Tips for Celebrating the Holidays in Your RV

Whether you are living in an RV full time, are a part-timer, or a weekend road warrior, camping over the holidays is an adventure every RVer should experience in their lifetime. So, forget the gifts this year and grab your significant other or family to head out on a RV camping trip for a holiday affair that will surely be a memory maker.

Decide Where You Want to Go Camping for the Holidays

Original photo by: @1anchoredfam

Travel to a destination with your preferred Christmas camping weather. There is no wrong place to camp for the holidays. Whether you are looking for cold weather or warm weather, you will be able to find the perfect spot. If you want a colder weather experience, Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio or Dakota Ridge RV Resort in Golden, Colorado, offers year-round locations. To escape the cold, you can head south to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort in Orlando, Florida, Ventura Ranch KOA, San Paula CA, or Fredericksburg RV Park, Fredericksburg, TX. Once you have your destination picked out, book your site.

Pro-Tip: After a certain date, many campgrounds in the northern part of the United States close for the season; check in advance for availability when picking a place to take your Christmas excursion.

Tips to Decorate for Christmas in Your RV

Decorating a house is one thing, but getting your RV ready for the holiday is quite another, but before you know it, you will be singing, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas all around the camper. There are a few space-saving tricks to getting everything in its place.

  • Hang a cheery wreath on the front door; it is on the outside and out of the main space. It will bring a smile to everyone around the campground.

  • Drape festive garland around the top of the inside living space. Garland up high and out of the way brings the merriest of times without taking up counter space.

Pro-Tip: Use command hooks for easy up and down.

Original photo by: @oilsandgracetribe

  • Throw out some Christmas pillows for comfortable, joyous decor. Use pillow covers to cover your standard RV pillows for space-saving reasons.
  • Step into the Holiday with Christmas rugs. These can be thrown throughout the RV in all the spaces. They bring that joyful Christmas spirit, and they serve a useful purpose.
  • Sprinkle lights around. Choose to use as many or as little as you want. Instead of using the electric ones, find battery-operated lights that are lighter and easier to hang in tight spaces.

Original photo by: @shelbyadrift

  • Last but not least, set up the Christmas tree. Everyone knows floor space is at a premium in the unit, so here are a couple of our favorite options. There are a few popular ways to do this in the RV world. Purchase a small skinny tree, corner tree, or a half Christmas tree. Once your tree is set up let the decorating fun begin.

Original photo by: @oilsandgracetribe

Cooking Your Christmas Meal in Your RV

You’ve picked your destination, planned the decorations, and now the meal. How do you cook a big meal in a tiny space? Let your mantra be-less is more.

The key is planning in advance. Make sure to pack the necessary cookware and check to see if it fits into your RV oven. If there is a grocery store nearby, shop closer to Christmas and save space for groceries.

Think beyond your oven. Make use of a cast-iron Dutch Oven over a campfire, crockpots, the outdoor grill, and if your RV has an outdoor kitchen, use it to its full potential.

But what about the Christmas turkey? This is where it gets creative. RVers can use a deep fryer if they really want to cook a big bird, or think smaller and use a grill, or buy Cornish hens to stuff.

Maybe you don’t want the hassle of cooking in the RV, that’s ok; head out to a local restaurant for Christmas dinner.

Pro-Tip: Cook what you can in advance at home and warm it up in a crockpot on Christmas Day.

Make Some New Holiday Traditions and Keep the Old Ones Alive

Celebrating the holidays in your RV is an excellent time to incorporate new traditions and find ways to keep the family favorites alive.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  1. Go caroling in the RV Park and bring the holiday joy to others. Everyone enjoys a little merry-making!
  2. Put together a White Elephant gift exchange. Why not have some fun around the campground with others?
  3. Invite other campers to your campfire dinner. Expand your family circle a little to welcome new friends.
  4. Watch a Christmas movie. It is the perfect time to settle in with snacks, some blankets, and your loved ones.
  5. Attend a local Christmas Eve service. If your traditions involve this experience, search for a local church for their start time.
  6. Drive a neighborhood to look at lights. Fill a thermos with hot chocolate and pile in the car to find the nearest community to enjoy the local’s jovial Christmas cheer.
  7. Donate your camping Christmas decorations after the holidays. Since space is limited in an RV, consider donating your holiday swag to a local charity for the next person to enjoy.

Original photo by: @oilsandgracetribe

Check out the Christmas Festivities in the Nearby Towns

Every town in the US, big or small, comes alive at the Holidays! Once you have the RV decorated with Holiday cheer and your meal prepped, take some time to enjoy the destination.

Check the local destinations visitor guide for events:

  • Christmas parades
  • Christmas tree lighting
  • Drive-thru Christmas lights
  • Visit a live nativity
  • Zoo lights

Embrace the RV lifestyle in your unit this holiday season and create some new memories, find some new friends, and experience everything that your camping destination has to offer over the Holiday season.

Original photo by: @theflyinghens