My original plan was to spend 29 Dec 2025 to 02 Jan 2026 at the cider pub site, namely Yew Tree Inn at Peterstow, Ross-on-Wye, which was what I did over the New Year weekends for the past 2 years.
Last year, I could not remember how I got back to the van from the pub, which was only about 150m away, it was that good!
They are having a cider club event on 27 Dec 2025, so I extended my stay for another 2 nights.
Then I thought why not spend the two big days there! So I extended my stay again from 24 Dec, hopefully the roads will not be too busy if I leave sufficiently early.
I have a well-equipped kitchen, plenty of fridge/cold storage, and can cook up a feast in the van. The menu would need slight adjustment as I can only fit a small piece of belly pork in it, which will be fine.
Now that the elderly cat has crossed the Rainbow Bridge, I do not feel so guilty about putting her into the cattery and go camping with the dog anymore.
I choose to spend Christmas and Boxing Day on my own, to do/eat/see/etc. as and when I feel like it. Also, I do not like to witness any arguments and other unpleasantries for people I do not know well.
Planning my meals already so that I can make lists of what to buy, to make in advance and to bring in the van. There is a well-stock village shop just around the corner from the pub that open long hours in case I run out of provisions so I am not too worried about running out of food.
Can't wait!
Anyone else planning to go camping over the festive period this year?
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
DK enjoy...sounds great plan. For the last few years we have gone away for New Year. Last two to the Morris site in Ludlow as it's walking distance from town and a lovely place it is too.
Fancied the Cotswolds for a change but all the CC sites are fully booked so it must be a popular idea.
We seem to always end up hosting for Christmas day and now the kids are doing their own thing it's nice to get away for a bit of peace on our own.
We try to use the van most months all year round, no good having it and not using it.
Sounds like a great plan, DK.
We don’t go away: few sites are open all year up here, it can be poor weather for driving, we’re fond of the wood burning stove (so is the dog) & it’s dark with us from 3pm to 10am. We indulge ourselves: just let the day pan out naturally around the dog walk.
I’m aware there are towns with good sites where popular Hogmanay events take place nearby: Kirkcudbright goes to a beach, Grantown on Spey has a street party, Mortonhall is a bus ride from Edinburgh's big street party. Christmas parties, not so much.
George -Mildred, would you not consider using CLs or CSs? Some of them have loos and showers, some have hardstandings and most have ehu. We usually go away over Christmas and New Year and always to a small site. Which part of the Cotswolds were you considering?
Mrs B, we were looking at Moreton in Marsh (or Broadway) solely so we can walk to town and back without the need for a car. Have used quite a few CLs in the past, I have just not been organised enough to search for ones with HS for winter close to a town/village.
So, off to Ludlow again this time and I might just have to get more organised for next year. Plus with the 3 for 2 night offer, it makes them good value for a 'bank holiday' time.
If I could find a camp site that BANNED Xmas in all forms, I'd seriously think about going away for a week or so.
I detest most aspects of Xmas, I don't do religion and really don't want to be around other people indulging, I don't want to join friends for 'party games' and Karaoke etc., my idea of Hell. I don't particularly want to be around screaming bickering brats either, so that rules out the only family I have left.
Plenty of friends who invite me to join them year in year out, but they don't seem to cotton on, I've always excused myself in many years passed!
I do sort of engage with the food though, as I love 'Xmas' cake, and pudding with Brandy butter (all of which which I do make for myself), mince pies, and of course a nice roast dinner, which for no particularly good reason I don't do often enough, so Xmas tends to be the trigger to indulge myself, not necessarily Turkey, but certainly not excluded.
And of course I have my dog, if the dog isn't included in any invite, then I'm not leaving her alone. I enjoy the company of my dog and I'm more than happy to just spend time with her NOT doing Xmas.
For decades, with various partners, and their families, I got dragged into all the shenanigans of the season, from the dreaded Xmas shopping for presents and food, to running around chauffeuring 'Great Uncle Bert' and 'Aunty Mable' from someone else's family to whatever home for Xmas dinner, they got rat arsed and had a great time, I stayed stone cold sober 'cos I was driving, and then got lumbered with every other task 'cos 'you're the only sober responsible one' - on reflection, my past Xmases were NOT much fun but often hard work! I've even had to bolt down an alcohol free Xmas dinner by 1pm, to do a run to Gatwick airport for a late afternoon flight my partner was on, 150 mile round trip with indigestion, wonderful! .... and did that a few times!
I have a leaning towards trying a Pagan Winter Solstice celebration, where the greed, gluttony and general insincerity of modern Xmas is replaced with something more akin to celebrating our planet and less the people that populate it! On a similar theme, much more sympathetic towards New Year celebrations, but that seems to have fallen out of favour in recent years in my circle of family and friends.
Enjoy your trip DK, and remember to ask someone less 'afflicted' if you had a good time!
Monty, I think you'd benefit from a break over the festive season, some quiet CL or small site where you can be left to your own devices, eat, drink and take the dog out for a good walk.
At least if you are not at home, you cannot be invited around, or at least have a good excuse not to go visiting.
Good idea. I once "did' Christmas.1994, working. Just had a new kitchen so had to move everything the day before. Went to the supermarket too late so ended up with what the corner shop could offer in the way of alcohol. Luckily had the turkey etc. up until 2am, up again at 6am. Went for a lie down at 6pm. Woke the next morning. Never invited back by anyone. Never again!
We love going to Christmas markets, but haven't been impressed by ones we have seen in the UK. For a number of years now, we've headed for Europe and this time it's to Hamburg.
Our younger daughter and her other half are joining us there and I've booked tickets for Minatur Wunderland, The world's largest model railway layout.
------------- Two drifters off to see the world.
I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.
The pub site where I am now will be quiet over the festive period.
Although they may have functions on again on the big days, it will be come and go as one pleases.
They will be open for drinks for a couple of hours on Christmas Day and possibly Boxing Day too.
New Year's Eve might have a band and some food. Most of the locals disappeared by about 22:00 in the evening, leaving the staff and the diehards to welcome the New Year in.
Last year, about 23:00, there were free food that were leftover from earlier in the evening, and the management offered the diehards free drinks including spirit chasers.
Hence I could not remember how I managed to get back to my van, it was that good!
Not going to bother about sending cards this year, not a good year with losing my mum and my cat within the same year.
I shall still make some edible festive goodies as gifts, like spicy roasted nuts and seeds mix.
If I have the time and not too tired from charity work for a service charity, then I shall make more edible goodies as gifts.
I am really looking forward to this as it will be a nice rest without having to get up early for work as I am an owl by nature.
I like being on my own. Telling people I would rather be on my own than to hang out with them is not something I can do well for concerns of hurting their feelings. I just go and do things on my own without broadcasting it in advance!
Certain types of people (needy, indecisive, forever asking for advice then go and do something else, doormats who lack the courage to get out of their ruts etc., harsh but true) suck the life out of me and I would avoid spending time with them at all cost. Yet they appear to like spending time with me.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
This year, for only the second time in over 50 years, we are going away for Christmas on our own. Five days in a hotel on the Isle of Wight getting waited on and not doing a single thing that we don't want to do. I don't even have to drive there as we are going by coach. That in itself will be strange for me, going on a coach without having to drive it!
Quote: Originally posted by Colin21 on 09/10/2025
This year, for only the second time in over 50 years, we are going away for Christmas on our own. Five days in a hotel on the Isle of Wight getting waited on and not doing a single thing that we don't want to do. I don't even have to drive there as we are going by coach. That in itself will be strange for me, going on a coach without having to drive it!
Enjoy!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
It dawned on me yesterday that I can roast the pork in the Cobb instead of indoors in the mini oven.
Probably need to bring it in to crisp up the skin under the grill towards the end, result!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by Colin21 on 09/10/2025
This year, for only the second time in over 50 years, we are going away for Christmas on our own. Five days in a hotel on the Isle of Wight getting waited on and not doing a single thing that we don't want to do. I don't even have to drive there as we are going by coach. That in itself will be strange for me, going on a coach without having to drive it!
Enjoy!
DK
Oh I'm sure we will! It will be a real first for me doing a coach trip to a hotel where I'm not the driver. My wife has never done anything quite like it either, as she never came on any of my coach tours. She had to stay home and look after the kids. By the time the kids had all left home I was driving trains rather than coaches.
We are always at home over Christmas usually. The only other time in our 57 years of married life we went away was a trip to a timeshare we used to have in Spain, but we got rid of that in 2004. What a rip-off that was! Kids (youngest is 42) and Grandkids will have to look after themselves this year. Probably glad to have us out of the way!
Love Christmas: eat, drink, walk dog, put more wood into stove, repeat. Just the 3 of us & there’ll be a toast to my folks, who taught me that it’s about friends, family or your own good company - in the tropics, on a troop ship, in the office in a Scottish castle… and for some here: at home, in a tent, caravan, Motorhome, or whatever makes it a happy experience.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Festive Period 2025
via mobile 09/10/2025 at 10:21am
