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By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Christmas travellers and revellers need to reconsider

Dec 9, 2020 | 4:46 AM

KAMLOOPS — THE OLD HOLIDAY SONG ‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas’ will have to be re-titled this year to ‘I’ll Stay Home For Christmas’ or, at least, move the lyric “If only in my dreams” up top.

Dr. Bonnie Henry hasn’t cancelled Christmas but she’s certainly put a crimp in it with renewed orders on gatherings and travel. And last night’s evening news was all about Christmas-season lockdowns of various degrees across the country, with Canadians being told to stay home and cancel plans for big family reunions and dinners.

The question is, who will listen? An Angus Reid Institute poll found that many of us will ignore those rules. Christmas is just too big a family occasion to give it up easily. It’s the loneliest day of the year if there’s no one to celebrate with.

So, says the survey, many of us intend to visit with friends and family outside our households. Not as many of us as usual, but a lot. For example, while 88 per cent would usually have a family dinner, 58 per cent said they’d do it this year.

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Ten per cent intend to travel to another community or outside the province, compared to half of us in a non-COVID year. And 11 per cent plan to go to church.

Interestingly, only two per cent expect to attend an office Christmas party. Maybe that’s because a lot of office social clubs are getting creative and going virtual.

More of us should do that. For one day, we can do our best to enjoy things in a smaller way than usual. We can Skype or Facetime, have a 10-lb. turkey instead of 20 (or maybe pardon one), relax in a less hectic environment.

It won’t be as merry as usual, but it’s better than the alternative. Those of us who have been planning to ignore the advice to keep it small should think again.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.