Nicola Sturgon made it clear here in Scotland yesterday that although the 'loosening of restrictions' has been made, you should only meet up if you really NEED to. She went on to say that if a household can stay as one household at Christmas then that it what we should do. I got the impression that what she really wanted to say was 'Please dont meet up and ruin what we have achieved while a vaccine is just round the corner'. Obviously she cant say that, and is relying on people using common sense. We know how that's going then! The Chief Medical Officer went on to explain that if we do meet up we must sit with windows open (how many elderly in the middle of winter can do that? or anyone for that matter) and that we must not touch anyone elses cutlery, plates, glasses, towels etc. He used the example that the dish of roasties should not be placed on the table with one serving spoon, but must be plated up by one person in the kitchen. Seems all a bit too stressful and I know I couldn't be trusted to remember all this after my morning's bucks fizz and a few proseccos! Centre piece on the table this year would have to be a large holly bedecked bottle of sanitizer. I want to stay home, it will be safer and easier but the problem I have is that my elderly parents refuse to listen to Nicola and continue to pop out for coffees and a browse around the shops, thinking everything is an over reaction, so they will see this meeting up bubble as a great idea!