Christmas Camping - RV-Dreams Community Forum

SLIPSLID-N-AWAY · RV-Dreams Family Member

Christmas Camping

azrving · RV-Dreams Family Member

SLIPSLID-N-AWAY wrote:

I was also "burnt out" on all the commercialization of this time of year.

So we did NOT have to get all the decorations out of the attic....
did NOT have to find places for all the other nic-nacs so that Christmas stuff could be set out
did NOT have to get up on those too tall ladders to hang lights, wreaths, etc.
did NOT have to put up a tree
did NOT have to go shopping & stand in long lines
did NOT have to spend hours wrapping presents (I really hated that!)
did NOT have to spend hours taking everything back down & putting it all back in attic
did NOT have to worry about the stuff we bought fitting, or being liked
I could probably go on....but you get the picture
We gave every body CASH the weekend before Christmas, packed up the camper & went to a local State Park (close enough so I can commute back & forth to work).

It has been rather cold (we are in middle GA) and cold weather camping is a very different experience but we have been enjoying ourselfs and have not missed the STRESS at all. I like to think of this as "practice" for when we go full-timing.

So, were we the only ones CRAZY enough to go CAMPING for Christmas?

by the way......we are basically the only ones in campground except the campground hosts.

Sounds awesome! Last year we went back to SC for the holidays so we didn't have to do any decorating biggrin

We used to go camping every Thanksgiving but the extended family didn't like it at all

.....didn't stop us from going though. I'm looking forward to FT so I don't have to deal with all the stress/work that the holidays pile onto us.

janni · RV-Dreams Family Member

Well there ya go! I have done this the last two years as we were snowbirding and as long as they get the green they don't mind anyway.
I do miss and love them all though.

tnsauerkraut · RV-Dreams Family Member

Last year at Christmas, we rented our first RV and spent Christmas in the snow at a State Park in West Virginia. We had Ramen Soup for dinner and worked like crazy to build a campfire during all the snow showers. Best time we ever had.

That trip led us to buying our 5ver and making the commitment to becoming fulltimers in the Class of 2020 when we retire. We did the same thing this year - stayed in our Rv over Christmas. This was the first White Christmas that TN has seen in over 30 years and it was fabulous!

I agree - loved the lack of commercialism, not having to decorate, cook, clean, shop, or anything else. We just enjoyed the quiet.

I think we have a new tradition here.

JLitton65 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Last year dh and I went to Southern IL to visit our family, our adult children stayed in FL, we had Christmas in January when everything calmed down. We did stay in our RV in IL.

This year we stayed in FL, but the kids all have several places to go and we always are the nice ones that say just go..fit us in when you can.

I proposed to DH that for 2011 Christmas we have Christmas the weekend before..then him and I head south a day or 2 before Christmas...he agreed..so it looks like Key West for us next Christmas...Yippee!!!

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Some years ago, my Brother-in-Law cut out two plywood snowmen and painted them up and gave them to us for Christmas.

The last few years in our neigborhood, all the neighbors spent hours putting up LOTS of lights and other decorations. I walked outside and leaned one snowman up against each of two pillars on our front porch. Then I go back inside and take a nap as a result of all that decorating.

Ours has been the ONLY house in our cul-de-sac without much in Christmas decorations. This year, I didn't even put out the snowmen.

Bah! Humbug!!!

Looking forward to full-time in our fifth wheel so I don't have space for any decorations. However, out of sentimental reasons, I MIGHT hang onto the snowmen.

Or not....

Terry

tnsauerkraut · RV-Dreams Family Member

Terry, I'm with you - why do we have to decorate? What does that have to do with the real meaning of Christmas?

I got so tired of the pressure this year that I actually wrote a blog post about it...

http://spendingmytyme.blogspot.com/2010/12/spirit-of-christmas.html

RickandJanice · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have been going to Florida for Christmas for the past 12 years. All the commercialization and family conflicts were resolved by this and they all got used to either having Christmas without us or getting together before we leave. The only decorating we do is at the campsite and we keep that simple with a few lights on the camper and a pre-decorated 18" tree inside. We just enjoy the season together and take in some warm weather and sun for two weeks of vacation. We meet allot of others doing the same thing.

Readytogo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Six years ago we camped in Pigeon Forge the week before Christmas. We came home on Christmas Day. It was wonderful. It was empty that week. The crowd for New Years doesn't come in until after Christmas. The roads home were empty also.

tnsauerkraut · RV-Dreams Family Member

Pigeon Forge? That's my neck of the woods!

You would have enjoyed it this Christmas. WE had from 3-6 inches of snow. The first time in over 30 years! It's been great!

Let me know if you come this way again!

azrving · RV-Dreams Family Member

tnsauerkraut wrote:

Terry, I'm with you - why do we have to decorate? What does that have to do with the real meaning of Christmas?

I got so tired of the pressure this year that I actually wrote a blog post about it...

http://spendingmytyme.blogspot.com/2010/12/spirit-of-christmas.html

Read your blog and totally agree with your take on the "Spirit of Christmas." The major holidays seem to be about buying/consuming and not about friends and family. I'm ready to exit the rollercoaster too! biggrin

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

tnsauerkraut wrote:

Terry, I'm with you - why do we have to decorate? What does that have to do with the real meaning of Christmas?

I got so tired of the pressure this year that I actually wrote a blog post about it...

http://spendingmytyme.blogspot.com/2010/12/spirit-of-christmas.html

Marion,

In our past, we have done very little decorating. Once in a great while, we would buy a 5' or 6' living Pine tree to decorate for Christmas. But, only because we planned to plant the tree afterwards. I think that once in my life I hung about 20' of lights along the entry to one of our houses.

Christmas to us is being with family and friends, giving appropriately, and, I must confess, eating too much.

Good points in your blog regarding the spirit of Christmas. Perhaps some day soon, I'll have my own blog and can express similar thoughts.

May God shower you with blessings in the coming year.

Terry

Readytogo · RV-Dreams Family Member

I went to school in Maryville, Tn years ago but still love the area. We will be going to the RV Rally in April. We try to go there once a year. It's not that far of a drive and we love the mountains. Hope to meet you in April.

tnsauerkraut · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thank you Terry - the same to you.

Melstar · RV-Dreams Family Member

My husband just took down today all of the lights and displays in the front yard...we do it for the grandkids...they were here this year....when they don't come...we don't put up all of that stuff. Last year I didn't have even put up aa tree....but this year the whole nine yards......The kids broke 8 or 9 ornaments....and I said...who cares! I protected the ones that had sentimental value! :)

Wildrose Acres · RV-Dreams Family Member

I put up far fewer decorations than usual this year. I told my daughter that I need to cut down on the decorations we have and she thought I was trashing the rest. I told her, no, I'm going to go through them and box up the ones we don't even use now for her and her sibs to go through when they visit. Then in 4 years we will do the same thing with most of the rest, keeping only a few for our FT life-style.

Ivey · RV-Dreams Family Member

I did that today. I took down all the decorations I had up, sorted out what was going in the RV with us and the rest is boxed for donation or storage. Nice to have that little thing done. Makes me feel like I am making some headway.

Vicky