The idea of a ‘digital Christmas’ leaves me cold

The ridiculous notion from Scotland’s national clinical director will likely have been received like a cup of cold sick by many, writes Janet Street-Porter

People in Scotland have been told to prepare for the possibility of a digital Christmas (Getty)

Plans for Christmas are going to be complicated if you live north of the border.

The Scottish government’s national clinical director, Jason Leitch, isn’t a man who minces his words, and he upstaged the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, by declaring: “Christmas is not going to be normal … there’s no question about that … there’s not going to be multiple families coming round ... people should get their digital Christmas ready.”

Sturgeon has now announced a new five-level (England has three, Wales just one) system of coronavirus restrictions to be applied throughout the country, depending on levels of infections. Level zero allows eight people from three different households to meet indoors, level 1 allows eight people from two households to meet indoors, while level 2 doesn’t allow any.

Confusing? The whole of the UK now has more rules than any game of Monopoly I’ve ever played on Christmas Day, with national and local leaders all playing tin pot gods. As for a “digital Christmas” that will be received like a cup of cold sick with people who don’t get free TV licences, those who can’t afford services like Amazon Prime and Netflix and who can’t understand how to load it all on their ancient sets anyway – ie, a very big swathe of the population.

And I’d like to ask Leitch how to manage my “digital” Christmas shopping if all the delivery slots are booked following his ridiculous statement.

Finally, turkeys could be in short supply if the government doesn’t relent and allow 1,000 seasonal workers from Europe who normally help to slaughter and process the birds to enter the UK without going through extended quarantine restrictions.

Happy Noel!