The government has told us all that we can bring our households together this Christmas for a maximum of five days. Many people are delighted to be able to see much-loved family and friends. But, for some people, it’s still too big a risk.
Everyone is coping with the COVID-19 pandemic differently, and Christmas will be a similar story, regardless of relaxed rules. For some, the idea of finally getting the family together is a dream come true, while others will want to continue their effort to limit social contact.
There’s no right or wrong answer to this, but if you’re not getting everyone together for Christmas, there’s an alternative you probably haven’t thought of.
Who says you have to hold Christmas in December?
Now, bear with us on this!
If the idea of Christmas during the summer sounds like crazy talk, remember that the Aussies have been doing it for a very long time.
Delaying festive celebrations until the warmer months arrive is also something that the government’s scientific advisors have been backing. Throughout November, they were urging ministers to push the idea of summer get togethers as a replacement for Christmas meet-ups.
There are of course religious connotations here, and it’s fair to suggest that delaying Christmas until a time when you can enjoy it properly with your family is a bit heretic, but if you’re not particularly religious, that may not be a consideration.
In fact, the idea of celebrating a very late Christmas unhindered and in an increasingly vaccinated society might be just the thing you need to look forward to right now.
You won't be the first...
The Sieghart family in Wiltshire have been enjoying a ‘Summermas’ each year for half a decade.
For Mary Ann Sieghart, it was a way to ensure her ageing mother could still celebrate with the rest of the family without having to endure a “freezing” house. Thus, the Summermas was born, and has remained a staunch favourite with the entire family ever since.
“It’s as if we’re living in Australia,” claims Mary Ann. And she has a point; their delayed Christmas celebration involves a BBQ lunch, sunshine, and lots of outdoor living. Lovely!
How does a Summermas work?
The principles behind a summer Christmas are actually pretty straightforward.
You can obviously still undertake your religious duties during December, if you wish, and simply choose a date during the summer to hold the family get together.
It’s important to remember that, when you strip back Christmas celebrations, they’re not really any different from a normal family get together. There’s just presents, turkey, and usually more booze than normal involved. Perhaps the cheese board might be a bit bigger!
There are a few traditions, of course. But they’re just as easy to hold during the summer. In fact, they might be easier simply because you have more space to play with when celebrating outside.
The trick lies in being flexible with the date. Because you’re no longer tied to a specific date of the year, you can fine tune your Summermas date to make the most of the weather and people’s time. A good date might be 25th June, it’s a Friday in 2021.
What are the benefits of holding Christmas during the summer?
Hosting Christmas is stressful, right? Therefore if you’re tasked with that job, the Summermas alternative is likely to pique your interest (and that of your family members) for a number of reasons.
Let’s consider why a summer Christmas is become more appealing for many people:
- you don’t have to bother with the Christmas tree (you can still put that up in December, remember)
- you can spread the present buying, if you wish, across two dates with plenty of time in between
- you don’t have to cram everyone into one room and dig out the ‘emergency chairs’
- there’s no big turkey to fret over cooking correctly
- it’s more relaxing because there’s no Christmas hype
- good weather and a bit of outdoor living will raise spirits for everyone and avoid the 3pm slump
- there’s more to do in the garden if you get bored, thanks to the availability of outdoor sports and activities
- the day is far longer and brighter
Most importantly, it gives you back December 25th to spend in any way you wish and with as few people as you wish. Who knows, if the Summermas turns out to be a roaring success for your family, perhaps it’ll become a permanent fixture!
Need catering help?
We have a list of fabulous caterers throughout Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and the West Midlands who could help for a Summermas and Plato can help with all your catering equipment hire requirements and outdoor catering equipment needs – Barbecue hire and Paella Pan & Burner hire are always a popular choice.
Find out how we can help your Summermas go down a treat by chatting to our friendly team.