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?

My local Premier Inn has a double room for £55 a night on christmas eve/christmas night.
I know if I was visiting family over christmas I would prefer to stay in a nearby hotel than a crowded home.
They can also escape and relax in comfortable surroundings.

Definitely no to the tent. Couldn't think of anything worst after Christmas when it's cold.

Air beds? Living room floor?

Or tell them to book b&b. I could never have people stay in my tiny house. Either they stay elsewhere and visit or not at all. We'd be under each other's feet b

@speakout

What's wrong with a hotel? Did I miss that part?

Yes. She doesn’t want the elderly relatives to feel like they’re imposing and wants them in the bosom of the family because they’ve lost partners recently. That’s what I understood anyway.

Agree with pp who said put them in the teens rooms and you and dh have the teens in with you on air beds- if room. If not, you sleep in lounge.

@OhFortheLoveOv

So good to get everyone’s thoughts on this. The layout of this housers the really well thought out as we initially thought … it works well if we only have one guest or a couple stay but really isn’t suitable for more. But in circumstances this year Christmas has to be an exception. Living room is tricky for sleeping as it’s open plan living/kitchen and dining which seemed like a great idea at time we moved in reality it’s not that ideal as it is only real living area in the place save the hall. If can’t source camper to hire the Hallway is where I am now thinking that me and DP stay … though it won’t be the most private or relaxing experience as to get to the living / kitchen there may be some climbing over have to over a blow up bed to get through but it could would work for few days

I think this would be better than a tent in the garden. It will cost you a lot to buy enough equipment to keep you warm whilst out there as well.

Well I don't see anything wrong with sleeping outside in a tent in December. I sleep outside most of the year in the open anyway (not in a tent) and a tent is warmer than that.\f

Satisfy my curiosity, @fumfspos. Why?

Yes. She doesn’t want the elderly relatives to feel like they’re imposing and wants them in the bosom of the family because they’ve lost partners recently. That’s what I understood anyway.

But surely they'll be imposing more if someone is chucked out of their bedroom for them?

@Platax

Why? Because I find it liberating. I sleep better. I love to wake up listening to birds and fall asleep looking at the stars.
I feel imprisoned inside and have this constant desire to be outdoors.

@OhFortheLoveOv
We are having lots for Christmas this year and although it's a big house, the numbers are causing me conniptions.
We've ended up with the "kids" (5-17) split between a "boys bedroom" & a "girls room" - airbeds/ beds, baby in cot on landing.
Us in our room
1 set of adults in the living room on sofa bed, another set in spare room and another set in office on airbeds (borrowed from friends)
Next on my list is to make sure we have enough chairs!!
Living room & office beds will pack away in day so we can open presents & eat.

Do you have good friends locally who are going away for Christmas? A couple of years when we have had more visitors than space we have borrowed other people's houses and I know others who have done the same?

I really wouldn't want to do the tent.

Our home is open plan. I'd still sleep there, easily, for a night or two. In fact, I have done, come to think of it. We moved our mattress into that part of the house while we painted/redid the floor in the bedroom.

It's not ideal and you won't have much privacy if someone comes down looking for something to nibble in the middle of the night, but it's not too bad for just one or two nights.

Now I see you don't want your relatives to stay elsewhere. I would give teens the choice of your room/living room/tent.

@Helenluvsrob

It’s almost never actually cold these days 😂 Kids could have a whale of a time.

We’ve booked the premier in down the road for the in laws though so they get own space / bathroom and everything is on the level.

It got down to -5 where I live last Christmas so that's not true everywhere.

Just a thought, as I don't think its been previously mentioned/suggested - do you have a boarded/accessible attic space? (For the teens to sleep, rather than the guests!)

Would still need inflatable mattresses/some kind of heating, but at least you wouldn't need to worry about moving/packing up beds and bedding etc. each day.

Teens in the living area on air mattresses/camping mats. All bedding then chucked into your room during the day. Plus agreement that the teens can remove themselves to your room during the day if they need some chill time

Just to say it would be a definite no to tents here, I just checked & last Christmas Eve it snowed here (NE) but we'd squeeze everyone inside somewhere, it's not for long & that's part of the chaos of Christmas

If you already have a tent and camping equipment, you can use it to make an "indoor camp" even if you just peg up the inner tent or hang something over a pole for privacy.

Not having guests "impose" or "turn you out of your bed" is for people who have the luxury of spare bedroom or whose guests are fit enough to make do on sofa-beds or airbeds. I've slept in many relatives dining rooms or floors over the years, we aren't a family with huge houses.

If there is no local hotel you can book for your elderly relatives I would suggest giving them your bedrooms and you and your DC sleeping in the living room / hallway for a couple of nights . At least it would be warmer than a tent .

Christ, nobody should be sleeping in a tent in this country at Christmas!

Is it only Christmas Eve-that’s what your OP suggests? Just one night.

I would have one child on my floor on an air bed for the night and the other on the sofa in the lounge. I’d put the visitors in each of the children’s rooms.

Any longer-I’d be suggesting a hotel. Surely before you invited them/they asked/agreed to come, the thought of who would sleep where was thought about?

Can't you book a hotel for 9th of you or the teens to sleep over at night?

@Welcometothejingles

Can't you book a hotel for 9th of you or the teens to sleep over at night?

On Christmas Eve?! There’s no way I would be away from my (non adult) kids on Christmas Eve.

My boyfriend used to sleep in a tent when they went to see his grandfather at Christmas. He said it was awful. Cold and windy.

Questions, because you still seem to be looking at more ‘nuclear’ options like hiring a camper for the drive.

1. what is the sofa situation? Is there a reason teens (or you/Dh) can’t bunk on a sofa?
2. how big is your bedroom? Would you fit 2 singles or a double air mattress anywhere in your room? Any combination of the 4 of you would work in that situation for a couple of nights.

Can the teens not bunk on your bedroom floor for 2 nights?

When I was a child, my uncle used to have to sleep in the bath when we all visited my grandmother.

Is that an option for somebody?