In a tent at Christmas?

[OhFortheLoveOv]

Would you, could you and ultimately should you?
Short story long… we are hosting two elderly relatives (70’s) this Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They both need their own room and our home is teeny meaning we are out of bed space …we have as I see these options;
Us in tent in garden
or
the teenage kids in tent I don’t relish either but out of ideas. What would you do?

It’s not as simple as booking one ‘disabled’ room. These two Christmas visitors are not a couple, so they would need to separate rooms in a hotel-this could get very expensive and potentially lonely.

Not sure if anyone has suggested this, but you could just buy a couple of screens and screen off a portion of the open plan lounge/dining/kitchen while you're sleeping and pack away during the days.

OP you sound very kind & thoughtful. Good idea to see what your kids think- they might be well up for the adventure of a tent, and it'll only work if they're on board, if they're remotely grumpy about it, the relatives will pick up on it and definitely feel like they're imposing.
If the kids don't fancy it, and it's too much hassle to camp in the hall you and DP could have your own adventure in the tent

I haven't read all the replies but a room at the nearest Travelodge?

@elliesmummy19

I haven't read all the replies but a room at the nearest Travelodge?

It would be two rooms though, which is probably quite expensive on Christmas Eve!

How big is your bedroom OP? What about shifting your bed against a wall and blow up beds on your floor for the teens? I assume
It’s only for a couple of nights?

We’ve camped early April in Scotland (back garden) when it warm during the day but -3 during the night and it was horrendous. We had a blow heater and lots of quilts and blankets. Was either roasting with all of the covers or Baltic. It was so so cold and the covers were too heavy to be comfy.

Winter camping works if you have all the fancy kit. We don’t! A camper can is an amazing idea though. Or do you have a friend with a caravan?

My DB has a small B&B, and they have often had room only guests at Christmas and New Year.The people are usually visiting family in the area who haven't really got the room to accommodate them comfortably.
They have never advertised this, it seems to have got out by word of mouth, and get quite a bit of repeat business. It might be worth enquiring and send the teenagers.

A lot is dependent on the weather with a tent, it may be about 5 or 7C overnight so fine if they wrap up or it could be minus 10 so you would still need contingency plan if you go with the tent idea, you can usually get an idea if it will be milder or freezing a few days before though.

I see people's points on the hotel but have had relatives over that literally shuffle everywhere and wanted to be in on the Christmas spirit, the night before staying up having a drink or watching tv or having a card game, also in particularly chilly weather there were issues getting them to and from hotel etc whereas they literally are in the think of it ie If they're in for being around at Christmas then spending the night in a hotel isn't the same (my mum once said dramatically 'if I spend most evenings on my own (she doesn't(!)), why would I come to you and go spend the night on my own in a hotel?)'

Lucycantdance

Were you going to... put the elderly relatives in the tent?
I snorted at this!!!

Ps op has ruled out the tent, people!!!

Thanks @stayathomer, I should read the full thread

We used to have my mum at Christmas but she always stayed overnight at a local hotel, just to sleep as we hadn't got any space. We would take her there at night & collect her first thing & bring her home. Worked fine for years.

A tent?
A tent!
That's worse than staying in a stable at Christmas,
... and people keep harping on about that.

You should talk to them about it. Explain your dilemma, and the options. They are grown ups and it is ridiculous for them to expect their own rooms over Christmas when you clearly do not have the space. Xmas is enough hectic as it is. If they do not want to bunk up together they will have to manage somehow in the garage or hallway on airbeds. However, if they want to be comfortable and not be so keen to save money, an hotel or B&B (at their own expense) may be a good answer.
Don't let them use the living room as a bedroom, that is space for everyone at Christmas, and of course a tent in the garden is not an option for yourself.

a decorated teepee type thing in the hall is a rather great idea, something I think the kids will love… will have to get measuring space to see if it will fit and leave squeeze through room so people can get to living space and bathroom. Climbing over a blow up bed is doable, climbing over teepee is a whole other ball game.
Why do you need some elaborate teepee in the hallway? I’m struggling to understand why you can’t put a couple of blow up beds in an open plan living room? There’s obviously the space, you’re just making a massive fuss over nothing.

Well, you obviously don't have room for them to stay over. Can they not stay in a hotel?

Not ‘proper’ to share a room? Do they realise you don’t have 2 spare bedrooms?
You need to work out a couple of options and let them know what the situation is. It’s no good them arriving and realising that there wasn’t really enough room but you hadn’t told them in advance.
Sharing a space either with you, each other or with one of the kids should be on the menu. If your kids can’t cope with sharing with you, I can’t imagine they are going to be thrilled about sharing with an elderly relative so you might have to give them a crash course in generosity. Fortunately you are well endowed with it so this shouldn’t be a problem.

@stayathomer

I see people's points on the hotel but have had relatives over that literally shuffle everywhere and wanted to be in on the Christmas spirit, the night before staying up having a drink or watching tv or having a card game, also in particularly chilly weather there were issues getting them to and from hotel etc whereas they literally are in the think of it ie If they're in for being around at Christmas then spending the night in a hotel isn't the same (my mum once said dramatically 'if I spend most evenings on my own (she doesn't(!)), why would I come to you and go spend the night on my own in a hotel?)'

Lucycantdance

Were you going to... put the elderly relatives in the tent?
I snorted at this!!!

Didn’t read it properly 🙈🙈😂😂

@Igneo

Not ‘proper’ to share a room? Do they realise you don’t have 2 spare bedrooms? You need to work out a couple of options and let them know what the situation is. It’s no good them arriving and realising that there wasn’t really enough room but you hadn’t told them in advance. Sharing a space either with you, each other or with one of the kids should be on the menu. If your kids can’t cope with sharing with you, I can’t imagine they are going to be thrilled about sharing with an elderly relative so you might have to give them a crash course in generosity. Fortunately you are well endowed with it so this shouldn’t be a problem.

I'm assuming they're 70+ possibly late 70s+ from how they're being described so unless they're both the same gender it would be unreasonable to ask them to share a room.

It wouldn't bother me in my 40s but my mother would definitely think it wasn't proper to share a room with a man.

I'm still struggling to see why the teenagers can't just sleep on blow up beds in the lounge or on the sofas.

I’m presuming it’s two elderly relatives from different sides of the family. I know my elderly mum wouldn’t want to share a room room with my DH’s elderly dad!

The OP has said they are only coming for Xmas eve and day, so I think if the older relatives spend most of that in a travel lodge, they’ll barely see them!

I wouldn’t have invited 2 people like that to sleep over for Christmas to a 3-bed house without discussing possible bed options with them-I know my mum would stress!

I’d put the relatives in a bedroom each and the kids sleep on air beds in my room/the lounge. No hotels, no tents, no teepees.

Bribe the kids with either cash gift voucher or cheapish experience of their choice to sleep on airbeds, the sofa or your room as long as you leave room to get to the bathroom it should be fine.

Do you have a neighbour who will be away for Christmas? If so, maybe you could spend all day at home, but just pop next door to sleep

Agree with PP that a teepee in the hall sounds an unnecessary faff

Booked for camping in me new tent on 28 December!!! Mad I know but Xmas is always chaotic so can’t wait to escape. I’ve camped in back garden before now and just run a very long extension lead through the window with a blow heater. Loads of layers and they will be fine !

Nooo, it would be freezing.❄️☃️