Camping for Christmas

These campsites usually are located in the mountain areas where the snow and winter conditions are an asset, such as the Aviemore with its well-supported skiing venues or The Lakes with its winter trekking and mountaineering locations.

But once you’ve found your site, apart from making sure that Santa knows where you are, think about taking Christmas with you. I’ve decorated tents and my motorhome during the festive period, going so far as to install a small Christmas tree in my Adamo last year. Make sure any presents, especially those for the kids, if you’re bringing any, are received in time to be packed and brought with you to ensure you sort any specific festive treats that may be hard to source abroad before we leave.

You may have to make some compromises. If you’re fortunate enough to be in a motorhome or caravan, you’ll still have all the cooking facilities you have at home but consider the size of that giant turkey and that it’ll all fit in your oven. But I’ve seen yule-tide goose breasts fried in bacon fat and wild mushrooms on a camping stove, and someone even slow-cooked a Christmas ham in a tin box buried in the sand under a beach campfire. As campers, we can be proud of our ability to find creative, make-do solutions.

But making use of your camping assets may not be restricted to hitting the road. If lockdown taught me anything, it was that camping could start at home. And if you choose to stay at home, don’t forget that hob top, grills and ovens in your van or caravan can all be put to good use on the day to extend your kitchen and hopefully take the pressure off the chef(s). Although I’ve never cooked a Christmas Dinner in my motorhome, I have done a few Sunday Roasts. And what is the festive feast other than a levelled-up Sunday dinner? And it’s hasn’t just been in the kitchen where my motorhomes have proven useful. Christmas is often about the aggregation of friends and families. We’ve used our motorhomes to house guests when we fell short of room. This year, as we’re away for Christmas, so we are celebrating early. With all the grandparents and friends over, so the Adamo will, once again, become an extra bathroom and bedroom. The motorhome is our home from home when we’re not at home and an extension of our home we are.

I’ve usually wanted to be at home, in my house, for Christmas and this year we’ll be away. But I’ll be away with Bex, and the boys, which I’ve realised is home. Home is about people rather than the place. So, wherever you end up this year, and by whichever methods you stay, I can only hope it’s with the right people.

Merry Christmas to one and all!