Celebrate Christmas and New Year's safely this year during COVID-19

The weeks leading up to Christmas will be critical for London. Christmas and New Year’s celebrations will be different due to COVID-19. The festive period is important for many and we recognise that people will want to spend this time with friends and family.

There will be a five day period between Wednesday 23 and Sunday 27 December where you are allowed to form a Christmas Bubble to celebrate the festivities.

It is important to continue to wear a face covering, wash your hands regularly and keep a safe distance – to help bring down infection rates sooner.

Forming a Christmas bubble:

• You can form an exclusive ‘Christmas Bubble’ of people no more than three households.
• With your ‘Christmas Bubble’ you are able to spend time together in private homes, attend places of worship, or meet in a public outdoor space.
• If you do not form a Christmas bubble, you should continue to follow the guidance for the tier that you are in.
• If you are self-isolating you cannot form a Christmas bubble.
• You can travel between tiers between 23 December – 27 December.

Remember -  If you do not feel well or develop coronavirus symptoms up to 48 hours after the Christmas Bubble met, everyone have to self-isolate. If you are self-isolating, you should not join a Christmas Bubble. Do this to protect your family, friends and the most vulnerable in Lewisham’s Community.

To find out more information on how to make a Christmas bubble with friends and family

Tips for Christmas bubbles:

• If you need to travel to join your Christmas bubble (23-27 December), start planning now so you can minimise busy times to travel. Where possible, avoid sharing a car with people not in your household.
• If you are using public transport, remember hands, face and space.
• Open the windows to let in fresh air! If you’re hosting your Christmas bubble, take some time before, during and after to freshen up the air. Research shows being in a room with fresh air can reduce the risk of infection from parties by over 70%.
• Try not to share rooms overnight with those from different households.
• Keep physical contact to a minimum – give everyone a spot or a seat to prevent unnecessary contact.
• Avoid sharing things – where possible try not to share cutlery.

Ways to enjoy the festivities safely

It’s okay to play it completely safe and have a quiet Christmas in, there are ways to enjoy the festivities remotely: 

• Plan a virtual celebration to see friends and relatives and share this special occasion together.
• Decorate your home as festively as possible, why not make your space the winter wonderland of your dreams?
• Dinner is usually the main event on Christmas, why not cook a festive meal and make a proper feast for your loved ones to enjoy. You can find a lot of inspiration on Christmas meals on the BBC good food website.
• Make a commemorative ornament to mark the 2020 holiday season as unique and memorable as it has been.
• The perfect way to spend time between presents and dinner would be to watch a movie of your choice or to unwind after the festivities end.
• Meet friends and family for a Christmas walk outside in one of our 45 parks and open spaces. Keep to the rule of six.

The coronavirus won’t be taking a holiday during the festive period. If you develop symptoms remember our testing sites are open throughout the holiday period you can book by visiting nhs.co.uk/coronavirus or calling 119.