How to make a holiday cottage feel festive t

[PurpleSpottedLeopard]

Hello for various reasons we will be in a holiday cottage over Christmas and I’d love some advice on how to make it feel festive and Christmassy. It’s been chosen due to its proximity to a particular hospital so it’s not anyone’s first choice of Christmas venue but the best of a bad situation if that makes sense. It does look like a nice house, has a lovely looking garden and the owner said that they will put up a tree for us though which are all positives.

I was just wondering if anyone who had been away for Christmas before had any advice of any must haves to take with us to help it feel like Christmas whilst we are there. My little one will be the only child and is almost 2 so we’ll be doing stockings but aren’t fully into the Father Christmas years yet.

Thank you!

Can you take your own Christmas decorations with you? Or at least some fairy lights and hang them over bannisters etc (obv not putting holes in things!).

Take your own blankets for the sofa /bed - make it feel more like home.

Lots of fairy lights.

Fairy lights , Teddy fleece blankets from Dunelm, favourite smelling candle or diffuser

We are also going away this year.For ease of packing, we are taking Christmas throws- simple red & white/scandi pattern so they bring some Christmas without clashing, battery fairy lights- so lack of plugs wont matter,a Christmas scented candle- we have the St Eval orange and cinnamon one in a tin so no concern about candle holders, diffuser may be better with children about? we'll have some gentle Christmas music in the background- classic fm usually have a decent and varied mix if you cant take your own playlist.
Stockings for the fireplace?
Hope your Christmas goes well,I imagine there is some worry with having to be near a hospital, all blessings to you and your family.

Sounds like they will be decorating for Christmas already, and if you are bringing stockings not sure how much more you need? As mentioned a Xmas throw or a couple strings of fairy lights but they may not be necessary. Your crèche if you have a special one? The Christmas cards you have received to display? Your favourite Christmas candle?

We have also been in a similar situation of being away with little choice of where to stay.
I took/ bought Christmas table cloths/ Christmas napkins. I used a clear bowl with oranges as a centre piece as well,as the above mentioned battery candles/lights etc.
Anything that can be folded flat or stuffed into a bag and not be broken so throws and blankets are a good idea.