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Caravanning at Christmas
Published:
01 October 2011
Many Club Sites are open all year round so why not celebrate
Christmas away from home? With a little forward planning you could
be enjoying mulled wine and mince pies and viewing spectacular
scenery all from the comfort of your caravan or motorhome.
Whether you are visiting London to take in the sights or Grantown-on-Spey
for its nearby golfing and fishing facilities, you'll want to have
an enjoyable stay so here are some handy hints.
Pitch
When arriving at site it would be best to ideally pitch up at a
hardstanding, siting your caravan near to a hedge or wall
to act as a windbreak.
Cooking facilities
You could have turkey and all the trimmings, however to save
time and power usage at site, consider cooking the turkey and
par-boiling the potatoes at home before leaving. You can then
continue with preparations upon arrival at your destination. (Note:
if there is a lengthy timescale between preparation and reheating
this suggestion wouldn't be an option.)
After cooking the turkey at home:
- Carve sufficient slices from the turkey
- Cover (or wrap) the slices
- Place in a refrigerator, keeping stuffing and meat separate.
This needs to be done within two hours of cooking.
On Christmas day remove turkey and trimmings from
refrigerator:
- When re-heating the sliced meat (only re-heat once) set the
oven temperature to no lower than 165 degrees fahrenheit (gas
mark 3).
- Make sure the meat is piping hot all the way through before
serving.
Roasting the potatoes and heating the Christmas pudding
shouldn't be a problem, and don't forget the sprouts!
Alternatively, should you wish to cook the turkey in your
caravan/motorhome it might be worth investing in a Remoska (an
electric mini-oven) or of course, there is the microwave?
On the other hand, it might be more enjoyable (and stress free)
to visit the local pub restaurant (you may have to book in
advance). If drinking alcohol allow plenty of time
before driving - remember it takes 24 hours for alcohol to leave
the system.
Decorating the caravan
LED fairy lights, suitable for indoor and outdoor use, shouldn't
use too much power. Remember, do not use candles in the caravan or
awning as this is a potential safety hazard.
Don't forget the crackers - how about making your own? You then
have the opportunity to put gifts in of your choice!
Water
Keep your (low wattage) kettle filled with water so that
you can have a hot drink (just in case you have problems with water
supply). Remember to insulate your aquaroll and lag
any exposed piping. Before travelling back home drain
down the whole water system to prevent frost damage.
Power supply
Try to avoid mains tripping by making careful use of the
mains supply, for instance, avoid using high-powered devices at the
same time. Remember it is highly likely that everyone will be
making extensive use of the site power supply, and others will be
inconvenienced as well as yourself should the supply trip out.
Television
Whether you are planning to watch the Queen's speech or one of
the many films repeated at this time of year, make sure you have
the correct aerial. It's also worth checking to see whether
the site you are visiting has switched over to digital. For
more advice take a look at our Televisions
information leaflet.
Comfort
Plenty of warm clothing, high tog rating duvets/sleeping bags, a
small low wattage heater and, to keep the heat in, close curtains
and blinds early.
Alternatively if you are:
- Celebrating at home and your caravan is stored on your drive
you could consider using your caravan as a spare bedroom.
- Inviting the extended family over and running out of space for
sleep over, you could use your caravan - check there is no
covenant restriction within the title deeds of your property.
Remember however - the caravan can only be used for sleeping, no
cooking or general living in is permitted.
Ideas for Christmas presents:
Satnav
Television
Powerful torch
Bicycle
Cycle carrier
Items for Contintental travelling - eg warning triangle,
reflective jacket
Games - eg Nintendo
Winter weight sleeping bag/duvet
Take a look in The Club
Shop for more gift ideas.
Oh, and what about that new/secondhand towcar/motorhome or
caravan you've been dreaming of? Take a look at our reviews in
The
Club's magazine archive.