Going somewhere special for a Christmas break is a great way to make memories, and when you want things to be just perfect, staying in self-catering accommodation ensures you’ll have full control over how the food is prepared and served.
That said, no matter how much experience you might have with hosting Christmas dinner at home, doing it somewhere new can throw up some unexpected challenges for the unwary. Avoid these festive pitfalls by reading through our tips on making your self-catering Christmas break run smoothly.
Bring those special ingredients from home
When it comes to Christmas dinner, it’s more likely than with any other meal of the year that you’ll have something specific in mind, whether it’s an old family recipe for preparing the turkey, some traditional side dish you always set out, or even just a particular beverage that everyone enjoys.
Keeping those family traditions alive and making sure everyone has a good time is an important part of the festive fun, but when you’re going away for Christmas, you should keep in mind that it might be harder to get your hands on the necessary ingredients and products to keep everyone satisfied. It’s worth spending a little time thinking about what you might need to bring along with you from home, and what you’ll easily be able to pick up in the local area.
This is particularly important if there’s something you can’t go without that’s only sold where you live or comes from a chain of shops that isn’t found everywhere. You should also remember that if you’re enjoying an away-from-it-all escape to a lodge in the Scottish Highlands or a secluded countryside cottage, popping to the supermarket for some extra bits on Christmas Eve may not be an option, so make sure you have everything you need for a festive feast ahead of time. That might involve bringing things from home, taking an early trip to the nearest big town, or even arranging a food delivery for your arrival day.
If you want to be secure in the knowledge that a last-minute shopping trip is still a possibility, why not enjoy a city break for Christmas? We offer fantastic accommodation in the heart of Plymouth at the historic Self-Catering Plymouth, with gorgeous modern apartments offering superb views across the Plymouth Hoe and easy access to all the amenities of this popular port city.
If your heart is set on getting away from it all, though, there are plenty of cosy countryside getaways which are still located conveniently close to larger places. Near the busy town of Newquay in Cornwall, you’ll find Cornwall Holiday Park and Newquay Holiday Resort, both of which make great destinations for anyone seeking peaceful rural surroundings for the festive period.
Don't miss the local delicacies
Balancing out the last point, remember that, though holiday traditions and family favourites are all well and good, part of the charm of spending Christmas elsewhere is for a change of scenery, so don’t be afraid of trying new things and taking a flexible approach on the food front.
Maybe you’re staying in a region renowned for a particular local speciality, in which case it might be worth incorporating it into your festive meal plan. For example, the traditional Scottish treat of Dundee cake makes a delicious alternative to the usual Christmas cake. Why not visit the city itself and pick up an authentic version of this Christmas dessert from a local baker?
Book a break in one of the beautiful Luxury Cottages in Fife
And, though there’s been controversy on social media (where else?) about whether Yorkshire puddings belong in a Christmas dinner, if you think they do then where better to enjoy them than their home county?
Yorkshire is a beautiful place for an enchanting Christmas break, and there are a variety of appealing holiday homes available there, including The Barn at Rigg End and the superb studio rooms and cottages at Country Cottages in Yorkshire.
When you’re on holiday, local farmers’ markets also make a great option for picking up fresh meat, vegetables, and other food that you might ordinarily get from a supermarket. Check out what’s available nearby if you’re looking to find something special.
Check the kitchen has what you need
If you’re used to cooking a Christmas meal at home, it’s easy to forget about all the utensils and accessories you make use of, even just briefly. Any decent self-catering property will offer a good range of kitchen equipment, but can it handle the more demanding requirements of festive cooking? Will there be a cheeseboard, a meat thermometer, and plenty of roasting trays?
If your holiday home doesn’t have everything you need, you may have to bring it along with you or rethink how things are done. You should also check whether the oven can handle a whole turkey, or if it might be best to go for a crown just in case. Plan ahead and make sure the accommodation is suited to your culinary needs and you’ll have nothing to worry about.
One perfect example of a peaceful holiday escape with a superbly equipped kitchen is St Andrews Luxury Holiday Homes in Fife. Consisting of two properties accommodating 10 guests each (bookable separately or together), the spacious kitchens here each contain two large fridge-freezers as well as an oven and a separate steam oven. One of the properties, the Roundel, even comes with its own Rayburn stove. These well-appointed properties make a perfect Scottish getaway for the Christmas season.
Enjoy yourself!
It might sound like a lot to remember – but if you make sure to prepare properly, that means you won’t have to spend the holiday itself worrying about whether everything will work out okay. Keep the above points in mind and your self-catering Christmas break is sure to go off without a hitch – Merry Christmas!
