Chance to come together in many ways this Christmas
Inside Holyrood by Edward Mountain
Christmas will be very different for many of us this year, but we should never forget that it is a time for families.
Sadly, it will probably be a Christmas without carol services or the chance to attend your local panto or school’s nativity play.
We can, however, rejoice in that not all festive cheer has been lost. Thankfully, families and friends will have a small window of opportunity, if they want to use it, over Christmas to meet with their loved ones in their homes.
This brief respite from the restrictions will be especially welcome to those who have been living alone for much of the lockdown and who can now reunite with their families.
Christmas can happen if we are sensible and limit our connection to ‘bubbles’ of up to three households. A smaller and more meaningful Christmas, which is possible due to the commitment of Highlanders in following the guidelines since March, which has kept Covid-19 at bay.
Christmas is a time of hope and never more so this year with the rollout of the vaccine offering us an escape from the pandemic.
Last week the United Kingdom was the first country in the world to have a clinically approved vaccine for supply. This is a major turning point in the battle against Covid-19 and, with some vaccines being 90 per cent effective, there is a realistic chance of returning to a sense of normality sooner rather than later.
The rollout of the vaccine cannot come quickly enough not only for those at risk but also for our local shops and businesses, which continue to be hard-hit by the pandemic.
Our local high street shops are struggling like never before and I urge you to make your festive resolution a commitment to help them as much as possible. For these shops to survive, we need to use them or we will lose them.
We all must remember ‘buy local, locally’ is better than using larger online retailers. It might not be so convenient, but it does protect the fabric of our high streets, which are constantly under threat by shop, bank and post office closures. A little more of our hard-earned money staying in the local economy promoting local jobs is something we should all try to achieve.
We should look at the opportunities that buying local will bring. The chance to indulge in our world-renowned produce like whisky, Scotch beef, Scotch lamb or locally produced turkeys and geese.
As the countdown to Christmas continues, I would urge everyone to also think about their neighbours and communities. Is there someone you can reach out to and let them know you care?
A card, a call, a chat does just that – a small act of recognition of those who often feel invisible is a much-needed gift. A gift that I believe we in the Highlands know better than others how to give.
As the saying goes, ‘don’t be a stranger’ and certainly don’t be one this Christmas.
I wish all readers of the Caithness Courier and John O’Groat Journal a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
- Edward Mountain is a Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands