Christmas can be a stressful time, especially if you’re hosting meals or celebrations at your place. And that’s one reason why you might have decided to celebrate Christmas away from home ground this year.
This doesn’t mean you have to give up on the magic of Christmas as you’re used to at home. Quite the opposite – here are our top tips for creating a magical Christmas away from it all.
Top tips for a magical Christmas break
1. Pick a beautiful place
If you’re going to get away with your family, it’s worth choosing a lovely location that combines a chance to relax with family-friendly activities. For a South African Christmas, nothing beats the beach. A beach cottage that looks out over the ocean but is close enough to a range of local attractions is sure to set the scene for a magical Christmas break to remember. And, if you have young children, think self-catering – it will give you the flexibility you need to enjoy a true break.
2. Pick a theme and decorate
Want your luxury holiday home to feel like Christmas at your actual home? Pick a theme and decorate the living space as you would at home (bringing along Christmas decorations from home). And don’t forget a tree – nothing says Christmas quite like tree with lights and tinsel.
3. Take your Christmas traditions with you
Always leave out milk and cookies for Santa? Have stockings hung up for each member of the family? Do the same things you would do at home to enjoy your Christmas break and use your established traditions to create new memories.
4. Think local
Be sure to embrace local traditions and pastimes and work with your surroundings. Spending a sun-filled Christmas day on the beach? Build sandcastles, swim, fish, and enjoy a Christmas that speaks to the location and is full of fun.
5. Harness technology on the big day
When Christmas Day rolls round, be sure you’ve made a plan to connect with family and friends back home. FaceTime, Whatsapp call or Skype, and make sure you touch base with loved ones who aren’t with you. The real magic of Christmas lies not in the food and presents (though those can be lovely too) but in your connection with others.
Still planning your Christmas break for your family? Want a beautiful setting, comfortable surrounds, and as much relaxation or fun as you choose? Your home away from home, and the perfect place to make memories, Ramsgate Cottage is the self-catering break you’ve been looking for. A magical Christmas on the beach, here you go!