IT is with a very heavy heart I have decided not to go home to see my mum and dad for Christmas.
The restrictions in central Scotland mean I can’t go to visit my parents before the five-day Christmas “amnesty”.
And having thought it through, I’ve come to the conclusion it’s just not worth the risk to both of them for me to make the journey north.
Trains, planes and buses are booked solid from December 23 to 27 and the roads will be chock-a-block.
There is simply no chance I could drive all the way from London to East Kilbride without stopping for petrol and going to the loo, which means being in contact with far too many people.
I don’t want to end up catching the virus at a service station then infecting my mum and dad, or potentially breathing in the virus on a crowded train or bus.
I’m still too nervous to take a flight, especially if it’s full, so I will just stay put.
My dad is not well enough to travel after a series of setbacks, including breaking his ankle and suffering from a horrendous lung infection that has left him feeling very frail, so they can’t come to visit us either.
Even if both parents were in the best of health, I would be very uneasy about them travelling south because of how busy it’s going to be — which obviously carries a substantial chance of them catching Covid.
I honestly think most of us should scale down our celebrations for this year.
I’m not in any way suggesting we ban Christmas altogether. Just that we think long and hard about large gatherings of friends and family and settle for a Zoom call instead.
I’m fully aware it’s not the kind of Christmas we want — or, indeed, deserve — after the year we’ve all been through.
But I’m worried we will reap the whirlwind and end up in the tightest of all lockdowns at the start of 2021.
We are so close to kicking Covid’s ass, especially now we have a vaccine, that it would be shameful to throw it all away for a roast dinner that’s grown too big for its boots.
Believe me, I know the festive season is a lot more than eating, drinking and slumping in front of the TV.
Christmas is about family and friends — which is why it’s going to be so hard not to see those we have missed so much.
But I still think it’s absolutely the right thing to do. I’m in good company, as the Queen is having a very quiet Christmas at Windsor.
It will just be Her Majesty and Prince Philip, with a TV dinner and individual Christmas puddings.
I bet she’s secretly delighted at not having to get all dressed up and bejeweled then having to deal with the awkwardness of having two turkeys at the table — the cooked one and her embarrassing son Prince Andrew.
This year our Queen can just slip into her comfies and sit with a bumper box of chocolate liqueurs watching herself giving the festive message and, later on, enjoying Call The Midwife.
Most of my friends and family will be having their quietest Christmas ever and not going out at all at New Year.
I know it’s tempting to celebrate the end of 2020 with a giant bash and quaffing large quantities of booze.
But again, it’s just not worth it. It would undo all the sacrifices people have made this year and would be horribly unfair on our hard-pushed frontline NHS staff.
They deserve a bit of respite and for us to show a bit of common sense.
So this year it will be me, my husband Steve, daughter Rosie and our border terrier Angus — and lots of teary phone calls home.
It’s going to be a very emotional time.
But we can do it for one year and think of the wonderful parties in 2021 when all of this is eventually over.
Joe’s my Strictly winner
STOP what you are doing and get online for a big belly laugh.
The comedy genius Joe Tracini has been entertaining us through the summer with his fantastic “interpretive dances”, but he has surpassed himself.
Joe, who played Dennis Savage in Hollyoaks, has managed to get on the set of Strictly Come Dancing to do one of his show-stopping routines.
He even enlisted the help of host Tess Daly and the judges, with Craig Revel Horwood putting in a hilarious cameo and two of the professional dancers trying to pull off one of Joe’s iconic moves.
His hilarious routine is in danger of upstaging tonight’s semi-finals.
Obviously, I’m rooting for my friend Ranvir Singh, who has stunned us all by discovering her inner goddess even though she has never danced like this before.
But Bill Bailey, Maisie Smith, HRVY and Jamie Laing would all be worthy winners of the glitterball.
Although I do think they should make a special extra glittery ball for the utterly fabulous and twinkle-toed Joe Tracini.
Smiles better Vic
I DO wish Victoria Beckham would do more interviews, especially on TV.
She spoke to my friend, fashion expert Mark Heyes, this week and came across as funny, naughty and a right good laugh.
This is in total contrast to the unsmiling woman we see snapped by the paparazzi or launching her latest fashion show.
The love for her husband and children shone through, as well as her passion for fashion, and despite what she seems to think, Victoria has a really cute smile and should show it off more often.
After all, she has a hell of a lot to be happy about.
