Celebrating Christmas in a campervan offers a unique alternative to traditional home-based festivities, requiring careful planning and preparation to ensure a magical holiday experience. From securing campsite bookings well in advance and preparing for winter weather conditions in your VW campervan to considering alternative Christmas dinner options and thoughtful decorating solutions that maximise limited space, the key to a successful campervan Christmas lies in the details. Whether choosing a scenic location like the Peak District or Brecon Beacons for a nature-focused celebration, or parking near historic cities like York or Exeter for a more urban festive experience, proper preparation – including warm clothing, heating considerations, and advance restaurant reservations if dining out – ensures your mobile Christmas celebration can be just as memorable as a traditional one, while offering the unique advantage of waking up to stunning new locations on Christmas morning.
How To Spend Christmas In a Campervan
Christmas is a special time. Whether you treat the holiday as a religious celebration, or you prefer to think of it as a time to spend with friends and family, we all want to have a perfect Christmas. Having the perfect Christmas means getting a few things right – the food, the location, the decorations and the people you choose to spend your time with. For campervan owners, your Christmas can be much more varied than if you choose to celebrate at home, if you know how. Christmas in a campervan can be every bit as satisfying as at home.
Preparations
The first thing to consider should be your preparation. While you should always try to book ahead on your campervan trips, it is especially important for Christmas. You wouldn’t leave a Christmas at home to fate, and neither should you in a van. Make sure that you have everything that you need. Create an inventory of every possible thing you might need at Christmas, and tick them off in the van. The same goes for your bookings. If you are camping at a site, book well in advance. Check that your preferred places to camp are available at Christmas, even if you do not usually need to book far in advance. If you are planning to eat out, book tables in advance too – you don’t want to be caught out.
Consider The Weather
We might not often have a white Christmas in the UK, but that doesn’t mean it’s warm. While Denby Campervans do our utmost to make your camper warm and insulated, a cold night can get chilly in even the warmest campervan. You don’t want to be cold at Christmas. As a result, you need to pack properly to stay warm. You probably don’t want to spend Christmas day shivering under blankets, so make sure you pack warm clothes. If you have a heater in your van, make sure you have fuel or power for it. If you like to have a fire outside, make sure that you have the logs or coal you need to keep it burning.
Christmas Dinner in a Campervan
Even the best equipped campervan might struggle to make a Christmas Dinner. There are so many components to the traditional Xmas meal that cooking them in any sort of confined space might be a challenge. That gives you two options if you want to spend Christmas in a campervan. Option 1 is to consider whether you need to have a traditional Christmas Dinner, or whether something simpler might actually make you just as happy. Option 2 is to eat out. Christmas Dinner in a pub or restaurant can be a very enjoyable experience – so long as you book well in advance.
Destinations
It’s important to make your van feel Christmassy if you are going to spend your Xmas in it. This is not just a case of putting up a bit of tinsel. A small Christmas tree might fit in your van, but does it take up too much space? A real tree will drop needles, creating additional mess. It might be worth considering how to create the idea of a Christmas tree, without needing all of one. A wreath or a garland can bring a hint of vegetation into your home, without needing as much space or cleaning.
The Perfect Camper
There needs to be a reason to spend Christmas in a campervan. Many people would always rather be in their own home, so your campervan Christmas needs to be somewhere special instead. Consider what makes Christmas special to you, and try to choose a location that matches. If it’s access to restaurants, and places to visit over the festive break, consider a site near a picturesque town or city – perhaps York or Exeter. If you prefer to be in a spectacular location, then a wild camping spot, or a campsite somewhere dramatic might suit your better – perhaps the Peak District or Brecon Beacons.
