People in Britain will be able to celebrate Christmas with other families under a relaxation of Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions for the holiday period.
Three households will be allowed to celebrate together as a “Christmas bubble,” the government announced.
The grouping would be exclusive, meaning one household could not change and meet another household outside their bubble during the period Dec 23-27.
The rules would apply for all parts of the United Kingdom: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
There will also be a relaxation of travel restrictions.
Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said the announcement represented “a balanced and workable set of rules that we hope will allow people to spend time together at this important time of year.”
England is returning to a tiered system of coronavirus restrictions at the beginning of December, after a partial lockdown lasting four weeks.
Food outlets such as restaurants will be able to reopen from Dec. 2 under certain conditions and in areas with lower infection rates.
The same goes for non-essential businesses, fitness studios and hairdressers.