As consumers we’re being encouraged to think about, and prepare for, Christmas early this year, to enable retailers to manage the demands of Christmas shopping. At least, that was the case before the second lockdown was announced. Since then the focus has very much been on the lockdown itself and the various consequences.
It’s expected that 2020 will be the most digital Christmas yet, and the advice is/was to start now so that retailers don’t get overwhelmed in December. There is also the fact that on the high street, the Christmas rush—assuming the lockdown isn’t extended beyond the second of December—will have to be a socially distanced one this year.
I drafted most of this post before the announcement of Lockdown 2.0. Though in my opinion a necessary and overdue action, the fact is this will make pre-December and, if the lockdown is extended, pre-Christmas shopping more complicated, with a much bigger shift online if non-essential shops are closed. Unfortunately this means more high street businesses missing out on what would normally be their busiest and most profitable time of year. It may also be counter-productive to the “plan ahead, do your shopping early” advice that I started writing this post in reaction to a few days before the lockdown was announced.
Planning Ahead
I would recommend planning now if you haven’t already. Obviously, with ever-changing restrictions and the uncertainty of whether or not this lockdown will end on December 2nd, it is impossible to plan everything this far in advance, but some things will be givens.
Unfortunately it’s impossible during lockdown to support high street shops unless they are selling online, but if you can, do your Christmas shopping through them. Sites like Etsy are good for unique gifts by individuals or small businesses, but make sure to take note of shop location and delivery times.
If you have presents and cards to send to loved ones, especially those who live abroad, I would strongly suggest doing those as far in advance as possible. If they are people you are hoping to be able to see but don’t know if you will be able, my advice would be to send them anyway in case restrictions mean you can’t.
Visitors
When considering who to see this year, please be sensible. Talk to anyone vulnerable in your family to discuss the potential risks and how comfortable they would feel visiting or having visitors. In this time of uncertainty, I would say “Plan for the worst, hope for the best”. Have alternative options decided on in advance of Christmas restrictions being announced.
For those who don’t have the internet, a “digital Christmas” is not going to work. If you have for instance an elderly relative(s) in such a category, could you perhaps lend them a phone or other internet-connected device to use? (And show them how to use it in advance! Writing down instructions in case they can’t remember on the day would also be a good idea.)
If that’s not an option, consider socialising by phone if that’s possible. Alternatively, you could hold a pre-Christmas Christmas if they are happy and able to do that and restrictions allow—for instance if you are in a support bubble, or after the lockdown ends.
Do what you can to prevent those you love who will be alone on Christmas Day from being lonely. Make sure they know you will be thinking of them. You could write them letters for them to open on Christmas Day. Perhaps you could agree to all tune into something on the television at the same time, so they can know you are all “watching together”.