Important notice: This article was written on December 16, and is now out of date. There are now major changes to Christmas rules in Scotland, which can be viewed here.

No "substantial" changes to rules on gathering over Christmas will be made in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has said. 

Leaders of the four devolved nations held talks over the planned relaxation of restrictions over the festive period, after concerns were raised by health experts over a possible surge in infection numbers.

Talks have so far concluded that no "substantial" changes have been made to the easing of restrictions, but the First Minister says discussions are no yet over.

Political leaders have however agreed to stronger messaging around the need for people to limit their contacts at Christmas.

Here are the rules as they stand in Scotland:

How many people can I meet for Christmas in Scotland?

In guidance released on Wednesday, the Scottish Government said people should try to minimise the number of people in a Christmas bubble.

Although three households is the legal maximum, the recommendation is that two would be better.

Scots should keep to a maximum of eight people, age 12 and over. The government says: "the smaller the bubble, the better and safer it will be".

How long does this relaxation last?

In line with previous guidance, Scots can meet in an exclusive bubble composed of three households between December 23 and 27. Nicola Sturgeon has said that this period should be seen as a window of opportunity, not a target.

The Scottish Government recommends people do not meet up with people in your bubble on any more than one day over the period and do not stay overnight unless it is unavoidable. 

Can I travel to a different council area for Christmas?

As per previous advice, you can. However, the Scottish Government is recommending against travel between low and high prevalence areas over Christmas.

They say: "Avoid all travel between high prevalence and low prevalence areas - in particular, that means avoiding travel to or from Scotland and Tier 3 areas in England, and to or from any Level 4 areas in Scotland (of which there are currently none)."

Can I go out for dinner on Christmas?

No. The three households can meet in a home, an outdoor place or a place of worship, however, they cannot meet in places like hospitality or entertainment venues. 

Do I need to self-isolate before meeting other households?

It is not a necessity, however anyone who is choosing to form an extended bubble is advised to limit social contact before and after the five days where rules are relaxed.

You must not form a Christmas bubble if you are self-isolating. If anyone in the bubble develops symptoms of coronavirus, all members of the bubble will have to isolate until a test result is received. If this is positive all members will have to isolate as advised by Test and Protect.

What about Hogmanay?

Nicola Sturgeon has previously said that there "cannot be any further relaxation of measures" for New Year's Eve.