Sunday 29 November 2020

Nerd Church - Covid 19: Have A Safe and Happy Christmas

 

(Warning: As you can probably tell from the title, this post is about Covid 19/Coronavirus)


Christmas in 2020 is gonna be weird. I think we all know that.

I think, if those of us who celebrate go into it trying to make the best of things, it's gonna be better than complaining about the things we can't do.

(Although, a notable exception is the British tradition of enjoying a good moan about everything - but the key to that is you have to really enjoy it. Otherwise it doesn't count 😉)



'Covid 19: Have A Safe and Happy Christmas' with multi-coloured snowflakes, and a red reindeer silhouette



At the same time, if you're not feeling it this year - if you're sad, or angry, or any combination of things - then that's OK too.

You feel how you feel, and feeling guilty that you don't feel how you 'should' at Christmas is only gonna make you feel worse.

I realise that that's something of a paradox - make the best of things and look on the bright-side, but also accept it if you feel cruddy and don't put too much pressure on yourself - but I'm a walking contradiction kinda gal 😅



Y'know the most important thing about Christmas 2020, though? STAYING RESPONSIBLE


Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire): 'With great power comes great responsibility.' This is my gift, my curse.
Via Giphy


Because if this year has taught us anything, it's that a large minority of people lack the correct combination of intelligence, common-sense, and empathy.

In short, people are selfish and/or ignorant b****ds.



So, instead of literally contributing to the spread of a global pandemic, please, first and foremost, stick to the rules and restrictions in your area, and try to stay home when you can.

That's the basic. 

That's the very lowest level of not killing people that we all should be doing.

I cannot stress enough how simple this is.



'Do nothing. Save lives' with a curled up kitty cat beneath it
Via Giphy



Beyond that - because in certain areas of the world the restrictions are not up to par - you should be being as responsible as you reasonably can.



DO

  • wash your hands thoroughly and regularly, especially after removing masks, getting home from work, etc.

  • wear a mask inside public places, or other places where you come into contact with people from outside your household/bubble

corgi puppy washing his paws while wearing a mask
Via Giphy


  • clean surfaces regularly

  • only use reusable masks once before washing - once they've been washed, you can wear them again

  • keep 6ft/2m apart from people who aren't in your household or extended household/social bubble

  • stay home as much as you can within reason





DON'T

  • break the restrictions in your area

  • refuse to wear a mask in places where it's required - that's a douche move

  • go to a rave or party (if you do this you are actually trash #SorryNotSorry)

  • be in close contact with lots of people when you don't have to be

  • ignore social distancing

  • take unnecessary risks - it's affecting other people, not just you



Mikey Day from SNL: What the hell is wrong with you?!
Via Giphy




I know that for a lot of you, this is going to be obvious stuff.

But *gestures to the world at large* - clearly repetition, and making acting selfishly a socially unacceptable action, is going to be the only way to get through to some people.

And no, I don't mean by that that you should antagonise people who appear to be breaching the rules - some people, though a minority, are exempt from wearing masks in the UK nations, for example. 

I mean that we should just make it clear what the social norms are here - we use social norms for harm so often, why don't we use them for good for once?






Common sense. Please.

I know that's concerningly asking a lot. 

But again, I'm gonna ask it - please have some common sense.





And remember, amongst everything, to take care of yourself.

And if you don't celebrate Christmas, this point still stands: it's not exactly been smooth-sailing this year, so take care.

Your mental and physical health and wellbeing are important. Please remember that. And don't put too much pressure on yourself - we're all doing the best we can, OK?





Nerd Church is going on break in December, and will be back on 10th January 2021





Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda/Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 💖







You can follow me on Twitter @CeeDoraReads, on Pinterest, and on Dora Reads @ BlogLovin. For more ways to support me, check out the Support Me page





Previous Nerd Church posts:


Sharing and commenting is sweet and beautiful dearest nerdlets! 😊








11 comments:

  1. Have a wonderful break, and a merry Christmas! I am coping with all the stuff going on in the world by buying an insane amount of Christmas presents. I can't stop! It's like I'm possessed! Possessed by the spirit of Christmas! :P

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha, so long as you don't break the bank, I'm sure there are worse spirits to be possessed by! ;)

      Delete
  2. Yes to all of this. What really irks me are the people who I know will be having large gatherings for Christmas. People use the excuse: "life is too short, now is the time to spend all the time in the world with loved ones." This logic is so twisted because if the loved ones aren't in your household, close contact might shorten your life, and there's. This may seem overdramatic but I am just so done with people still not paying attention to social bubbles.

    On a more positive note, I am thankful that we are privileged enough to have the technology to communicate virtually with the people we love. We should never take these resources for granted. I hope you have a great Christmas, Cee!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Em. The UK nations are having a 5-day bubble-free period over Christmas where people can mix... which I have mixed feelings about. I get why they've done it - they know people are gonna get together and they want it to be semi-controlled - but it still feels like a big superspreader period just waiting to happen *sighs*

      Have a great Christmas Em! :)

      Delete
    2. *comes back several hours later after over-thinking* - I just realised that makes it seem like a free-for-all, there's a limit to the number of houses who can meet up, it's just that we're allowed to meet people who aren't in our bubbles. I realise you probably don't care, but I didn't want to give the wrong impression. Lol.

      Delete
  3. I'm disappointed we can't have our usual family get togethers this Christmas, but I would rather follow the rules and have a quiet one this year instead of risking an empty place at the table next year. I'm trying to make it as fun and special for my daughter as possible. I hope you have a restful break and a happy Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. At the end of the day, a quiet at-home Christmas is all you really need - everything else is nice, and enjoyable, but it can wait. Hope you & your daughter have a good one. Happy Christmas!

      Delete
  4. Enjoy your blogging break!

    This is all excellent advice.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am a little bit gutted this year because we usually travel to the UK for christmas and then we are together with all of my close family (my older sisters live in the UK) and then are altogether with the extended family and any plus ones for boxing day. Of course, for safety that won't happen this year and I'm a bit sad about the close family being fractured. But we have figured out gifts exchange across two countries, and video calls will be made, and we will try and make the most of it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know it sucks. But safety comes first, and I hope you enjoy your video calls & have the best Christmas you can! <3

      Delete

Comments? I love comments! Talk to me nerdlets!