Christmas at Butlins.....

[AutumnGlory]

Has anyone done Christmas at Butlins? We always spend Christmas with my Dh's family as mine are miles away in my home country. Our homes are too small for everybody so every year is very uncomfortable, and my DD (5) is the only child at Christmas so it is a bit lonely for her. I suggested next year we go to Butlins. No cooking/cleaning, everybody comfortable at the hotels and plenty of activities (instead of boring TV in-laws love and I hate so much), plus children around for dd to play with. AIBU?

I can't imagine anything more depressing, sorry OP. Think Christmas in a dirty council flat. Any entertainment would involve hours of queuing to get a seat in the venue. Nasty families, kick off kids.

I've been once and seriously, Worra is so right. We didn't do half board there but from the state of the rest of it I'm not sorry.

You still have to clean out your accommodation at Butlins, so thats just the same as a cottage.

Just don't go OP.

I think I'd prefer to go somewhere warm if I was going away at Christmas.

Eew.... No.

The cooking/cleaning problem even for sunday lunch is they In-laws, Bil, Sil will seat in front of TV and do nothing a part from drink and wait to be served and have their plates taken away. They stand up and move only to go to the toilet. It will be different this year at it theirs, at least for me, poor dh will have to cook alone, I will relax and not be their slaves. No they won't change. No they aren't to elderly or disable. It will be interesting this year seeing them cleaning for a change I wont care. I will leave my plate on the sofa like they do at mine. But I will still feel unconfortable and squashed like a sardine as both our homes are so small.

We went to But lines last year and came back with Scabies. Never again will we go back.

If your family will enjoy it go for it.

Butlins *

We've been to Butlins three times (Minehead once, Bognor twice)
Not at Christmas though. But my DC would love it.

My tip though (but you are probably too late to book this) is Gold/Deluxe with dinner at the Yaught Club.
Then you can walk along the beach after dinner to blow away the cobwebs.

What ex X-Factor or Britains Got Talent acts are on?

What is scabies?

don't google it

tiny mites that burrow under your skin and leave red 'track' marks under your skin.
Heiniously itchy (not from personal experience)

Oh, I got an eye infection from the swimming pool.
Though it seemed to be 50% chlorine (and probably 50% piss)

It is a thought for next year. I do live in a private rented council flat however it is nice *nd clean. The only ti$me I want to Butlins I stayed in a bad accommodation so I see what someone (sorry forgot your name) mean re dirty council flat but I was planing hotel. Also I don't mind queueing up and get a table for all the family. Oops. It is now one of those threads people say IABU and I say I haven't. ...I think I will read reviews on TA from January, maybe go for this one time only and be upfront with in-laws saying that from then on we want a quiet, only the 3 of us Christmas.

I've been once.
A chocolate coated Benedict Cumberbatch couldn't tempt me there again.
You would be so much better with a holiday cottage.

I guess you could always try it once. But to be honest, the idea of spending Christmas in the nastiest of temporary housing, surrounded by people you'd normally phone the police about is not an attractive proposition. Neither is scabies - which I advise you to Google up. But not while you are eating.

Also, you'd be a captive audience in an out of season resort. Which means they can pretty much serve up anything - from inedible food, questionable entertainment and the opportunity to wander around a site that, at best resembles an unreconstructed Eastern European war zone.

It will be expensive too and you could do far better to rent self-catering accommodation somewhere nice and invite everyone to help with cooking.

I think I'm rapidly changing my mind with the scabs and eye infection testimony

Haven't you kind of left it a bit too late?

I mean it's a week today.

The cottage idea sounds fab, but again they will most probably have been booked up months in advance.

I'd rather poke both my eyes out with a rusty fork. And I say that having been to Butlins.

review of Christmas at Butlins
rightfromthestart.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/christmas-at-butlins/
Sounds quite nice

charl she's thinking about next year. OP...why don't you look at eating out in a decent pub or hotel for Christmas lunch next year? Then you won't have to slave.

Personally, if anyone left their plate on my sofa, I'd say "Are you waiting for someone to sit in that before you move it?"

Dont be a pushover!

We've stayed at Butlins over the xmas period before, although not on the actual day.

The whole resort was covered in 'snow', theres a pretty cool grotto type thing the kids can visit, you get a pretty decent present too for a freebie.

The entertainment is good at that time of year too, the polar bear that moves is ace, the panto was good too if you dont mind queuing.

We went 3 years in a row on the 2nd weekend of december and would go again. No pennies this year as DS1 has decided he NEEDED to have a bday party instead.

Go, Xmas is what you make it, regardless of where you are.

Been to butlins every year at halloween but never at christmas. If you want your child to be entertained go - I hate it but I go for the kids.

Tips - Gold catering, go to swimming pool first thing in the morning, book sky bar tickets which allow you premium seating to see the shows. Go with an open mind and people watch - its fascinating.

Forget centre parcs - felt like I'd been robbed last time we went to Whinfell and barely anything to do. Better to go to centre parcs in Belgium and Holland not this country - UK ones rubbish in comparison.

My aunt and uncle and all the family (grown kids etc) always used to go. There was about 20 of them that would go as a group. I remember as a kid being really jealous and wanting to join them. They always seemed to come back raving about what a great time they had.

However I recently stayed (just for a day) at a very old Butlins 'type' place (different company) and hated it - especially the food.

I think if you are going to do something like this you want the 'top of the range' deal. I don't think I could cope with Christmas without it.

I need the handgel, sorry

Could you not go to a nice country pub in the lakes or similar,or book a cottage?

Christmas and Butlins in the same sentence has made me feel ill.

But if you think it's your thing OP, enjoy!

We've been to Minehead for New Year. It was fun. Clean apartment, the red coats kept the chidlren entertained, great fireworks.

(You only get scabies from close skin contact - holding hands - and they take several weeks to start itching. )

California that review is a sponsored PR fluff-piece.

'But to be honest, the idea of spending Christmas in the nastiest of temporary housing, surrounded by people you'd normally phone the police about is not an attractive proposition. Neither is scabies - which I advise you to Google up.'

Gosh Mumsnet is incredibly snobby at times. We had no problems at all with any of the other people at Butlins. All seemed very nice family groups and some young people.

If you do google scabies you will see that it takes 6-8 weeks for it to cause symptoms. So if whoever had it came back from Butlins and already had symptoms - the chances are they took scabies to Butlins themselves.