Putting the holiday into your holiday home
Owning your own UK holiday home really is a gift all year, every year, but especially at Christmas.
We’re offering you our top tips for turning your holiday home into a Winter wonderland this Christmas, and how to embrace the holiday season at your home away from home.
Wherever you have your UK holiday home, there is something special about the locality and the region; it’s why you holiday there. Learning about, and fully immersing yourself in the local area is one of the joys of having a home from home. It’s something that applies at Christmas too.
Of course, being able to go to your holiday home at Christmas, and holidaying when you want all year round, is another joy. Plus, the fun of Christmas in a holiday home is that you can embrace the local area with regional decorations, foods and gifts.
It doesn’t have to be an expensive or overstated thing. Just add a few little holiday touches to each and every room in your seasonal home. It brings it all together. A Christmas-scented candle, cheerful furnishings, a few fairy lights around a mirror, some ribbons trailing on the door and drawer handles. It’s the little things that matter most. Or, you can go all out and create a merry haven!
We’re taking a look at some festive caravan living room ideas, the best Christmas wreaths for your holiday property, outside light ideas for your decking, and the best classic and modern ideas that add a joyful sparkle to your second home! Let’s check it out…
Christmas Trees
A classic Christmas tree makes every house a home – even a holiday home
Holiday lodge, static caravan, chalet or barn conversion - a Christmas tree is non-negotiable.
Wherever you are and whatever type of holiday home you have; if you celebrate Christmas, then you need a tree.
Tastes and views differ on Christmas trees. The ‘real’ one? The fibre optic all-action one? The big statement or the tiny hint. The main thing is - it’s your choice. Use the space you have with a big tree or a small one. There’s even a Lego Christmas tree, or an upside down Christmas tree (which is more traditional than you think, dating back to the eight century!)
Trends come and go with Christmas decorating, with traditional looks being red, gold and green, of course. Nowadays, anything and everything goes. A colourful, pop-art style with all the colours of the rainbow is fine. A light Scandi-style white and rustic theme works too. More on that later.
You could go minimalist with a tiny potted tree or go big with garlands, wreaths, lights and everything in between. Christmas is a great time to express your artistic side and create a home from home in your holiday property.
A Festive Wreath
A great Christmas wreath for your holiday home front door
The Christmas wreath comes from age-old traditions of pruning the Christmas tree into the shape of a triangle “to represent the Trinity”, and weaving the excess greenery into a wreath.
Today, we can buy faux wreaths from practically every store, or order beautiful (slightly more expensive) real ones from florists. From the traditional pine wreaths to wreaths made of all sorts, from pompoms to buttons, Christmas wreaths usually take pride of place on the front door, but they can be placed anywhere in and around your holiday home.
There’s an influx of wreath-making classes popping up year on year, or you could attempt to make your own at home. Don’t forget about the free stuff you can get from foraging. Provided you don’t trespass or break any rules, local foliage, leaves and even the odd log or two add special seasonal touches to your locally themed Christmas.
Christmas Lights
Why not Add some Christmas lights to your caravan
Outdoor Christmas lights are key for adding a touch of extra sparkle to exteriors - what’s better than wrapping up warm and walking to look at all the twinkling lights? Christmas lights would look perfectly festive wrapped around your caravan decking, your lodge exterior, or in the windows of your holiday home.
Christmas lights vary in all shapes and sizes these days, from muted warm whites and bright blues to multicolour light shows and light projectors. And, most Christmas lights are energy-efficient LEDs these days, which means less impact on your electricity bill and the environment. More on why a UK holiday home is a sustainable choice here.
Christmas Shopping
Think local - From Teesside to THE SEASIDE, there’s something festive you can do
If you fancy a more hands on and seasonal approach for festive decor, check out local Christmas Fairs.
If your holiday home is at Tingdene Mablethorpe Chalet Park for example there’s the annual Mablethorpe Christmas Market.
Or, if your holiday home is in Suffolk at Broadlands Park and Marina you could take a look at The Suffolk County Christmas Fair.
Head to Norwich in Norfolk, a drive from Caldecott Hall Country Park or Waveney River Centre, and find a plethora of places to do some Christmas shopping in the fine city.
Or close to South Shore holiday park is the Bridlington Old Town Dickensian Festival & Advent Craft Fair for handmade gifts, live music and a special advent service.
There are great places to buy local decorations and fabulous food and drink for the season all around our holiday home locations.
Christmas Themes for your holiday home
Traditional, Golf, minimalist, seaside - choose your theme depending on your holiday home location
Trends for 2024 include Quirky Christmas, Barbiecore, and Natural Christmas. But why not make Christmas about your holiday home location? There is now a huge range of decorations, ornaments and seasonal accessories with all kinds of themes.
If you have a holiday home at Caldecott Hall Country Park, or maybe at Tingdene South Shore, the chances are it’s because golf is your thing. So why not make it a golf-themed Christmas? All the major online retailers are worth a look as they carry themed ornaments. Buy some Golf ball shaped baubles instead of traditional baubles or tiny Santas in tiny golf caddies, and you’re on par for a great Christmas.
Or maybe you’re a boat lover and you have a holiday home on the Broads at Broadlands Park & Marina or Waveney River Centre. That sounds ideal for some Canal Boat baubles.
A coastal holiday home deserves a coastal Christmas theme. Fitting with the natural trend, think driftwood and pebbles, sea shells and coral colours. Now add a dash of red or gold and suddenly it’s yuletide at the seaside. Check out the Coastal Lifestyle company for seaside ideas and inspiration.
There’s no reason - quite the contrary - to let your style credentials slip in your holiday home. Let’s face it - even by having a UK holiday home, you’re bang on trend. You can go there for Christmas with the family, so create a theme and spread the love with loved ones.
In summary, Christmas at your holiday home is a special thing
With your own UK holiday home you create a home from home. Somewhere to go when you want. Holidays are different now. We think about our time spent together in a different way. We appreciate it more.
Appreciating being together is never more significant than at Christmas. To be able to do that in your own holiday home is something special. Just a few touches and thoughts like these ideas can make that special time a very special time.
The Broads at wintertime is a wonderful place to be - enjoy it with a holiday home at Waveney River Centre or Broadlands Park & Marina
And what’s more, your holiday home is a gift in itself.
Here’s 4 reasons why a holiday home is a gift all year round
1. Walking in a winter wonderland - EXPLORE THE AREA AROUND YOUR UK HOLIDAY HOME
A UK holiday home is there for you all year round and, as much as we all love summer holidays, a winter break can be a great opportunity to recharge the batteries. A Christmas break can be a different way of spending the holiday; take the family, or steal away just you two. Share time with children and grandchildren, or grab some time together.
You can walk on the beach of course - it’s a great Christmas thing to do. But a walk in the wonderland of the Lincolnshire countryside? That’s a seriously special seasonal treat. Wherever you have a UK holiday home, from East Yorkshire to Norfolk, there’s always some winter wonderland to walk nearby.
The same can be said for all of our holiday home locations - Norfolk, Suffolk, East Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and Essex. The UK has some of the most beautiful countrysides and coasts to explore.
2. CHRISTMAS MARKETS AND CAROL CONCERTS - ENJOY FESTIVE EVENTS AROUND THE UK
Carol concerts, wildlife watching, Santa Cruises - the Broads are bursting with seasonal fun. And a holiday home at Tingdene Broadlands Park and Marina or Tingdene Waveney River Centre is the ideal Broads base.
Unique as they are, The Norfolk Broads are typical of the beautiful countryside the UK has to offer. There is open space and fresh air all over this country, and festive events to boot. No wonder, seeing as plenty of Christmas traditions we know and love hail from East Anglia - find out more about Christmas traditions close to Tingdene holiday parks here.
International travel is not looking any less unpredictable right now and seasonal pressures always add to the stress. Let’s face it, international travel is not exactly inexpensive either. And what’s more, in the season of goodwill, it’s not particularly friendly to our planet. So why not embrace what the UK has to offer with a festive staycation, and take advantage of all of the traditional Christmas events going on near your holiday home.
3. Get Christmas gifts for your holiday home
“What do you want for Christmas…?”
That question. Always well intended but somehow, sometimes, so hard to answer. ’Something for the home’ is a common response. But that can, be honest, be a bit dull. Something for the holiday home… now that’s different.
Bear in mind the ground we’ve covered already - you could gift some themed baubles and the local decor ready for next year. If you’re giving, or receiving, Christmas gifts for a holiday home do present (see what we did there?) a lovely opportunity. Not necessarily lavish or expensive ones, but ones given with thought.
Give board games and books that can become part of being together in your holiday home at Christmas. Even socks become more special if they are golf socks.
A bottle of something distilled nearby usually hits the mark. Check out our blog on regional food close to our holiday parks - there’s definitely some inspiration for some great gifts there.
How about a framed print of a favourite spot nearby, or a framed map of the local area; antique maps can be fascinating.
Or what about useful gifts like a coffee pot or tableware? They’re all things that help make a holiday home more special; and what more special time to give them than Christmas?
The snowy beaches of Bridlington, close to South Shore holiday park
4. A holiday home is the perfect place for a family gathering
Ok, we’ve talked about gifts. And, as we’ve pointed out, a UK holiday home creates lots of opportunities and ideas for a fabulously festive time. But think about this; more and more of us are coming to the same opinion on two big ideas.
Firstly, it’s not always easy, or appropriate, to spend lots of money on Christmas gifts. And, secondly, we’re beginning to realise that a lot of us, the fortunate ones, actually already have a lot of things. We’re starting to think that experiences and memories are more important than stuff.
So, when you have your own UK holiday home, here’s something you can do at Christmas. It doesn’t take long to type up and print out an invitation, which you can put in a seasonal envelope. Hand it over to your children, grandchildren or close friends. And just explain - this year, instead of things, we’re giving you something better. Come and have Christmas with us at our holiday home. Let’s all go away and have fun, to make some Christmas memories.
Or, you could say, ‘You go and have Christmas in our holiday home’ and let them be away, while you stay at home. Because you can go anytime - because a UK holiday home really is a gift all year round.
Having a UK holiday home of your own, be it at a Norfolk location like Caldecott Hall Country Park, or in East Yorkshire at Tingdene South Shore, is an all-year-round experience.
Don’t worry about Santa!
And just one more thing. If you, and in particular the little ones you know, are spending Christmas at your holiday home, then don’t worry. Santa has a very special SantaNav that finds children wherever they are at Christmas. He just knows…
A Happy (holiday home) Christmas to you all. And a happy new year.
Maybe you’ll make 2025 the year you think about your own UK holiday home with Tingdene!
