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"For Christmas, we will draw lots for the guests"

2020-12-05T23:39:03.887Z


TESTIMONIALS - The government recommends spending Christmas in small groups, a highly flammable subject for families used to large tables. Dive into these new selections that precede New Year's Eve.


In times of epidemic, it seems necessary to get to the point.

Booksellers and other small businesses paid the price in November, clearly not meeting the criteria.

As the end of the year holidays approach, it is around the turkey that the question could arise.

"6 guests maximum, excluding children"

, recommended Jean Castex during the health recommendations concerning Christmas and the New Year.

The instruction, which aims to contain an outbreak of coronavirus cases in early 2021, could facilitate the development of seating plans as Christmas Eve approaches.

According to an Ifop poll published on December 1 in

Le

Parisien

,

38% of French people plan to spend Christmas with people with whom they have already confined themselves.

The others will have to make a choice to reduce the tables.

Even if it means choosing with whom?

Read also: Covid-19: how our European neighbors are approaching the end of year celebrations

Common sense or fate, the selection tests are formidable for the elderly.

“Smartness allows us to sort it out: Christmas with grandparents, old and sick, it's no,”

slice, categorically, Léandro.

At 31, the Cannois will stay with his mother and sister, when his father will take care of the elders.

Normally, the family also invites uncles, aunts and children for Christmas Eve.

“It's not about hurting anyone, but we understand that not everyone can attend the evening,” he

says.

Same argument with the Morel family, in the Nantes region, where the "young" - hear, those under 35 - have decided to celebrate Christmas and New Year's Day between cousins.

In any case, we always have our own table.

At least we won't be blamed for our ill will this year.

It's for the common good

,

jokes Hugo, one of the guests.

An algorithmic New Year's Eve

The rule is less amusing to Daniel, a native of Amiens, for whom the downsizing of New Year's Eve was heartbreaking.

There too, the criterion of vulnerability prevailed: as a caregiver, he was afraid of infecting the most fragile members of his family.

“My sister and her husband are farmers in the countryside.

They see fewer people: it is therefore better that they stay with my elderly parents, ”

explains the caregiver.

“I'm going to go to my wife's family in Paris, where there are young children.

"

"Let's say that we will take the opportunity to omit inviting unpleasant people ... without naming anyone".

Nathalie *

To resolve the issue of the small committee, families are developing sophisticated algorithms.

"We decided between those we do not see often, because of the geographical distance, those who usually work and have managed to have a day off, those who are alone and who are not going to abandon … ”,

Tries to expose Odile, 73 years old.

If the former cook loves nothing more than entertaining, she has resigned herself not to celebrate Christmas with all her grandchildren.

It is therefore out of the question to make room for "added parts":

"Boyfriends, girlfriends, it won't be for this year!"

, she says.

To read also: These "grandpa and grandma" who refuse to be relegated to the kitchen at Christmas

Guests selected at random

Others have adopted more prosaic arguments:

"Let's say that we will take the opportunity to omit inviting unpleasant people ... without citing anyone,"

Nathalie laughs.

Each year as Christmas approaches, her large country house, near Lisieux (Calvados), takes on the air of a station hall: every year she welcomes her whole family and that of her husband, who come from all over France.

"Those who never get back, those who are rude, or break the mood ... It's really unreasonable to receive them with the covid!"

"

Anouck, near Paris, will celebrate Christmas with his mother and sister, she is not so unhappy to escape the large tables.

“The tradition was to invite the extended family.

Over the years, the festivals had become almost industrial.

Maybe it's an opportunity to value the time spent with the people who are really important to us, ”she

says.

And take advantage of it?

“Who says fewer guests, says better quality meals!

"

Read also: Christmas: where does the “Midnight Mass” come from?

Among the most diplomatic, the question is settled in the game of "Pierre-Feuilles-Ciseaux".

Pauline's family, in Metz, thus preferred to let chance decide to avoid complicated debates.

With 4 brothers and sisters for half a dozen cousins, the oldest of whom already know the joys of fatherhood, about twenty people crowd into the dining room every Christmas.

“We decided to split into three teams.

But the question was, who goes to whom?

»

, Says the student, a little tired.

Between the different affinities, the said, unspoken resentment and other issues, the subject took on the air of a time bomb.

“So we drew lots for the guests.

At least it's settled and no one is offended. "

Be careful not to quarrel: in its health guide to the end-of-year celebrations, the CDC, the American health authority, recommends speaking in a low voice during family meals.

Shouting would actually have the bad effect of spreading the coronavirus to guests.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2020-12-05

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