Has anyone ever hired a cottage for Christmas?

[missyB1]

Just that really. It’s a sort of fantasy I’ve always had, going to stay in a countryside cottage for Christmas. Maybe in the Yorkshire dales for a chance of Christmassy weather! Nice pub nearby perhaps to enjoy a drink or two.
Dh says the reality would be a load of hassle and not worth the hard work- but he’s a bit of a stick in the mud about Christmas!
So anyone ever done it? If so how was it?

Sounds lovely. We've never done it. The logistics would be too much for me, and cost an issue. We've had self catering winter holidays in Peak District, Yorkshire and the Lake District. All been lovely holidays. Two of them the owners have offered a day pass to local spa. Walks to blow away the cobwebs, read books, gone for drives, pub lunches, etc.

We did this last year and there were 11 of us in a 4 bed cottage. We have 2 children with complex needs in wheelchairs so it took military planning ( tube fed , masses of equipment required Etc ).
I booked a big Tesco delivery and had lists a mile long to avoid forgetting anything . We limited the amount of presents and had a stocking of small things instead. The owners were great and provided a lovely tree etc so we didn't need to worry about that.
It all worked out fine and we had a great time . Best of all my bil did most of the Xmas lunch so I spent the morning in the hot tub in the garden with my sister with a hot chocolate in hand . Lovely !

We did Forest holidays one Christmas and it was amazing! Def recommend it. I had a multitude of reasons for it as I couldn’t face being at home that year and it was 100% the right decision

We have done it for a few years and its lovely. Go via Cottages.com I think it is. Go to Bath and lovely, we go ice skating, to Longleat Festival of Light, glow in dark golf, Sally Lunn's, to Bristol, trampolining, went down to Taunton to giant teddy bear shop and down to Torquay to see penguins on beach at their zoo last year. Our cottage comes decorated and lady leaves us a Christmas present.

*Nothing like supporting the local economy.

First the post office goes, the the shop closes , then the school.*

This thread is about holidays, holiday cottages, not the wider issue of rural housing being used as holiday cottages, you need to redirect your angst to your MP.

Would you rather we all stayed at home because the price and logistics of shopping in the local greengrocers etc. meant that we couldn't actually shop and/or pushed the price of the holiday over the edge.

I always take my food shopping with me for a few days whenever I go to a cottage. If I was going away for Christmas I would take absolutely everything I needed until the 27th with me (depending on location I might take everything for the whole trip). I can't be doing with substitutions and always refuse them.

Actually I've come from overseas so I've added to the local community - I've used the local post office, garage, corner shop, card shop, Chinese takeaway and will use the fish and chip shop, deli, butchers and cafe today.

There's no effect on the school because these are private lodges on a country estate which no one would dwell in.