CHRISTMAS is almost upon us and judging by the abundance of jolly lights and decorations that seem to have sprung up earlier than usual, it has not been cancelled.

Well, at least not in spirit anyway.

Sadly, like every major social event in the 2020 calendar, Christmas has been kiboshed by Covid-19.

Anxiety and confusion over virus guidance and rules and is now characterising the run-up to what should be the most wonderful time of the year.

All is not lost, however.

Christmas dinners will still be cooked, children will still be delighted by piles of presents under the tree and over-indulgence will not be frowned upon, because it is still Christmas after all.

And perhaps a slimmed-down version will bring some benefits.

Less tension between multiple families across the dinner table, less washing up and, dare I say it, a bit of peace and quiet that can be used to reflect on all the things we should be grateful for.

If this year has shown us anything, it has been that the resilience of the Great British public remains intact and the kindness of strangers still exists.

This Christmas may be a less social affair than we'd like, but God willing, our loved ones will still be there when things get back to normal.

With the vaccination programme being rolled-out right now, there will hopefully come a time in the not too distant future when families and friends can freely gather again and make plans together with confidence.

Until then, we just have to dig in and ensure we are doing our bit in trying to make that time come as soon as possible.