The government have said that Christmas plans won't change, despite admitting the relaxing of coronavirus rules will lead to a spike in infections.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said the Government would not be changing the "legal framework" which allows people to form household "bubbles" over five days of the holiday period.
Under the plans for Christmas, agreed by all four nations of the UK, people are allowed to travel across the UK to form a special Christmas bubble with three households from December 23-27.
Yesterday t he nations "looked again" at the proposed rules after medical experts urged the government to scrap the plans following a spike in covid-19 cases.
The nations are due to resume talks today, but Mr Jenrick said the plans would not change legally, but he urged people to use their "personal judgement" in deciding whether to meet up with family over Christmas.
Speaking to Sky News he said: "We all need to use our own personal judgement thinking about our own families whether we have particularly elderly or clinically vulnerable relatives who might be round the Christmas table, and also looking at the fact that the rates of the virus are rising in many parts of the country.
Will Christmas rules change?
"Thinking of some of the examples we can see internationally like Thanksgiving, for example, where lots of people coming together did have consequences after the event.
"I would just urge people to use their personal judgement and to think carefully whether this is the right thing for their family."
Mr Jenrick admitted that relaxing coronavirus restrictions over Christmas will lead to a rise in the infection rate.
He said: "This is a virus that thrives on social interaction, so bringing more people together, even over this short period of time, is not cost-free. It will have consequences in terms of increasing the rate. It will rise."
Mr Jenrick suggested some people may want to put off large family gatherings until the spring and said: "Easter can be the new Christmas."
