Choosing a beautiful destination for weddings has been a popular choice of newlyweds. As the matriarch of my family I thought of the possibility of a destination Christmas for our growing extended family. This choice allows a neutral location, in perhaps a holiday destination, that provides space to share and create memories.
It has been years since my sister and I celebrated a Christmas Day together. Like many siblings we live away from each other. As our families grew and our children became young adults they also moved to live in new locations. Our two children are married and we have added their partners and five grandchildren to our family group. Everyone is busy during the year with work and school responsibilities, making a Christmas gathering an even more precious opportunity to connect.
Just prior to the previous Christmas we began to envision a Christmas together. One where we could eat, sleep and connect over several days. First priority was finding a suitable location where travel distances were shared by all. Dates were decided and we started investigating options. Initially a city get away was looked at but the logistics of finding reasonably priced self-contained accommodation and a venue for Christmas Lunch proved difficult. We finally chose the beautiful Southern Highland N.S.W. location of Bowral.
It was great to start planning early.
Once the accommodation and timing was locked in we paid a refundable deposit and worked out costings in ample time to avoid any financial surprises later in the year. The house gave us the required nine bedrooms, two roomy living spaces and a large kitchen. We could begin imagining configurations for the bedding. Thankfully there were ample bathrooms on the floor plan so each family was allocated their own.
The accommodation choice and basic information was shared with everyone and a family Whats App group was set up. Our initial planning kept everyone in the loop as we shared suggestions and built anticipation. We set dates to arrive several days prior to Christmas so everyone could settle in. This strategy also gave us an opportunity to locate all we needed in the kitchen and test appliances with a meal or two before Christmas Day.
Six weeks prior to Christmas.
Several months out some of the group came together to discuss Christmas Lunch. We gathered to have a ‘trial run’ of possibilities, just like a trial dinner for the bridal party before a wedding. It worked well, as we were able to choose both our lunch menu and a flexible ‘food plan’ for the remaining meals together. Christmas Eve lunch we planned a group outing to a local winery. It was an opportunity to dress up, have a meal prepared for us and celebrate a few recent family birthdays. Lunch was a good option particularly when younger children are involved.
Our trial meal together was also an opportunity to talk about gift giving. We decided to buy mainly for the children in the family. Adults bought for their partners. One family followed a Secret Santa tradition, this year deciding to buy silly socks for each other.
Our Christmas at Bowral
As each family arrived excitement built and connections deepened. We were all amazed by the generous space available and slowly settled into bedrooms. The children enjoyed playing together while the adults reconnected. We also met one of our nieces fiancé, some for the first time.
We let the flow of each day revolve flexibly around our meals. There were walks of the neighbouring streets, board games and outdoor multi-generational games on the expansive front lawn. We all shared in the younger children’s experience of Santa with Santa sacks and cookies and milk for Santa and his reindeer adorning the entry hall table. Upstairs during Christmas Eve piles of gifts magically emerged under our little Christmas Tree. In very untrue to form, the littlest family members were last to wake up Christmas morning so the adults waited patiently for the excitement to begin.
Christmas Day was all hands on deck in the kitchen. Desserts and sides for the mains prepared, the long table set, the outdoor BBQ lit and cocktails and drinks poured. Christmas music played in the background and photos and videos were taken to remember the day. After lunch Christmas gifts were explored and games played. The Whats App group became a visual memory board of our time together as photos were taken and shared. We remained all day and into the evening at our accommodation using lunch leftovers for our evening meal. This made for a relaxed day for everyone.
Departure Day
For a variety of reasons departure day is equally as important as arrival day. We made a point of always keeping the dishwasher loaded, particularly with such a large group, and maintaining a level of tidiness during our stay. As one of our nieces remarked ‘There is no ‘I’ in team, so even the younger children knew everyone needed to pitch in and help with tasks.
Most properties have check out times so cleaners can arrive to prepare for the following guests so its important to manage and give plenty of time to tidy and check everyone’s belongings are accounted for.
Once breakfast was had and cars were packed it was time for goodbyes. When everyone lives a distance from each other it can be a time of mixed emotions. Make it a precious time for hugs and conversation and wish safe travels home.
Finally, I sent a quick thank you text to our host to let her know we would be soon departing. This gesture allows the host to alert cleaning teams into action and is definitely appreciated.
Our Destination Christmas was a wonderful opportunity as an extended family to congregate. From everyone’s feedback it was a memorable time shared. If you are looking to emulate our experience my advice would be to start planning early (a year out is a good idea). Use a platform to keep everyone informed during the year about any logistics and finances. Finally, come with an open heart and realistic expectations of your time together, stay flexible and accommodating to everyone’s needs and personalities and create heaps of memories that will be cherished for years to come.