Christmas

[jesmu84]

What are people's thoughts on Christmas gathering?

I'll give my specific situation and would value input.

Both of my parents had covid a month ago and have recovered well. My wife and I each work in healthcare. One of my sister's familes includes virtual learning daughters, a WFH parent and a firefighter. The other family is virtual learning sons and 2 WFH parents.

If everyone quarantines for 2 weeks leading up to a get-together and my wife and I get tested, would that be about as low risk as we could get?

[tower912]

My daughter has already made the decision to not come home.   With the amount of COVID that went through my family in November and ongoing, my sibs and parents are weighing whether we can get away with it.   Have not committed either way yet.

[Galway Eagle]

I believe I've stated we're hosting a "christkindlemart" style Christmas at my new house. Have two outdoor bar heaters 48k BTU each and a big built in bonfire pit plus a garage heater with a garage that has two doors. Going to decorate, make warm Christmas/winter cocktails (gluwein, hot buttered rum, Irish coffee, hot whiskey), and potato pancakes, German sausages, candied nuts, etc.

So everyone should be safe unless people get weirdly close. And should be fairly comfortable unless it's polar vortex cold or ungodly windy

[rocky_warrior]

bar heaters 48k IBU each

Those are some SERIOUSLY hoppy bar heaters!

[naginiF]

We are the same as Thanksgiving - just the 4 of us with video conferencing with the family.

We have started sending weekly gifts to our parents for extra touchpoints - KC BBQ, bulbed plants that will bloom over the winter, tickets to remote performances (great way to support your local ballet, playhouse, or orchestra), etc. but we are very much in the same mode we've been in since March - lockdown with only verified or necessary exceptions and then with full precautions.

[Galway Eagle]

Those are some SERIOUSLY hoppy bar heaters!

Lmfao mad props for spotting my slip up and making that joke. Don't try a light beer under those and you'll end up with a DIPA

*BTU is what I was meant to say.

[warriorchick]

It will probably be just Glow and me, as well as Chick Jr., who just got over Covid.

[Jockey]

Be careful, fellow Scoopers.

I just saw a stat that said if you have 10 people at your house, there is a 51% chance that one of them is positive for Covid.

Is a party worth it?

[The Lens]

We did an outdoor lunch for Thanksgiving with my Mom and 3 siblings + their families.  Quick 45 minute lunch outside and spread a part.  Then when all went our own ways for dinner. Christmas will probably be the same.

Did I miss spending 12 hours at my folks' house eating drinking as much as possible?  Having my Mom make a huge feast and my Dad serve bloody mary's? You bet!  But on the other hand we celebrated a rare holiday where it was just my wife and our 3 kids.  We busted out the china, taught the kids how to set a fancy table, figured out how to make a reasonable Thanksgiving spread and played a marathon of Monopoly. 

I missed all my extended Fam but I know that it will be a Thanksgiving that my kids will never forget and probably fondly remember.

It's one year.   

[GooooMarquette]

We did an outdoor lunch for Thanksgiving with my Mom and 3 siblings + their families.  Quick 45 minute lunch outside and spread a part.  Then when all went our own ways for dinner. Christmas will probably be the same.

Did I miss spending 12 hours at my folks' house eating drinking as much as possible?  Having my Mom make a huge feast and my Dad serve bloody mary's? You bet!  But on the other hand we celebrated a rare holiday where it was just my wife and our 3 kids.  We busted out the china, taught the kids how to set a fancy table, figured out how to make a reasonable Thanksgiving spread and played a marathon of Monopoly. 

I missed all my extended Fam but I know that it will be a Thanksgiving that my kids will never forget and probably fondly remember.

It's one year.  

That is a very reasonable and healthy perspective. As I look back on my life, some of the most memorable events occurred when it looked like everything had gone sideways.

The honeymoon where we seriously underestimated how expensive things were at our resort, and ended up having to eat cereal from a local grocery store for 2 meals a day, and ended up having to split one hot dog for lunch on our way home.

The trip to Paris where we overslept and missed a tour we had REALLY been looking forward to, and ended up improvising on what our entire family still agrees was 'our best vacation day ever.'

Take what life gives you, and make the most of it....

[MU82]

We did an outdoor lunch for Thanksgiving with my Mom and 3 siblings + their families.  Quick 45 minute lunch outside and spread a part.  Then when all went our own ways for dinner. Christmas will probably be the same.

Did I miss spending 12 hours at my folks' house eating drinking as much as possible?  Having my Mom make a huge feast and my Dad serve bloody mary's? You bet!  But on the other hand we celebrated a rare holiday where it was just my wife and our 3 kids.  We busted out the china, taught the kids how to set a fancy table, figured out how to make a reasonable Thanksgiving spread and played a marathon of Monopoly. 

I missed all my extended Fam but I know that it will be a Thanksgiving that my kids will never forget and probably fondly remember.

It's one year.   

I love this, Lens. What a great attitude, and an important lesson in perspective.

[Goose]

The Lens

We were planning on having all of our kids, spouses and two new granddaughters for Thanksgiving and it ended up being me, my wife and oldest daughter at the table. Remaining three kids all came and took carryout courtesy of Mom's hard work and we all had a blast during the hour window for picking up their meals. While not we wanted or expected, we made the best of it and it will be a Thanksgiving we never forget.
As for Xmas, hoping to everybody home but expecting a repeat of Thanksgiving. We have bit the bullet for nearly nine months now and can hack another few months if needed. Not like me to be terribly responsible but I believe the right thing to do at the moment.

Note--our Thanksgiving plans changed due to Covid exposures in our family earlier that week. No Covid scare and we would have been together.

[Billy Hoyle]

well, our work "party" will be done via Zoom.

I didn't plan to go to see my family anyway (5 hour flight plut 1.5 hour drive from the airport) and my wife and I don't have much of a relationship with hers so it doesn't change things for us. This past weekend we spent with our friends north of Seattle - stayed in, drank, and ate, and may do the same again. 4 of us plus two kids. He's a dentist and tests frequently and I'm tested for work too so we felt comfortable doing it.

We've lived away from our families for so long it's really not a big deal for us.

[rocky_warrior]

Oof.  New case record and new death record today (Thursday...).  Please stay home for Christmas folks....I'd like to get my life back to normal-ish sooner than later...

[tower912]

9/11 level of deaths. 

[MU82]

Merry Effen Xmas ...

From the AP:

Unemployment has forced aching decisions on millions of Americans and their families in the face of a rampaging viral pandemic that has closed shops and restaurants, paralyzed travel and left millions jobless for months. Now, their predicaments stand to grow bleaker yet if Congress fails to extend two unemployment programs that are set to expire the day after Christmas.

If no agreement is reached in negotiations taking place on Capitol Hill, more than 9 million people will lose federal jobless aid that averages about $320 a week and that typically serves as their only source of income.

The end of jobless aid is approaching at an especially perilous time. Job growth slowed sharply in November, and the resurgence of viral cases appears to be out of control across the country.

[GooooMarquette]

With our current 7-day average approaching 2,200 deaths/day, we have a person dying from Covid in the US approximately every 40 seconds.

In the few brief minutes it took me to do the calculation and make this post, several people died.

[MU82]

Happy Effen Holidays ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/12/07/unemployed-debt-rent-utilities/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F2d5d62e%2F5fce5b7b9d2fda0efb816f38%2F5f8d147cae7e8a56e5b732a4%2F15%2F69%2F5fce5b7b9d2fda0efb816f38

Millions of Americans who lost their jobs during the pandemic have fallen thousands of dollars behind on rent and utility bills, a warning sign that people are running out of money for basic needs.

Nearly 12 million renters will owe an average of $5,850 in back rent and utilities by January, Moody’s Analytics warns. Last month 9 million renters said they were behind on rent, according to a Census Bureau survey.

The numbers were especially high for families with children, with 21 percent falling behind on rent, and among families of color. About 29 percent of Black families and 17 percent of Hispanic renters were behind, the Census Bureau reported. A separate analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, looking at people who had jobs before the pandemic, found 1.3 million such households are now an average of $5,400 in debt on rent and utilities, after those people had lost jobs and their family’s income plunged.

Economists say these data points show the failure of the U.S. safety net during this crisis, which is inflicting economic pain that will hurt families for years.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Certainly a lot more economic damage than an increased federal debt would incur.

[MU82]

Merry Freakin' Xmas ...

A maskless Santa Claus who greeted about a dozen families has tested positive for COVID-19, South Carolina officials say.

The man received a coronavirus diagnosis after playing the role of Santa at a children’s photo opportunity last weekend in Fountain Inn, according to officials in the city roughly 20 miles southeast of Greenville.

“We sincerely regret this situation and apologize for this inconvenience,” Fountain Inn wrote on its website.

Sunday’s outdoor event, called Sensory Santa, was designed for children with special needs. It was the first year for the city-sponsored activity, which required registration and drew about 10 or 15 families, according to City Administrator Shawn Bell.

“Santa was not wearing a mask,” Bell told McClatchy News in a phone interview Friday. “He at the time was not experiencing any symptoms whatsoever. It wasn’t until later that evening that he found out that he had some limited contact with a relative who had tested positive.”

Upon hearing about the possible exposure, Bell said, officials notified families who went to the event. After the positive test results, the city has urged families who were at Sensory Santa to reach out to their doctors.

“Those in attendance and participants, whether or not they chose to wear masks, should take every precaution and contact their health provider immediately to be tested for Covid-19,” the city said on its website.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends anyone who spends more than 15 minutes near an infected person stay at home and check for coronavirus symptoms, which include fever and cough.

To help slow the spread of the virus, health officials say everyone should wear face coverings in public. That’s because the virus can be transmitted through particles released when someone who is sick speaks, breathes, coughs or sneezes.

While Fountain Inn doesn’t have a mandatory face mask ordinance, the city council earlier this year passed a resolution to encourage face coverings. Masks weren’t required at the recent event, which was held outdoors and had a rope serving as a barrier between attendees and the Santa character, according to Bell.

“In retrospect, we wish Santa would have been wearing a mask,” the city administrator said.

It’s not the only time someone playing the role of Santa received a positive COVID-19 test result.

On Monday, officials in Georgia announced a Santa tested positive for the disease after taking photos with dozens of kids, McClatchy News reported.

In November, a North Carolina town was getting ready for the holiday season when a man known as “Santa Jim” contracted COVID-19 and died.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Santa has to be concerned because he has a bunch of co-morbidities.  And I watched Rudolph.  Those elves live, work and sing close to one another and I doubt Santa modified his operation to create proper distancing and ventilation. 

[GooooMarquette]

Bad Santa. Literally.

[reinko]

Merry Freakin' Xmas ...

A maskless Santa Claus who greeted about a dozen families has tested positive for COVID-19, South Carolina officials say.

The man received a coronavirus diagnosis after playing the role of Santa at a children’s photo opportunity last weekend in Fountain Inn, according to officials in the city roughly 20 miles southeast of Greenville.

“We sincerely regret this situation and apologize for this inconvenience,” Fountain Inn wrote on its website.

Sunday’s outdoor event, called Sensory Santa, was designed for children with special needs. It was the first year for the city-sponsored activity, which required registration and drew about 10 or 15 families, according to City Administrator Shawn Bell.

“Santa was not wearing a mask,” Bell told McClatchy News in a phone interview Friday. “He at the time was not experiencing any symptoms whatsoever. It wasn’t until later that evening that he found out that he had some limited contact with a relative who had tested positive.”

Upon hearing about the possible exposure, Bell said, officials notified families who went to the event. After the positive test results, the city has urged families who were at Sensory Santa to reach out to their doctors.

“Those in attendance and participants, whether or not they chose to wear masks, should take every precaution and contact their health provider immediately to be tested for Covid-19,” the city said on its website.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends anyone who spends more than 15 minutes near an infected person stay at home and check for coronavirus symptoms, which include fever and cough.

To help slow the spread of the virus, health officials say everyone should wear face coverings in public. That’s because the virus can be transmitted through particles released when someone who is sick speaks, breathes, coughs or sneezes.

While Fountain Inn doesn’t have a mandatory face mask ordinance, the city council earlier this year passed a resolution to encourage face coverings. Masks weren’t required at the recent event, which was held outdoors and had a rope serving as a barrier between attendees and the Santa character, according to Bell.

“In retrospect, we wish Santa would have been wearing a mask,” the city administrator said.

It’s not the only time someone playing the role of Santa received a positive COVID-19 test result.

On Monday, officials in Georgia announced a Santa tested positive for the disease after taking photos with dozens of kids, McClatchy News reported.

In November, a North Carolina town was getting ready for the holiday season when a man known as “Santa Jim” contracted COVID-19 and died.

“Apologize for the inconvenience.”

You know the inconvenience of possibly transmitting a deadly disease to your special needs child.

[GooooMarquette]

“Apologize for the inconvenience.”

You know the inconvenience of possibly transmitting a deadly disease to your special needs child.

Who then "inconveniently" passes it on to grandma and grandpa....

[Marquette Fan]

I was bummed I didn't get a picture of my kids with Santa this year but this story reminds me it was a good idea we skipped it.  How can anyone think having a Santa with no mask on was a good idea either?