The Christmas that went wrong: We went into last-minute lockdown – and I had to spend the big day with my ex
Covid was everywhere, the fridge was empty and my former partner was coming to spend the day with me and my new girlfriend. Christmas was doomed … wasn’t it?
The year was 2020 and Christmas itself hung in the balance. We had spent the last nine months in and out of Covid lockdowns. Initially, we had reacted with total diligence, united in fear and grief. But then we entered into an interminable hokey-cokey of being allowed out, then back in, then a bit out, then a bit in again. Obligatory scotch eggs was a particularly low point. By winter, the rules had become confusing and often felt unfollowable.
Nevertheless, hope prevailed. We hadn’t seen our extended families for so long and the government promised that Christmas would not be cancelled. Christmas always feels a bit “high stakes”, even in normal times, but this one had been dialled up to 11. The extended absences from family meant we missed them all to bits. Also, my son was five – a peak age for enjoying yuletide business. I co-parent with my son’s dad (my ex) and, as luck would have it, it was my turn to have my son on Christmas Day. We were going to stay with my parents in Dorset and it felt like it had to be a good one.
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The Christmas that went wrong: I ended up in A&E with burns from my mother’s gravy
After two horrendous weeks with chickenpox and norovirus, I thought I was finally better on Christmas Day. But I had reckoned without a jug of scalding Bisto. The strangled half-scream I emitted as ...The Guardian - 1h -
I had strict rules to keep my British and Italian lives separate. Then I learned the joy of being both | Silvia Saunders
I would elbow my mum when she spoke Italian in England, until I realised each part of my identity is more than just a ‘half’. In our end of year series, writers and public figures remember the ...The Guardian - 10h -
In 2024, We Went All-In On Card Games
Most mornings, I stumble out of bed, grab my phone, and crack open some Pokemon packs. Over the last month, I've been consumed by the routine of booting up Pokemon TCG Pocket, a mobile adaptation ...GameSpot - 18h -
How Manchester City went from world’s best to straw men in 12 months | Barney Ronay
Rodri’s injury, Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola all play a role in this champion team’s profound collapse. Eight weeks, 12 games and nine defeats into Manchester City’s descent into the ...The Guardian - 22h -
‘I worked hard for my savings’: I’m 71 and a retired teacher. I want to give my kids money — but my daughter spends lavishly and my son is wealthy.
“I have been reading about the idea of giving your children money when they need it the most, rather than waiting until you die.”MarketWatch - 23h -
The Christmas that went wrong: Why on earth was Santa wearing my uncle’s sneakers?
Even at four, I could see Father Christmas for who he really was – especially as he smelled of Old Spice . As a child, I was an amateur detective; a master of argument and the suspicious ...The Guardian - 1d -
Netflix carrying 2 NFL games on Christmas Day. It's a big step.
Netflix will have one of its biggest days Wednesday since the site launched in 1998 when it airs two NFL games for the first time.CBS News - 1d -
The Christmas that went wrong: I had a massive abscess and spent my first ever night in hospital
The year already ranked among my very worst – then I wound up on a tinsel-draped drip, while my family texted fun photos from the pub. It hadn’t been a vintage year. I was in the middle of a ...The Guardian - 1d -
'I cook my Christmas dinner in five air fryers'
A cookery writer from Kent is ditching her oven to cook a festive feast for 11 of her loved ones.BBC News - 1d
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