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Christmas

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Original poster

In a tent at Christmas?

275 replies

OhFortheLoveOv · 15/11/2021 22:25

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?

OP posts:

PlanDeRaccordement · 15/11/2021 23:22

So book two rooms if can’t share.
I’d think they’d be more worried they were imposing if they arrived at your home to discover people turfed out of their beds and sleeping in a tent in the hallway.

DeadoftheMoon · 15/11/2021 23:23

Best laugh of the day!
If it's real, set something up in the hall - you'll be able to stop the elderly bed-hopping in the night, that way. We don't know how many Christmases are left to us, and don't want to miss an opportunity.

ninjashark · 15/11/2021 23:23

Okay so you have 3 bedrooms. Kids in one room, you guys on an air bed in the lounge, give your guests a room/bed each since they have never met I'm assuming they wouldn't be keen to share a room.

Bringonsummer19 · 15/11/2021 23:26

OP you sound utterly lovely!

I would go mattress on the floor somewhere though!

521Jeanie · 15/11/2021 23:26

Do you camp?
In my experience can be surprisingly cold in a tent even in September; I wouldn't want to camp in December. How ever many blankets and hoodies you wear, still your nose gets cold.

TheChosenTwo · 15/11/2021 23:27

In that case can you chuck a couple of air beds down on your bedroom floor? I guess not as this would probably be your first thought! Is yours the biggest bedroom?
How far away do they live? Could you prebook them taxis home if you want to have a drink on Christmas Day and don’t want to drive? That way they’ve had a nice day with you all but go back to their own homes and beds.
Or in all honesty I’d just be checking them in somewhere. I admire your commitment to the cause, we’ve done the same with elderly relatives who would otherwise be on their own for Christmas but we have space -
I would rather have driven them home In the evening than consider asking the dc to camp in the garden in December.

MoveAhoy · 15/11/2021 23:27

What type of tree is it? Can it be taken down for the night and put back up in the morning? Failing which, the tree would fare much better in a tent in December than any human would.

Original poster

OhFortheLoveOv · 15/11/2021 23:27

It has only really come about this year as it’s first year both of them will be without somebody or someone to spend it with after losing their partners… we are the closest location wise to both of them… nearest other family will either be across the globe or be around 250 miles away in UK.

OP posts:

LubaLuca · 15/11/2021 23:28

@PlanDeRaccordement

So book two rooms if can’t share. I’d think they’d be more worried they were imposing if they arrived at your home to discover people turfed out of their beds and sleeping in a tent in the hallway.

I agree. I'd be embarrassed as a guest to find I was in a grandchild's bed and they were dossing down in the hallway or wherever. I'm assuming your guests don't know they'll be causing so much upheaval.

Jumpingintochristmas · 15/11/2021 23:28

Don’t be so ridiculous. Guests in a kids room each… then squash two makeshift blow up mattresses into your room for kids and act like the waltons… it’s only a few nights!

TheChosenTwo · 15/11/2021 23:29

Or, other glaringly obvious solution is you and dh take the front room and sleep on sofa/ air bed and give the teens your room, one on single air bed or similar on the floor if they won’t share a bed.
You may not have the best nights sleep but it was you who insisted on having them after all (and I think it can work and it’s lovely of you to insist and not want them to feel like they’re being a nuisance) and it’s just one night!

GreenLunchBox · 15/11/2021 23:32

I'm glad you've realised its a ludicrous idea OP

Tulips21 · 15/11/2021 23:35

@TheChosenTwo

I would not be sleeping in a tent at Christmas nor would I be asking my dc to. Either your relatives don’t come, they stay in a nearby air bnb/hotel/guesthouse or you and the dc all squish into the front room. I’d be going with the alternative accomodation. If they are okay to get to you for Christmas and spend the night away from home, I’m sure they’ll be okay in a hotel room overnight.

Agree. No way would I or my kids be in a tent at christmas to accomedate guests!

FetchezLaVache · 15/11/2021 23:39

I have friends who camped at Christmas out of actual choice one year, the mad sods. They went to the Lakes, hiked all day and then cooked turkey (or parts thereof) on a barbecue. But that's not normal.

londonmummy1966 · 15/11/2021 23:39

Can't the relatives share?

ThePlumVan · 15/11/2021 23:41

Only if the tent was pitched in the lounge with the fire on.

EKGEMS · 15/11/2021 23:41

@londonmummy1966 They're not related to each other and both lost partners in the past year so are strangers to each other

FavouriteMug · 15/11/2021 23:43

We've done it and survived!

Bell tent in garden with duvets under us and on top and fairy lights for good measure.

We are always super comfy and cosy and it's very private

TatianaBis · 15/11/2021 23:45

Doesn’t really make sense to me to invite people you don’t actually have room for.

As it was your idea I’d hire a camper van for you and DH. Most teens would be fairly pissed off to be done out of a bedroom at Christmas.

Itsnotallaboutyoubaby · 15/11/2021 23:46

I don’t think it’s a good idea…

SonicStars · 15/11/2021 23:50

We've camped in December. If the tent is small it can hold heat well, with duvets above and below on top of the airbed and of course a hot water bottle.

That said it wouldn't cross my mind to do it at home. Firstly I would go for all of us in the biggest bedroom, teens on floor and two in the bed. Then I'd start looking at other nooks and crannies around the house.
When I was younger (adult) I remember us having 15 people sleeping in our 1br flat after a party though so where I'm coming from may be different to many.

There's a great night before Christmas twitter where people share photos of their Christmas sleeping arrangements.

PickAChew · 15/11/2021 23:50

Just pu air beds for you and the kids wherever you have room. If it's a 3 bed bungalow then you still have a bedroom and a lounge between all of you.

eeek88 · 15/11/2021 23:52

I slept outside under a tarp (no tent) on a v cold February night in Co Durham. Good sleeping bag plus lots of additional blankets and rugs. Dog in sleeping bag. Perfectly cosy! When I woke up the water in the kettle was frozen solid so it must have been well below 0.

Aged 10 me, my brother and a rather sheltered and unhardy friend camped on a Welsh hill at Easter. It was nippy weather. We slept as well as 3 kids in a 2-man tent are ever going to but we weren’t cold.

It can be done. You won’t die if you have enough layers and are waterproof. But it’s not to everyone’s taste. The hall might be a better option.

Hathertonhariden · 15/11/2021 23:52

Christ no. I had to sleep in a camper for xmas one year and it was miserable. Couldn't get warm and was poorly by Boxing Day. Never again. Camp in the living room.

mellicauli · 15/11/2021 23:53

Put the tree in the garden, presents in the boot of the car. Move them in the morning, Sleep on the lounge floor.
Why would you keep a plant in the warm & you in the cold?

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