Planning a Christmas stay in a holiday cottage?

I thought it might be helpful to give you just a quick checklist of what you might like to whizz through so your Christmas staycation can be a complete success.

In addition to the following, it really is worthwhile doing a bit of Googling about the area you’re going to especially around Yuletide – it might involve some quirky traditions like people throwing themselves into the sea or running up a hill! 😊

Christmas Checklist

Groceries:

Consider booking a click-and-collect on your way to the holiday cottage or opt for grocery delivery to your door. With most supermarkets offering delivery services across the UK, it’s a convenient way to ensure you have everything you need. The beauty of it is that you can book a slot well in advance and keep adding items as they come to mind. If you’re going as a group, this is especially handy for everyone to contribute their preferences. After all, most families have unique and wonderful food traditions around Christmas – even if it involves sprouts dipped in chocolate!

Local specialities:

Most holiday cottage owners want you to have a really fantastic time and would be happy to spend some time talking about local specialties. For instance if you eat Turkey there might be a local organic farm you can purchase from or fresh veg.

Give them a ring an advance.  For instance here in our area of Pembrokeshire we have a fabulous farm shop run by a super couple who really care about all their produce whether that be meat or veg.  Also there is a cheese shop which is truly fabulous.

Seamless Holiday Planning: Advance Reservations and Kitchen Ready Essentials

It can be really good fun to research local pubs, restaurants and eateries and get tables booked early.  Not only does it give you something to look forward to, but it also eliminates the stress of finding last-minute options.

If you’re heading to Pembrokeshire, visiting the Visit Pembrokeshire website is a valuable resource. Besides using Google, the owners of your cottage might offer helpful tips too.

Kitchen Essentials Check:

If the owners of the cottage don’t supply a list of what you’ll find in the kitchen it might be a good idea to have a chat with them ahead of your arrival to make sure that you have what you need.  A couple of suggestions are:

• Check the oven size
• Roasting tin / baking trays
• Number of saucepans
• Colander / Sieve
• Scales / meat thermometer
• Cooking foil / greaseproof paper
• Measuring jug
• Good sharp kitchen knives
• Freezer / fridge space

Decorations

You might like to have a chat with the cottage owner about decorations.  It may be that you have a preference to have them or not.  We had one guest that came with a dog that had a fetish for eating Christmas trees so they didn’t want one.  It may also be that the size and layout of your cottage might influence your decision.

Presents etc..

In addition to remembering to take what you have already bought, a good tip I was given was to take some extra wrapping paper and Sellotape so that if you find any last minute gifts locally you don’t have to buy whole rolls and then carry them home and keep them somewhere until next year when you can’t find them again.

Fire wood

If you have booked a cottage with an open fire, ask the owner if fire wood is provided and if you can purchase more if you want it.  Also good to check about matches, fire lighters and kindling.

Staying in touch

If you want to keep in touch with friends and family, it may be a good idea to chat with the owner about communications ahead of your holiday and pass the info on.  For instance, our cottages have really thick walls and the phone signals aren’t great so letting people know it is best to stay in touch via WhatsApp or Messenger can be a good thing.

Things you might like to take with you:

Entertainment

While many cottages offer cards and games, consider bringing along your family favourites for added enjoyment. Ensure you can watch your preferred shows and movies by checking if the cottage has DVD players or the capability to access your online channels through the TV.

Medications for a Worry-Free Celebration:

Don’t let Christmas overindulgence catch you off guard. Pack essential medications just in case, avoiding the hassle of finding an open chemist in a new location during the holiday season.

Presents and Festive Must-Haves:

We went away Christmas once and I left all the wrapped Christmas stocking presents under the bed at home, it didn’t go down well! Pack presents in a box as you purchase and wrap them to ensure nothing gets left behind. Don’t forget to include your favourite Christmas drinks, crackers, and festive napkins for that extra holiday spirit.

Outdoor Gear

Christmas is not the sunniest time of year so it might be an idea to make sure you’ve got enough wet weather gear to make going for walks is a dry and toasty warm experience.  Taking a torch too might be an idea, just in case you walk back from the pub in the dark.

These are just a few things.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if everything isn’t perfect, it’s about having a great experience but if you are anything like me then you might enjoy the  fun of bringing things together and getting excited in advance.

Just in case it’s helpful here is a (Link) to the list we provide our guests about what they’ll find in their cottage. Take a quick look to see if there’s anything you want to check about yours.

Wishing you a very happy fun filled Yuletide! Whether you’re staying in or going away, we hope you have a truly fantastic time.