Curfews, quarantines and even border closings complicated Christmas celebrations Friday for countless people around the globe, but ingenuity, determination and imagination helped keep the day special for many.
In Beijing, official churches abruptly cancelled Mass on Christmas Day in a last-minute move, after China’s capital was put on high alert following the confirmation of two confirmed Covid-19 cases last week, and two new asymptomatic cases were reported on Friday.
One of several notices was posted at Beijing’s St. Josephs’ Church, which was built originally by Jesuit missionaries in the 17th century.
Border crossing closures kept thousands of migrants from economically devastated Venezuela who live in Colombia from going home for Christmas.
Colombia’s government shut down the crossings in a bid to slow down the spread of Covid-19 infections. Those trying to return home for the holidays this year had to turn to smugglers.
Yakelin Tamaure, a nurse who left Venezuela two years ago, won’t be going home and said there will be no gifts or new clothes for her two children, aged 10 and 15. Tamaure said that she hasn’t been able to find work as a nurse because she still doesn’t have a Colombia residence permit. Her parents are still in Venezuela.
“My mother broke her foot and can’t walk properly so I’m worried about her,” said Tamaure. “I try to send her money, but its not the same as being there.”
Others successfully crossed borders elsewhere only to find themselves in quarantine. For their first Christmas since getting married in March, Nattasuda Anusonadisai and Patrick Kaplin are cooped up in quarantine in a Bangkok hotel room. It wasn’t great fun but they did make sure to get a Christmas tree.
They returned earlier this month from a 4 1/2-month trip to Canada and the United States, making a 32-hour journey from Montreal via Doha. One condition of entering Thailand is a 14-day quarantine upon arrival. Thai citizens can stay at state facilities for free but foreigners like Kaplin, from Canada, must pay to stay at an approved hotel, the option the couple took so they could stay together.