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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:
NewRoadToHappinessxx · 16/11/2021 02:55

My nan used to sleep in the bath. We used to throw a load of blankets in there and she was fine (made of tough stuff in those days.). Teens can top and tail or sleep on the floor in each other’s rooms? Failing that can’t the oldies sleep in the same room with a divide? You never know it might be a very merry Xmas if they have too much Sherry. My oldies would think it incredibly rude it we invited them to our house then stuck them in a hotel xx

caketiger · 16/11/2021 03:02

@MichelleScarn

How many rooms are you, and who are the relatives? One from each side of you and dh? Each of you share room with your own relative?
Ewwww.
Lucycantdance · 16/11/2021 03:02

Were you going to... put the elderly relatives in the tent?

Lucycantdance · 16/11/2021 03:04

I have just reread and it says "us" not "use" Grin Sorry!

Can you stump up for a hotel? We have done that before. It just makes life easier. I personally hate staying at other people's houses and a, not that keen on having people over either. Hotel could keep the peace and harmony. Also a very generous thing to do. Good luck

cookiemonster2468 · 16/11/2021 03:45

We live in a 3 bed bungalow so our home is best option

It's not though is it, if you were considering putting your kids out in a tent in the middle of winter!

You don't have the capacity for them. They'll have to stay in a hotel nearby.

DrGoogleSaysSo · 16/11/2021 03:56

Blow up mattresses on the living room floor for the youngsters

Edjut · 16/11/2021 04:00

Depends if you go camping anyway in the cold, DH wouldn't think twice about it and has camped in the very cold weather, on the other hand I certainly wouldn't want to be in a tent at Christmas. I would sleep on the floor on airbeds somewhere in the house

Iflyaway · 16/11/2021 04:01

A tent in UK at Christmas??

Fuck that. Kenya, yea....

Anyone offering me that I would stay home or in a

Iflyaway · 16/11/2021 04:02

hotel.

PrincessNutella · 16/11/2021 04:03

I think what I might do is to give the guests the teenagers' rooms, have the children sleep in the front room with the Christmas tree, but keep almost all of the presents in your bedroom until after breakfast. That way, your teens can have a night sleeping with the piny smell of the Christmas tree and the beauty of it right next to them, but not be tempted to rip open the packages. They also won't be in the way, and it will be festive and fun for them. The guests won't feel as if they're in the way, either. And the kids will no doubt be helpful at the "chore" of bringing presents into the front room after a relaxing Christmas breakfast. . It seems like a way of adding even more fun to Christmas rather than making anyone feel put out.

Wisforwater · 16/11/2021 04:54

HRTWT. I love camping. I wouldnt camp in a tent over Christmas though. Has anyone suggested hiring a campervan for a few nights? I can’t imagine they are in huge demand over Christmas and it would mean that had a proper bed and were close to your house.

KissedintheDark · 16/11/2021 05:10

Can't you put a screen down the middle of the bedroom
then the elderly relatives can share a room?

BasiliskStare · 16/11/2021 05:11

I would go with - my choice - what I would do 1) blow up beds etc in your room - if big enough and two relatives in the teens' rooms - assuming you have enough room to get out of your bedroom on Christmas morning without actually treading on one of your DCs or just perhaps being able to shimmy past them . I am going against the grain here and I would try to avoid anyone sleeping in a living space - not great for them and not great for visitors. If you genuinely have a big hallway & you can section a bit off which doesn't really stop the flow of the house then option 2) I would do that. But as long as they can get a decent night's sleep.

Shasha17 · 16/11/2021 05:14

It can´t be a tent. That´s verging on cruel. It would be SO cold.

mathanxiety · 16/11/2021 05:15

Is there no room at the inn?

diamondpony80 · 16/11/2021 05:28

I disagree with those saying you shouldn't have agreed to host if you don't have room. There obviously were no other options and I'd do the same if I thought 2 elderly relatives were going to be on their own at Christmas.

I wouldn't even consider a tent at this time of the year (or any time of the year tbh). We lived in a tiny apartment for a while and hosted family visits a few times. We always ended up giving up a bedroom while we slept on airbeds on the floor. It's not ideal, but it's doable for a day or two if necessary.

I can't believe that in a 3 bedroom house that there would be no floor space. You don't need that much for an air bed, and as long as you're up early and tidy it away it doesn't matter if its a communal space like the living room or hall.

sashh · 16/11/2021 05:43

Do you have a garage? A tent inside a garage might work.

What do your teenagers wans to do? I would have thought they would be OK on the floor with blow up mattresses in your room.

How well do the teens know your guests? Could you do a 'girls' and 'boys'' room with the older people getting the beds and teenagers on the floor?

SnowSurprise · 16/11/2021 06:04

Tent is madness.
We need a floor plan!! If you've a dining table, then one can sleep under there on a mattress and the other on the sofa. Or you and DH sleep in the living room if you don't want the Dc to.
Or one elderly relative plus one child if the rooms are large enough.
Or one on the floor of your room.
Etc. You must be able to find some way of squeezing everyone in.

Sniv · 16/11/2021 06:11

I'm super glad you have dismissed the tent idea. I was on a UK camping holiday where people got proper hypothermia symptoms one night...in May! It was scary.

I'd rather sleep literally anywhere inside, but even then that doesn't necessarily make for a great Christmas. I won't enjoy it if I haven't slept.

StoppinBy · 16/11/2021 06:12

We are going camping at Christmas........... but we live in Australia and it will be between 25 and 30 degrees Celcius. No way would I be camping if it was freezing lol.

Id put a blow up mattress on the floor somewhere.

TheWestIsTheBest · 16/11/2021 06:14

I have to say if I was invited over for xmas and saw the hosts were camping (even in the hallway) I would be aghast, and feel really uncomfortable about it all.

Chickychickydodah · 16/11/2021 06:17

A tent ? That’s a stupid idea. Blow up bed. Or book a hotel/ bnb nearby .

Malibuismysecrethome · 16/11/2021 06:21

It all depends on the size of your rooms. Tbh a three bed bungalow sounds spacious. Surely you could put a couple of fold up z beds somewhere.
If not premier inn the guests or your teens.

lockdownalli · 16/11/2021 06:28

Absolutely no to tents idea.

Like PP have said, blow up mattress on floor in your room/in hall/lounge/anywhere.

Can someone (not elderly guest) sleep on sofa?

Lots of options better than tent surely Xmas Grin

Tabbypawpaw · 16/11/2021 06:29

Oh come on. Of course the OP is going to let her elderly relatives stay despite the minor discomfort to her teens. Christmas spirit and all that. As a child I was often turfed from my room to make way for a grandmother or aunt etc. I used to be on a blow up on the sitting room floor. Same for my sibling. Honestly we just got on with it and I’m sure your teens will do the same OP! Only on mumsnet do I see this very precious thing about not asking children to give up their bed or room for a couple of nights.