WITH just hours remaining before the world celebrates Christmas, it’s fair to say things will definitely be a little different this year thanks to Covid.
Millions of people will be spending the holidays away from friends and family, stuck in their own households.
Christmas will be different this year due to the ongoing pandemic
And with Boris Johnson changing the Tiers and Christmas rules just days before everyone was meant to get together, it’s easy to lose track of what the rules are.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Christmas rules in every Tier in England.
Tier 4
Christmas is effectively confined to just your own household if you’re in a Tier 4 area.
That means you shouldn’t mix with anyone outside of that – except if you’re in a support bubble, because you live alone or have a child under one, for example.
For everyone else, you should stay at home and not see others.
People can go to Church with their bubble at Christmas if they wish, but should try and stay safe with social distancing and masks.
Choirs may be cancelled due to the risk of spreading the virus indoors.
On Christmas Day – and on any other day – people in Tier 4 can meet with one other person outdoors, but must stay distant from them.
Nobody living in Tier 4 can travel out of the area – unless it’s for childcare reasons or to see support bubbles.
Last minute Christmas shopping is also cancelled for people in Tier 4 – as non essential shops are shut.
Gyms and hairdressers will also be banned – except for those offering outdoor sports.
Football are not allowed inside grounds in Tier 4 so you will have to stay inside and watch the telly instead on Boxing Day.
Tier 4 restrictions will not be eased for New Year’s Eve parties.
Tier 3
In Tier 3, up to three households can mix for 24 hours on Christmas Day only.
But they can’t go inside pubs or restaurants with their bubble, as these will be shut.
People can go for a walk with their Christmas bubble in full, or to Church with them.
But Prof Whitty and the Government has urged people outside of Tier 4 to keep their visits as “local and as short as possible” if they can to stop any spread.
The five-day window — proposed lifting of restrictions between December 23 and 27 – has been cancelled across the country.
Football are not allowed inside grounds in Tiers 3 and 4 so you will have to stay inside and watch the telly instead on Boxing Day.
Tier 3 restrictions will not be eased for New Year’s Eve parties.
Tier 2
In Tier 2, up to three households can mix for 24 hours on Christmas Day only.
People can go for a walk with their Christmas bubble in full, or to Church with them.
But they can’t go inside pubs or restaurants with their bubble.
As the rule of six is in place here, one person could meet five others from other households outside.
Tier 2 restrictions will not be eased for New Year’s Eve parties – so wrap up warm if you want to see a pal this year.
Tier 1
In Tier 1, up to three households can mix for 24 hours on Christmas Day only.
People can go for a walk with their Christmas bubble in full, or to Church with them, but nowhere else.
They are allowed to go inside pubs or restaurants with their bubble – but only up to the rule of six, which applies inside and outside.
So one person could meet with five others.
After Christmas, the Tier rules will come back into place again, meaning the rule of six will apply inside and outside.
What are the exceptions?
Support bubbles remain in place for those in isolation and loneliness – so people in Tier 4 can see these people on Christmas Day or indeed any other day if they wish.
What about Wales, Ireland and Scotland?
In Scotland people should only form a Christmas bubble with up to three households for 24 hours on Christmas day.
And people from England or other countries should not visit unless they have an exceptional reason.
From Boxing Day onwards they will go into tighter restrictions too.
In Wales it’s only two households allowed to meet up on the day itself, with travel from elsewhere discouraged.
Shops will have to shut on Christmas eve, pubs on Christmas Day, and the stay home message will return from Boxing Day.
In Northern Ireland people can choose to form a bubble another day if they are working.
After Christmas Northern Ireland will go into another full lockdown.
