The C Word
I know what you think, we are in the last bits of the summer, we still manage a BBQ every now and then and shorts are not packed yet. Halloween has not ended up in stores yet and I’ve just finished the word C.
Do not panic, I do not want to say that we have to look at “Eleven” repetitions; far from it. In fact, I think I am one of the few people who do not like the film and, although we have a confession, I do not like Home Alone either! If you are not too keen to read through, I beg you to consider the fact that Christmas is on the horizon, and thus it is a requirement to be cheerful, organized and cheerfully organized!
Let me make one thing clear, even though I do not like Will Ferrell, I love Christmas. I even like it; I love the decorations, the games, the weird family traditions, the food, the careful packaging of gifts, the nonchalant way to open them, and I especially love the mulled wine! However, I also like things that are a bit different, and I do not understand why Christmas should be an exception to that desire to be a bit quirky.
There is a great alternative to the prospect of cooking a five-course dinner for 12 people and watching the festive films that in my opinion offer an even better warm, cozy, family-oriented and cost-effective, hassle-free and peaceful atmosphere …. a camping holiday in one of our great Quirky Campers vans!
Do I have to stay or should I go?
Often an important decision at Christmas is the family whose family has to be visited in the morning, whose stay is for Boxing Day and who becomes New Year. In our house, it is also a tense game of stone shrink shears to determine who is going to drive and who can enjoy the mandatory mulled wine. Often there is not enough space in the houses of people to offer everyone a bed for the night, which means you can drive around for hours to miss all the fun.
If you have rented a camper for the Christmas holidays, you have many more options available. One scenario is that you effectively bring the guest room, so it is not necessary to press five people into an inflatable air bed in the living room! It means that you both get to drink and that no one has to argue about the fact that they do not know the rules for rock, paper, scissors.
There are vans available for rent throughout the country from Aberdeen to central London to Dorset, so if you want to pick something up locally, that’s a great option. As an alternative, with most RV parks in the UK open all year round, you can choose to spend Christmas away from home in a campervan – better yet, make a family-wide suggestion of getting away and trying something different. then with compact two-berths for spacious delivery vans with five berths, there is a configuration for everyone.
If you dream of a classic Christmas with all the trimmings and a roaring fire, I would say that renting a van is a pretty good option.
Deck the Halls
Just because you are somewhere smaller than your home does not mean that you have to compromise on decorations. OK, you might not get 6ft pine up without a certain level of difficulty, but there are many more wonderful ways to decorate your van.
Christmas lights and bunting should never be underestimated; there is no easier way to make the interior of a camper look like an elven cave than to be light-minded with small twinkling lights. However, a warning is not entirely in the extreme of “National Lampoons”, because too much fire can be. Handmade paper with snowflakes and pompoms looks great and all these things can easily be attached to cabinets because it is, of course, important to remember that what you make will also move when the van travels, so you do not want to have to redecorate every time when you change location or open a door.
Catering for 12
So you have sorted the decorations, you camp on a beautiful site with a view of the forest to give the feeling that you could be in Narnia, now you have to feed everyone.
Vans come with different kitchen setups; some with countertop portable heaters, some with built-in hobs and some also have ovens. If you feel really adventurous, you can cook outside; There is something fun to gather around a campfire and cook together. You can cook almost any type of food in a camper, but your oven will probably not fit on a large turkey and all the trimmings, so you may need to be a bit creative.
Go a bit smaller – a whole turkey can become a turkey crown or a chest wrapped in parma ham cooked in the oven, with pigs in blankets and the rest of the bells and whistles on the hob. If there is a large group of you, you can consider a mini oven like an Omnia for anything that does not fit in the main oven. Plus, those excellent bits of kit are great for baking cakes and bread, so you do not have to go without something sweet for afters!
BBQ food never fails to feed both the soul and the stomach; Imagine that your speck chicken is cooking, which can be done in about 40 minutes, both on the grill and on the BBQ. You could visit the whole Caribbean and compliment it with sweet potato chips and acorn mix or stick to roasties and vegetables, but anyway, you’re going to serve something very tasty in a fraction of the time that it would cost you a whole roast at home. to make.
Wellies Out! Beef or mushroom wellington requires an oven of a certain description, but it is a good choice because it is affordable and easy to prepare, apparently …. although, if my efforts two years ago are all, it is best to make puff pastry. buy that not only has French instructions and not to drink half a bottle of champagne before you start cooking, so you do not find any colleagues you know have previously made Instagram worthy offers from this dish to ask them if it is good if you cover the pâté on the dough and did you have to cook the steak before or after trying to pack it? we have made those efforts to the never to be repeated pile and in our house, we now keep roast and a strictly no drink before the main is in the oven!
Do not forget the mulled wine to really get everyone in the mood and keep them warm too!
Ambiance and atmosphere
I promised that a roaring fire would come in this vision of alternative Christmas, and there will be! Many of the vans that are rented at Quirky Campers have their own wood-burning stoves which, frankly, are the epitome of the festive atmosphere. Those who do not, can not stay behind, because you will certainly no longer have a cold with diesel or gas heating and an abundance of blankets to nest you. And of course, fires are just as good outside as in, especially when it comes to a marshmallow and a mug of hot chocolate.
Preserve the traditions
Our family tradition has become one that keeps an eye on my ever accurate father’s attempt to be decisive and on the verge of veracity in every game of charades, Rapidough, taboo style. To the frustration of my mother watching the ominous doom, it is a struggle he loses, while he strives for absolute perfection of the description, which of course is entirely in my favor when the losing team prepares the table. Nobody seems to have taken into account that this year I also give the choice of the game ….
Such traditions can, of course, be continued in a camper van; For example, Bella has cozy seating for up to six people, so you can still bring Monopoly to the moment when everyone falls and you leave a big camper to relax after the aftermath!
It could follow the Queen’s Speech – no problem as some vans have TV screens or TV points and Wi-Fi boosters are available to rent as optional extras, so wherever you are in the world, you can still tune.
It can of course be the perfect opportunity to start a new tradition; maybe one that brings a stress-free break in a campervan, that allows you to explore parts of the world where you might not otherwise have the opportunity to visit Christmas markets and participate in activities that are being done in the villages and towns in the near where you stay; it is a great way to get cozy (if you want), but you still have the luxury of your own little festive paradise to retreat if you want to cocoon yourself a bit.
Back to being organized
If you are thinking of getting away before Christmas, it is a good idea to check availability now – some of our vans are already fully booked!
If you are considering a hotel outing, a camper break may offer a very cost-effective way to have a similar experience without the seasonal costs, since our prices are low / mid-season in December and January.
Camping with Christmas is a great alternative option that certainly does not mean you can not participate in traditional celebrations because there will always be plenty to do, even if you’re a bit weird!
May I be the first to wish you a very little Merry Christmas! (Sorry not sorry!)