Another Christmas and another covid wave, with the UK in the centre of the storm.
I discussed before how the Tories vaccination strategy, coupled with a rapid re-opening, was something of a gamble. Yes it meant vaccinating those more likely to die from the disease first (who just happen to be mostly Tory voters). But those are also the people least likely to catch and circulate the virus. Focusing on killing off the virus and removing opportunities for super-spreader events (by focusing vaccinations on NHS staff, students, teachers, kids, shop workers, etc.) before re-opening, might have made more sense (to be clear, you’d still be doing the old people, but also focusing on these super-spreader groups before easing restrictions). Because vaccines don’t give immunity forever. Once it wears off (the very problem we have now, as two jabs provides no real protection from Omicron) you risk simply moving the problem to another time. Meaning another lockdown, so you end up extending the pandemic and all its effects.
And speaking of which, there is little to be gained by wealthy countries hoarding vaccines, something the UK is particularly guilty of. Until everyone gains some level of immunity, outbreaks like this will continue to pop up. And furthermore, as we’ve not seen a large flu outbreak for two years, I’ve heard it argued that the next one might be particularly bad. So its quite possible we’ll be facing another outbreak of some sort next Christmas.
But why do these outbreaks always seem to spike in mid-winter? Well you’ve got the perfect conditions for the virus to spread more easily, with the cold weather, suppressed immune systems and more people indoors or crowding onto public transport. Throw in a few drunken Christmas parties, lots of people travelling home to see the folks (notably students, the age group most likely to be infected with Omicron) and you are practically ringing the dinner bell for any virus. In short, we need to recognise that in a post-covid world, outbreaks like this are going to pop up from time to time and ruin Christmas.
So perhaps the solution is to adapt to this new reality. Such as either moving Christmas, or downgrading it to a more low key event. And in return, making another festival at a more favourable time of year the main yearly festival for things like big parties or family gatherings.
Christmas, like many things, was not originally a christian event. Many civilisations throughout history viewed the winter solstice as a chance to eat drink, be merry, and celebrate the fact they’d made it through half of the winter without dying of some disgusting disease. In fact there are an awful lot of similarities between the Christian Christmas and the Roman festival of Saturnalia, including feasting, partying and the exchange of gifts (interesting video on that here).
Originally the christian Christmas was a fairly modest event (in part to make a distinct break from the decadence and debauchery of the pagan mid-winter festivals). Which is somewhat ironic given how some conservatives keep going on about the “war on Christmas”. Well actually, in more traditional christian countries, Spain, Italy and Greece being good examples, Christmas is a more low key family focused event. There are celebrations yes, but with less days off and no total shutdown as is the case in the UK or North America. Generally shops will close early Christmas eve and will either reopen late on Christmas day or first thing on St Stephens day (which the British call Boxing day for some reason…presumably due to the boxing matches that take place as people’s drunken confessions come back to haunt them).
In fact its worth noting that our modern Christmas (with Turkey’s, Christmas trees, black Friday, etc.) is more of an American import, heavily influenced by traditions copied from central European countries (mention that to your eurosceptic uncle around the Christmas table!). Certainly, if you are from the UK or Ireland, this is not a long standing tradition.
So essentially, what I’m saying is a return to a traditional Christmas. A low key family focused event, at most two days off, then back to work on the 26th, with maybe another day off on the 1st of January. No more of this full scale national shutdown for 2-3 weeks. Which I might add, is a huge problem for people from outside of Europe (or from those parts of Europe where, as noted, they are used to celebrating a more low key Christmas).
Now before you call me a humbug, I’m suggesting downgrading Christmas, but upgrading another festival (with more holidays and days off) at a more convenient time of year. Easter would be an obvious choice. And it may come as little surprise to learn that many of those cultures who celebrate a low key Christmas, make a big deal out of Easter. In Spain for example, it goes on for over a week, with parades through the streets every night.
So if you are going to shut down the country and close offices, this would be the time of year to do it There is less likely to be a pandemic in circulation. And the weather is usually warmer, so events can be moved outside. It would also mean the effective end of year for companies would coincide with the end of the tax year. And for universities (assuming we can start teaching earlier without the long break at Christmas), it will line up with the end of teaching for the spring term.
The one downside would be the need to tie down Easter to some specific date (say nearest Sunday to the 15th of April), which could also be set to coincide with the Jewish Passover. Of course the problem with this is, you’d need to get different religions to agree to something and good luck with that one (if Roman emperors couldn’t do that, I don’t see how anyone else will). Of course governments could simply legislate and tell the churches to go suck a lemon, but that’s going to require some brave forward thinking politicians.
Another alternative is the summer solstice, which is also another key date for many festivals both non-Christian, pre-Christian ones as well as post-christian adaptions. Most notably with Scandinavia’s Midsommar, or the bonfire festivals of St John. Again a disease outbreak is less likely this time of year and events could be easily moved outside (imagine having the big Christmas dinner outside with a barbecue).
There is also the massive strain Christmas places on supply chains, the environmental impact of Christmas and the pressure it puts on family finances (as you have a big jump in spending in mid-winter just when bills such as winter heating and annual payments for various services are all coming due). So there would be numerous environmental and social benefits to a more low key Christmas.
Would you rather try take your big yearly break in the middle of winter, facing all the difficulties with long distance travel to make it home for Christmas. Or instead move these events to sometime in the spring or summer, when the weather is better, the days longer and you can actually do things outside. So maybe we should see some potential positives out of this Christmas wash out.
daryanblog 
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