‘Calling her this morning to say I won’t make it home was extremely upsetting’: Edinburgh salon owner speaks of ‘emotionally draining’ decision to cancel Christmas plans

An Edinburgh salon owner has spoken of an emotionally draining year, starting a new business and looking ahead to a large family Christmas in 2021 as current festive plans are cancelled.

As the latest news on a new strain of Covid leads to restrictions put on Christmas travel, many up and down the country have had to cancel festive plans.

Joanna Mancini, who owns the business JM Waxing, was supposed to be heading north to see her grandmother who lives in a care home in Dunnet.

‘Calling her this morning to say I won’t make it home was extremely upsetting’: Edinburgh salon owner speaks of ‘emotionally draining’ decision to cancel Christmas plans

Jo and her partner, who live in Midlothian, were planning to stay with her mother near John O’Groats and see her granny by appointment, as 10 months has now passed since they saw each other face-to-face.

She explained that her visit to her granny would involve them sitting in separate rooms with a glass wall between them and a monitor to allow them to speak adding: “Now my partner and I will be staying at home in Midlothian ourselves as we cannot get up north and my family cannot get down due to the new current restrictions.

"It’s going to be a virtual Christmas over FaceTime with the family.”

Jo found the new restrictions emotionally draining, saying: “It’s been an extremely challenging year for everyone and I think everyone, myself included, was so looking forward to just seeing family and loved ones after the first lockdown and then local lockdowns.

"It was what had been keeping spirits high for myself and many others.

"Now after the rules changing from five days to one so quickly, and last minute, it’s very upsetting as many people have not seen loved ones.

"The last time I saw my granny in person was in February. Other than that it’s been phone calls.

"Calling her this morning to say I won’t make it home was extremely upsetting as she’s been looking forward to the visit.”

Jo opened her new salon after her employer, who she had worked with for seven years, had to close down their business due to the coronavirus lockdown.

She explained: “I knew I always wanted my open my own salon eventually, but suddenly it was a time constraint to find a shop,

“This is always a stressful process but during a world pandemic it was even worse.

"It’s been absolutely amazing being open again as we have the loveliest of clients but now with another lockdown it’s like being knocked down again.

With a difficult year coming to an end, and last minute Christmas plans cancelled, Jo, along with thousands of others are looking to the future for hope.

“So next Christmas the one thing I can’t wait for is having the whole family back together and hopefully seeing my granny.

"Last night when the new rules came out I FaceTimed with my mum and we spoke about how next year (hoping it will be allowed) we’re going to have a big family celebration, have the whole family home and finally get the time together that we lost this year.

"We will see who will be the new champion of the board game Articulate!”

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