Covid-19: the French are planning to celebrate Christmas in small groups

Reduced number of guests, fragile people in shelters, departures on vacation in free fall… The coming Christmas will have little more than the tree and the decorations to remind them of last year's.

One century ago.

An eternity.

According to an Ifop survey for the Odero medical platform that we are unveiling, the French, marked by the anxiety-provoking context, approach the family day with wisdom, vigilance and civic spirit.

This survey shows that the daily circle will be privileged to the big reunion and that many concessions will be made for a log without pitfalls with people with whom they have not been confined: 26% are planning a Covid-19 test, 40% will wear the mask inside and 24% are considering separate tables for older people.

Strict protocol and barrier gestures

“An atypical Christmas is emerging in which the French are ready to follow part of the protocol and barrier gestures in order to have the most Covid-compatible meal, analyzes François Kraus, director of the political-news pole at Ifop.

The invitations to caution issued by the executive have a significant impact on the size of the tables.

But this will have a collateral effect on loneliness, especially among the elderly, already suffering from a year of virtual isolation.

"

A perception heightened by the symbolism of the event.

“Even if we don't always realize it, Christmas is a commemoration of the family,” recalls Dominique Picard, psychosociologist specializing in social relations.

We reaffirm our bond despite the vagaries of life or the distance.

A lot of people say it won't be Christmas like they used to, they are a bit resigned.

But after all, there are other ways to be with each other.

"

"We will have Christmas in May"

Each must juggle between his heart, his reason, his fears and especially the compromises to be found with the rest of his clan.

"There is a very strong awareness, people who prefer to protect their loved ones and not see them," observes Serge Guérin, sociologist specializing in intergenerational ties.

We make choices, we organize ourselves.

If there are several brothers or sisters, those who live less far away manage the elders.

The others stay at home.

We tinker around a bit, but it's nice social tinkering to find the least bad solution.

We tell ourselves that we will regroup later, we will have Christmas in May.

"

The reconstituted tribes know well the staggered celebrations.

Except that it is impossible today to fix the date.

In the meantime, those who will be alone must not remain isolated.

Videoconferencing, for example, is not just for teleworking…

“It's a moment of extremely strong bond.

We tell each other that we love each other by having other forms of attention, while waiting to see each other again, continues Serge Guérin.

This term social distancing is totally silly.

We are physically distant, not socially.

We just don't want to think to ourselves that grandfather or grandmother might die because of us.

Rather, it is a sign of collective intelligence.

"

For gifts too, it will be necessary to adapt.

“This moment of exchange is important and it should be done firsthand,” explains Dominique Picard.

But here too, we will arrange to offer vouchers, have parents order grandpa and grandma's gift, etc.

»For the little ones, Christmas is the time of the imagination.

For adults, it should more than ever be that of the imagination.

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Methodology: Ifop study for Odero carried out by self-administered online questionnaire from November 25 to 26, 2020 with a sample of 1,549 people, representative of the population aged 18 and over residing in metropolitan France.