People across Britain woke up this morning to the news that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce the government’s Christmas lockdown plans later today, which is expected to allow households to mix for up to 5 days over the Christmas period.
Whilst England is still expected to head into a stricter tiered lockdown system from early December, the PM is also expected to announce that hospitality venues, gyms and other non-essential businesses will be allowed to re-open in the run up to Christmas.
After a year which has seen the pandemic cause wholesale changes to our way of life, and the national lockdown completely disrupting the nation’s plans in the run up to Christmas 2020, the news will be welcomed by millions of Brits who have been restricted from spending time, or in some cases even seeing, members of their family or close friends for several months.
Undoubtedly, the Coronavirus has had a terrible impact on our society, but in times such as these it is essential that we are able to see the positive side of a troubling situation. With this in mind, the possibility of being able to spend some time with loved ones at Christmas, no matter how brief, will be hugely beneficial for millions of people across the country, and will represent the first time that many people will have been able to see their close family or friends in months.
Rutger Bruining, Founder of StoryTerrace, has been working with a team of over 600 writers to help people write their life stories in lockdown. Now, Rutger explores how the Coronavirus has altered Britain’s attitudes to Christmas and the value of personal relationships over material possessions, and encourages people across the country to make the most of the quality time with family this Christmas:
“It’s truly heartwarming to see just how many people in Britain have developed, or perhaps rediscovered, a much greater appreciation for the value of relationships and positive experiences shared with family, friends and the people around them.
For years, Christmas consumerism has run rampant, with the commercialisation of the holiday taking precedence above and beyond the importance of quality family time and making memories that will last a lifetime. Now though, it appears that the impact of the pandemic has refocused our perceptions of what is truly important, and It is our hope that this newfound respect and appreciation for great experiences, memories and deep connections endures well beyond this Christmas, and that families across the country are able to strengthen their bonds and experience the benefits of this connection for years to come.”
