Davenham couple keep Christmas lights up to lift Covid gloom

With the dark winter nights casting a gloomy setting for the third national lockdown, Karen and Paul Donovan decided not to take their Christmas decorations down this week.

They originally planned to keep them up until March, but Karen told the Guardian that they are now considering keeping the dazzling display in their home and garden right through to January 2022.

“With everything going on at the moment we just wanted to brighten things up a bit,” said Karen, 58.

“Some people have said they took their decorations down the day after Christmas – that it did not feel the same this year anyway.

“But for me, with isolation and everything else, it has just brightened everything up.”

The couple, who have four grown-up sons and 10 grandchildren, will be isolating from the coronavirus again during the current lockdown having also spent much of last year on their own.

They were at least able to see some of their family on Christmas Day, passing presents through the car windows to relatives living closer to home, but the closure of hotels in Tier 4 had scuppered plans for those travelling from further afield. 

“It has been a struggle for everyone,” said Karen.

“Our family is scattered around the country and we have been living in different tiers. We had a video call on Christmas Day, so we got to see all four of them.”

With vaccinations now being rolled out in mid Cheshire, there is now at least some light at the end of the Covid tunnel.

Karen and husband Paul, who has a guide dog called Cooper, have some optimism for the future – but admit life could feel a lot different when society opens back up again.

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Karen added: “I am hopeful but I am scared of going out at the moment. I’m not sure what it will be like when this is all done.”