Families across England won't be able to meet up until December.
But could tough new measures mean some of us might be able to enjoy Christmas dinner together?
Announcing the new nationwide 'stay at home' rules, Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggested it might be possible.
The Prime Minister’s view was supported by his chief scientific adviser Professor Chris Whitty, who said the lockdown, which is due to end on December 2, would give a "much better chance" of family festivities.
Addressing the nation, Mr Johnson said: “Christmas is going to be different this year, perhaps very different. But it’s my sincere hope and belief that by taking tough action now we can allow families across the country to be together.”
Prof Whitty said: “There is basically no perfect time and there are no good solutions, all the solutions are bad, and what we’re trying to do is have the fewest – the least bad – set of solutions at a time which you actually achieve the kind of the balance that needs to be struck between all these things that ministers have to make decisions on.
“In terms of festivities, whether it’s Christmas or any other religious tradition, we would have a much better chance of doing it with these measures than we would if these measures were not being taken today.
“I think let us see how this goes over the next few weeks.”
Mr Johnson confirmed that the Westminster government was speaking to the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland about “plans for Christmas and beyond”.
But Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer suggested the Prime Minister was offering false hope.
He told reporters: “I don’t think Christmas will be normal and I think we need to level with the public on that.
“This lockdown is going on to at least December 2, everybody’s seen the figures, and, therefore, I don’t think it’s fair to pretend that Christmas is going to be normal in any sense of the word.”
