bit heartbreaking. But even if they were allowing travel between regions for more than family gatherings, I wouldn’t risk it. Indeed, since early November I’ve barely been going out at all, which I think was a wise move as there was quite a significant spike in new cases (and deaths!) that month, which prompted the new regulations and curfew. So it will definitely be Christmas at home.
To be honest, I haven’t made any great plans myself. I’m hoping some bars will be open on Christmas day (they usually are, it’s Christmas Eve when everything shuts down) as it would be nice to stop in at one or two and greet my friends and “families” there. I’m hoping to have a couple of chats with far away friends. And otherwise just hang out ‘flixing with the cats, make some nice food, maybe open one of those special bottles of Mallorcan wine. Sorry if that sounds a bit boring, but I’m quite happy with it. Oh, and a nice touch this year is that I finally have a Christmas tree! Well, sort of. I can’t have one in the apartment because the cats would treat it like a big baubly toy. But my neighbour Encarne has put one up in the entrance downstairs, so it’s a lovely greeting whenever I come home.
What are your plans?
casa azahar 
On the day itself I will be with my brother and his family. I was bubbled with them previously, but I now have my stepbrother living with me and he is bubbling with his girlfriend so Christmas will be the first chance I get to have some quality time. The UK rule is up to three households so that works out ok. None of us really socialise outside the family unit, I do office and supermarket once a week and that’s it, so we should all be ok.
I’m glad I’m going to be able to do that as this Christmas is suddenly going to be especially hard. I had to say goodbye to my dog Harry on Wednesday. He had a torsion and they needed to operate, but that would’ve been too hard on his old body so I had to make the call. He would have been 16 on 5th Jan so he’s had a good long life, and the last 8 months have been his best ever as I’ve been working from home and he’s had fusses on tap.
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Oh Deb I am so sorry to hear about Harry. How sad and awful for you. This is truly the hardest decision that we have to make for them, but I think you did the right thing so that he wouldn’t suffer needlessly. Same with Azar when he had the tumour. At 16 he probably wouldn’t have survived the surgery so we decided to let “nature take its course”. I still feel badly that I didn’t make the decision for him sooner. But they both had wonderful lives. Nice that Harry went out feeling like the most fussed over dog ever.
Nice that you can bubble up with your family. Here i think it’s up to two households, though still not sure how they think they can control that. I haven’t had anyone in my place since March other than Tony Black Hands and think I’ll keep it that way until we see how the vaccine is working.
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Being in the states, my countdown is to Jan 20’s inauguration ceremony, hugging the hope that everything won’t burn down before then. If it doesn’t, that’ll feel like Christmas.
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I say celebrate both!
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You wouldn’t believe how people have put up LIGHTS everywhere. It’s double or triple what I ever see, and gorgeous. Whole constellations, spangly foil ornaments, rainbows of color. Everyone wants this darkness to end, and it’s the only thing they can do in the moment. I walk at sunset, and you can read by the light of th front yards.
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Your Christmas plans sound quite nice to me. No tree for us this year because … kittens, but I don’t know that we would have anyway. My son and his family are quarantined due to kid exposure at school. So we probably won’t be around them. We will likely have a repeat of Thanksgiving and just be us two and some food but HALLELUJAH I took the week off after Christmas so I won’t have to go back to work for days. That will be the best present of all. I worked 65-70 hours/week for the first 5 months of this pandemic and now I’m so burned out I just sit and stare at things. Not good. I need to vegetate for awhile and not think about computers and networks and security. I get to paint one day with my friend (via zoom) but that should be at least a little bit fun! I will think about you on Christmas and raise a glass. xxoo
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Oh, that sounds lovely. Especially the time off. It’s just so nice to hear that at least some people are happy to celebrate things differently. I reckon I’ll be raising several glasses that day, and one will be for you too.
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