'Easter can be the new Christmas,' British minister suggests

[snoop1130]

'Easter can be the new Christmas,' British minister suggests

By Guy Faulconbridge and Kate Holton

 

People sit on a tour bus as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in London, Britain, December 15, 2020. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government thinks people should make their own decision about meeting up for Christmas during the coronavirus pandemic, but given the risk some may want to wait for Easter to gather with their family, a British minister said on Wednesday.

 

After imposing the most onerous restrictions in British peacetime history, Johnson is keen to avoid becoming the prime minister who cancelled Christmas, even though the United Kingdom has the sixth worst official COVID-19 death toll in the world.

 

The government came under pressure on Tuesday to revise its plan to relax COVID-19 restrictions for five days around Christmas, with two influential medical journals making a rare joint appeal for the policy to be scrapped.

 

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said it was for people to make up their own minds but suggested that for some Easter (in April 2021) could be the new Christmas - especially those who were in high risk groups.

 

"How much do they want to bring members of their broader family together at Christmas or whether they think on this occasion lets just keep it small and we can meet up in the Spring - Easter can be the new Christmas for some people," he told Sky.

 

"It's not for government to tell people exactly how to handle this situation," he told the BBC.

 

Some families have said they will meet up no matter what the government decrees.

 

COVID-19 has battered the United Kingdom: The government's most conservative death toll measure is 64,908, second only to Italy in Europe, while government borrowing is set to hit a peacetime high of 394 billion pounds ($531 billion) in 2020/21.

 

Medical views are divided with concern growing among cancer specialists, for example, that many cancers are going undiagnosed due to the public health focus on COVID-19.

 

Cases are ticking up again in the United Kingdom, and particularly in London which went into the highest tier of lockdown from midnight.

 

The highest tier means that pubs and restaurants are closed, but shops are not. Still, revellers partied into the night in London's Soho ahead of the restrictions, Reuters photographers said. One woman sported large purple burlesque feather fans.

 

Johnson, who before he became prime minister in 2019 repeatedly railed against "the creep of the nanny state", has kept England under COVID-19 lockdown of varying severity for much of 2020, often to the dismay of some members of his Conservative Party.

 

But Johnson is keen to avoid cancelling Christmas for the first time since frivolous behaviour was outlawed in the festival under Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell during the 16th Century. Pro-Christmas riots broke out in response to the Puritan crackdown.

 

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own policies.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-16

 

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[toofarnorth]

All Brit. holidays should and would be safer if combined.  How about  ' Good August bank Boxing Friday. ?'

[Justgrazing]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

 

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said it was for people to make up their own minds but suggested that for some Easter (in April 2021) could be the new Christmas

 

Birth , death and resurrection of J C all rolled into one eh .. 

I fear this will not go down well with the puritans and devout Mr Jenrick especially after your pasty and chips fiasco ..

 

[Chomper Higgot]

What does Rees Mogg have to say about this?

[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said it was for people to make up their own minds but suggested that for some Easter (in April 2021) could be the new Christmas -

No, it can’t. 

[herfiehandbag]

I suppose that if you see Easter and Christmas as purely an excuse for a couple of days "on the lash", combined with a "slap up meal"; they could be combined. If you have any Christian faith whatsoever ( or are of another faith and have any empathy) you will understand why the two most important feasts in the Churches calendar, entirely different in nature, cannot be combined.

 

It is a pretty crass suggestion in my opinion. Mr Jenrick would be better off sticking to tackling the UK's considerable housing problems...

 

 

Edited December 16, 2020 by herfiehandbag

[klauskunkel]

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

'Easter can be the new Christmas,' British minister suggests

Santa Claus: Are you nuts? I have deadlines...!

Easter Bunny: No way, Jose!

[JonnyF]

3 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Santa Claus: Are you nuts? I have deadlines...!

Easter Bunny: No way, Jose!

Turkeys everywhere: Helllzzz Yeahhhh

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Sorry, but people can celebrate Christmas, both in its religious and secular senses, perfectly well without having to violate COVID restrictions and endanger others needlessly.

 

Households of family members who already live together can celebrate at home together. Christmas doesn't mean you have to invite everyone from everywhere to come over for dinner.

 

Give thanks. Say a prayer. Open presents with distant relatives by Skype or Zoom video. And stay safe/safer.

 

Edited December 17, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[from the home of CC]

5 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Sorry, but people can celebrate Christmas, both in its religious and secular senses, perfectly well without having to violate COVID restrictions and endanger others needlessly.

 

Households of family members who already live together can celebrate at home together. Christmas doesn't mean you have to invite everyone from everywhere to come over for dinner.

 

Give thanks. Say a prayer. Open presents with distant relatives by Skype or Zoom video. And stay safe/safer.

 

takes a mature responsible society to do this therefore it will not happen..

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, from the home of CC said:

takes a mature responsible society to do this therefore it will not happen..

 

I had elderly parents, both now deceased. But if they were still alive, the LAST thing I'd want to do for Christmas would be to promote some many-different-folks gathering that would potentially expose them to the CV, especially when the elderly are so much more at health risk.

 

[mrfill]

23 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 

"It's not for government to tell people exactly how to handle this situation," he told the BBC.

They could lead by example though. Like not taking their recess from 20th Dec to 7th Jan and the one between 13th to 24th Feb - its not like they have nothing to do with a critical trade deal about to be fouled up and a pandemic still not under control.

Although I'm sure we'll soon see pictures of MPs frolicking around in the sun on holidays, working terribly hard to advance their tan.

[from the home of CC]

23 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I had elderly parents, both now deceased. But if they were still alive, the LAST thing I'd want to do for Christmas would be to promote some many-different-folks gathering that would potentially expose them to the CV, especially when the elderly are so much more at health risk.

 

unfortunately that is not the case for so many that believe 'their' (pick one) feelings, importance of business, self righteous entitlement and on and on are way more important than the lives of anyone else. My general assessment of humankind has been lowered forever..