Christmas Day – will you go Home or Away?
Possibly not since Brexit has a question so divided the nation.
In fact, the Christmas Away trend is growing. For an increasing number of people, getting a chance to enjoy all the lovely festive treats without worrying about the cooking and washing up is worth every penny.
But there are always those friends who look aghast at the very thought of not being At Home (and that often means their childhood home) on Christmas Day. “It’s just…wrong!” they cry, making you wonder whether their inner child is still fretting about whether Santa will know where to find them.
Then there are the actual kids. The footprints on the hearth, the sack at the foot of their beds, the 5am paper mountain in the fairy-lit living room: it’s what it’s all about for most parents. And we get that. But what if you are too old to believe in Santa Claus but too young to be recreating the magic for the next generation? Or if your precious offspring now hide under the duvet nursing a hangover until the spuds are safely peeled?
There is nothing wrong with breaking with tradition – if tradition isn’t working that well for you. But where you choose to spend the Day will be crucial to your enjoyment. So here are a few tips for making your Christmas Away a success.
Make sure it feels the right kind of Christmassy
You will feel distinctly out of sorts if you prefer Scandi-style hygge and the hotel is more Blackpool illuminations. So check out the venue’s style before committing. At the Green House Hotel, Bournemouth’s most eco-friendly luxury boutique hotel , as with everything we do, we put a lot of thought into how we make our Christmas as sustainable and ethical as possible, without losing one ounce of the magic and sparkle. For decoration, we tend to steer towards the handmade and the natural rather than lots of tinsel and glitz –If you do too then you will feel right at home here.
Ensure the food is up to scratch
The aim is obviously to ensure you don’t end the day feeling you could have done better at home. Here at the Green House Hotel our Christmas residential, for two nights or three, really is all about the food. The highlight is a fabulous six course Christmas tasting menu in our multi-award-winning, 2-AA-rosette Arbor Restaurant on Christmas Day. Personally put together by our Head Chef Andy Hilton, we can guarantee it will stand out in the memory for years to come.
Find somewhere special to walk off the calories
The great thing about having Christmas away is you can venture out between feasts to see the sights. So much more satisfying than spending the afternoon slumped on the sofa overheating in your new cashmere sweater. You could take a bracing walk along Bournemouth’s miles of golden beaches or a tramp in the ancient, mythical New Forest. There’s also the Bournemouth Christmas Market and the Ice Rink and Apres Skate chalet in the Lower Gardens. It will bring a rosy glow to your cheeks but more importantly, make you feel you’ve earned the next unmissable meal.
Plan some downtime
Being Away for Christmas shouldn’t mean enforced togetherness 24/7. All our guest rooms at the Green House Hotel boast a super king bed (6ft), 32” LED flat screen TV, and Bose sound dock. Our master doubles also feature a glorious Victorian reclaimed roll top bath in pride of place. So retreating to the privacy of your room for an hour or two just to get your breath back will be a total indulgence.
Get your Skyping out of the way early
What did we do before Skype and Facetime? We stayed at home for Christmas, that’s what. Now you can be at the other end of the country and still ooh and ah at Grandad’s festive deerstalker or Little Billy’s new bike. Get organised in advance and use our free in-room Wifi to connect with your nearest and dearest on Christmas morning. Then you can relax and get on with enjoying your hassle-free, hands-free Christmas
Away Day – your way.
Green House Hotel Christmas residential start at £260 per night for two nights with two sharing a double room. But we are booking up fast so call us today on 01202 498500 or go online here.