At this point, we’ve spent ten holiday seasons in our RV. We’ve figured out what works for us and what doesn’t, and generally how the holidays tend to unfold in our home-on-wheels. That’s not to say nothing ever goes wrong, but we definitely have a lot of the kinks worked out.
If you’re spending the holiday season in an RV for the first time this year, this is what you need to know.
Where You Are Matters
We spent one Christmas in a lonely corner of Florida without any friends or fun things to do nearby. It was unfortunately also cold and rainy, which added to the misery. This made me realize just how important it is to be in the right place during the holiday season.
Do Choose a Place with Things to Do
So what is the right place to spend the holidays? For me, this is someplace where there are things to do and/or people to spend time with. We’ve spent holidays in SoCal with friends, in Orlando near Disney World, and in Oklahoma with family. You have to decide what is important to you during the holiday season and make sure you are near those things wherever you set up camp.
Don’t Try to Move Too Near the Holiday
Wherever you decide to be, get there early enough to get settled in. I like to be where we are going to be for Christmas at least a week or two in advance. This gives us plenty of time to set up, decorate the RV, and get settled before the fun begins. We also like to stay a week or so after the holiday so we have some recovery time before we have to pack up and go.
It’s the Thought that Counts
The first year we lived in our RV, we did gift giving the same as always. I regretted this a lot. Our son received over 40(!) gifts from family and we simply did not have a place to put it all. The next year, I made a point of letting everyone know we had to do things differently, and it has changed how we do gift exchanges forever.
Do Give Thoughtful, Useful Gifts
The big change we made? We made a point of asking people to focus on giving one big gift rather than lots of smaller things. We also asked for 1) things we needed, 2) consumable gifts, and 3) experience gifts. This ensured we ended up with fewer gifts and only things we would actually use in our RV—both things that are extremely important when you live in a tiny space.
Don’t Forget About Hiding Things
Keep in mind you’ll have to hide everything you buy. This can be difficult in an RV. You’ll need to get creative by storing things in storage bays, in the car trunk, in rooftop cargo carriers, and in the backs of cabinets. You might even consider asking friends with houses to hold onto things for you if possible.
Account for Packages
Ordering packages while traveling can be tricky. This is especially frustrating during the holiday season when we end up ordering a lot of gifts online. Fortunately, we have always been able to figure it out and have never been without gifts for our kids.
Do Order Things Early
The first and most important tip? Order things as early as you reasonably can. This will give you time to fix problems that arise, such as a package not arriving on time.
Don’t Assume Campgrounds Will Receive Packages
It’s also important to figure out where you can receive packages. We have found that some campgrounds will accept packages for us, but many will not. Some others will for a fee. In any case, you’ll want to call ahead and find out for sure. If the campground won’t accept packages, you can choose to use an Amazon locker, have things delivered to the UPS store, or potentially have things sent to the post office.
Decorations Should be Well Thought Out
I adore Christmas decorations, and we always, always decorate our RV for the holidays. That said, I have to think about decorations very carefully when we live in such a small space.
Do Add Festive Fun to Your Rig
So yes, do find ways to decorate. I recommend things that hang on the walls inside the RV, such as a felt Christmas tree, garlands, and lights. You might also consider having an inflatable decoration outside on your campsite.
Don’t Go Overboard with Clutter
What you don’t want to do is go overboard. While we did make room for a full-sized tree in two of our RVs, it meant removing furniture and it wouldn’t work in most rigs. Don’t squish in a big tree if it doesn’t fit. I also recommend skipping the knick-knacks that are likely to get in the way and break during travel.
Likewise, if you plan to move the RV during the holiday season, you probably don’t want to put up a bunch of outdoor decorations that will have to be moved every time you travel.
Food Adds to the Fun
In my opinion, food is a very important part of any holiday. Because of this, I make sure to plan our Christmas menu well in advance.
Do Plan Special Christmas Meals
We always have a couple of special meals on Christmas.
Several years back, we started a little tradition of going to Waffle House on Christmas morning, because there is almost always one nearby and they are always open. Since we never go out for breakfast, it is special to the kids, even if it is just Waffle House.
For dinner, we tend to try to eat with friends. Sometimes we grill steaks together, sometimes we make a pot roast to share, and sometimes we eat potluck style. In all cases, I make sure we have some fun foods that we wouldn’t normally eat to make the meal extra special.
Don’t Feel Obligated to Make a Traditional Feast
What I don’t do? I don’t attempt to make an entire traditional holiday feast in our teeny tiny kitchen. It isn’t fun for me and just puts me in a bad mood on a day that should be fun. Yes, I make foods my family finds special, but I don’t kill myself to make a ridiculous amount of food or the “right” foods.
Connections Make the Holidays Bright
We have spent a couple of Christmases without family or friends. Not on purpose really, it just worked out that way. They were the saddest Christmases of my life. The holidays just aren’t the same without family or close friends.
Do Plan to Spend the Holidays with Family or Friends
As I said above, I highly recommend planning to be where your friends and/or family are for the holidays. Not only that, but I also recommend making sure they will be available to spend the holiday with you and making a plan for when you’ll be together and what you’ll be doing.
Don’t just assume. I’ve made that mistake before too. Can’t do Christmas Day together? Consider celebrating a different day.
Some of the best RV holiday celebrations we’ve had have been:
- Cookouts
- Potlucks in the campground lodge or rec center
- Making ornaments and gingerbread houses together
- Holiday hikes
- Caroling in the RV park
- Hot cocoa and exchanging small, handmade gifts
Don’t Overschedule Yourself
If you’re in an area with lots of family and friends, you could potentially attend several celebrations. Be careful if this comes up. In my opinion, having too much to do on Christmas is just as bad as having nobody to see.
Holiday Adventures Make Memories
One of the best things about traveling for the holidays is that you can include interesting and exciting adventures in your celebrations. While we don’t usually go on an adventure on Christmas Day, I like to plan several adventures and outings during the season.
Do Plan Fun Holiday Outings
What kinds of adventures do we go on during Christmastime? All sorts! I like to try to tie in local holiday activities and events, especially if there’s something super unique happening in the area. We also make a point of attending campground holiday events.
Of course, seeing area hiking trails, parks, and attractions is also important and can be especially fun during the holidays.
Don’t Add Stress to the Season
What I have to avoid doing is making our holiday season too busy and stressful. While I love to see and do ALL THE THINGS, I have to remind myself that it is important to leave ourselves some downtime for simple things like hot cocoa and storytime, Christmas movies and cookie baking, and just laughing and being together.
There you have it, everything you need to know to have an amazing Christmas in your RV. I hope your holiday season is magical and adventurous!