Hello All.
We are planning on going away for 2 weeks over Christmas and New Year. I haven’t listed yet, but just wondering what are the chances of getting someone to house sit over the Christmas period? Are their house sitters happy to do this, rather than being with family. Just trying to be realistic as need to book flights pretty soon.
Thanks, Sarah.
Hi @Sarahf and welcome to the forum! I’ve seen quite a few Christmas sits posted so you definitely aren’t alone. I’ve wondered the same thing myself seeing them, but imagine the holidays are treated much the same as any other dates by those who travel permanently. Your location would play a big factor in finding a sitter. Where are you? If you happen to be in eastern Canada, I’d consider a holiday sit!
Thanks Lindsay.
I always find Christmas, a difficult time to judge. Sadly I am in Ireland, so just a bit far from you. Lol
Yes, a little far! I’d actually love to spend the holidays in Ireland. I usually visit family in Sligo every couple of years and am missing it but am holding off on returning to international travel until next year. Best of luck, I am sure you’ll find a great sitter soon!
Hello @Sarahf
Yes we always go house/dog-sitting at Christmas.
We sit as a couple and we don’t like very much big family christmas party. You know : we got to go to my family the 24th, then his family the 25th, but this year his family want us to come ont the 24 because Auntie Mary is here so it is special, but what about my step father, and his daughter, and…
What we like the most is being just 2 of us, having a light meal that we both enjoy (because my cousin is a vegetarian, but my mother want her to taste Foie gras at least once in her life it is so delicious - uncle Paul got a pb with alcool so shouldn,'t we serve any wine at all ? - Auntie Sarah being sick once with oysters, what about scallops !!!) 
Thanks to dog-sitting, we have spent Christmas in a nice flat in Portugal, in a cottage in Cornwall and in a castle in french countryside (we’ve been dog sitting 3 years now!. So our great question at the moment is : where will we celebrate Xmas this year ??? 
@Françoise-et-Youn your comment made me laugh. I like a nice, quiet holiday as well - for the same reasons you describe!
Yes @Lindsay : Xmas holidays is too often full of food and alcool, and people… And we just want it to be full of walkies in the wild with happy dogs, and a nice hot chocolate in a cosy house… or an orange juice at the beach when we are in Portugal !
HI @Sarahf Welcome to our community forum and thank you for joining us from the beautiful Emerald Isle.
Christmas will be upon us before we know it and this year many aslo be very different, as it applies to travel and so listing early would be the advice.
Also consider dates, remembering that is it a very busy travel time probably even more so this year, sitters will be planning in advance and will want to prepare and also enjoy their Christmas stay.
Some sitters choose to sit in the same area as friends and relatives this allows them the opportunity to be be near but still maintain their own privacy, comfort and independence with pets for company, for others Christmas is about time to relax and experience a different sort of Christmas while living the petsitting lifestyle they enjoy.
It will be interesting to hear about Christmas plans from our members, I think you are the first to bring the festive season to our Forum.
Welcome again.
Angela and the Team
Hi @Sarahf , as @Lindsay says, there are quite a few sittings already listed for Christmas and/or New Year.
Over the past 11 years house-sitting, we have sat over Christmas and/or New Year about 9 times. Most times here in the UK, but also in Australia and New Zealand. Each has been a wonderful experience, sharing the holiday with dogs and cats. We like to get away from the commercial aspect of it all, we love shopping for our Christmas meal in a new place and love to see how other places celebrate. We have especially appreciated the owner putting up a Christmas Tree.
I would recommend you get listing straight away!
List ASAP @Sarahf! And welcome to the forum!
As a full time sitter I am always booked well in advance. You can always edit and update your listing if necessary. Post pictures and share why your place and animals are perfect!
Most of my Christmas sits are repeats and requested a very long time in advance and they are long term. We agree to keep the period open, I block it off on my calendar and then narrow down the dates as it gets closer.
Just delicious.
Where are you in Ireland? I’m from there (Dundalk). I live in the US now, and just returned from Ireland last week.
We have done housesits at Christmas and would do again.
Husband has a large family and there were often more then 20 of us at the in-laws for Christmas. Present giving was chaotic with everyone giving the children presents to unwrap at once and they (and we) often could not keep up and had no clue who had given them which present. It didn’t feel as if they had the opportunity to appreciate each gift and thank the person who gave it to them.
Also there was always that one family member who would buy extravagantly expensive gifts for their children and then make sure they gave them to them in front of the whole family. Not so much of an issue when our boys were tiny, but as they got bigger they began to notice.
Now we would rather have a smaller, more relaxed Christmas Day and catch up with the rest of the family afterwards. Housesits are perfect for slowing things down and having time to appreciate where you are!
When we’ve been 6 month backpacking we’ve jumped at housesits over Christmas rather than be in hotels/hostels. Our first ever sit was Christmas 2012. We’ve since had Christmas sits in Hanoi and Mexico. Loved them all
As a full time traveler, I am on the lookout for sits all year round. I am originally from NJ and have already booked a sit for over Christmas and New Year’s in the state so we can be near friends and family. Lots of people like me as well as those who like to travel during the holidays to new places so I think you will find someone.
Welcome @Sarahf - you’ve got plenty of feedback to reassure you about posting your Christmas sit. Here’s a bit more… we’ve house sat for 7 consecutive Christmases now and booked this year’s a full 12 months ahead when we finished the same sit last year! We will be back in the French Alps very close to Chamonix. Pretty much a guaranteed white Christmas in a quiet village walking the dogs, snowshoeing and eating fab French food! Good luck with finding your Christmas sitters and have a fab time away. 
Our very first pet sit was over Christmas/New Years. We are confirmed for this Christmas/New Years as well - our 11th pet sit - and can’t wait! We’ve been booked since early August.
I am sure you will have no problem finding some caring pet sitters for your dates.
One thing I have noticed lately with some Christmas sits in the UK is they start on boxing day. I would think they would be less popular than a sit that starts before Christmas and there is no/ very limited public transportation which makes it challenging if you are travelling without a car.
I look out for Christmas New Year sits, something a few weeks, a few days before Christmas and around 5th January (ish).
There would be lots of people who are either full timers or just want a change for Christmas and New Year.
Enjoy your time away.
Hi @Kootenaigirl that is a very good point and one we share with owners looking for Christmas sitters … the dates are really important as travel is always affected at Christmas, unless you have your own vehicle and everyone wants to enjoy their Christmas break.