I am happy to do Christmas/New Year sits (or here in the US Thanksgiving as well). Before retiring, holidays were often the only times I could get away so I got used to holiday travel. Would catch up with family at other times.
2019 I started a sit on NY Eve and the neighbors invited me over for a NY Eve celebration.
T’giving 2020 I sat in Miami with a pair of miniature horses and flock of bantam hens.
And I have a New York City sit booked from 22 Dec-4 Jan this winter.
We’re welcoming our first sitters next December and January and they found great appeal at the chance of celebrating Christmas and New Years in Quebec City.
We are always looking for a Christmas sit. As some other people have mentioned Christmas can be a very stressful time and I find the best way to survive is to go it alone……big families, even bigger personalities……
Post early. Remember that travel is always more expensive during holiday periods so it’s better to make the sit as long as possible to be more attractive. And please don’t have the end or start day Christmas Day or New Years Day, who wants to travel then?
Good luck and chose wisely.
Elsie
The definition of Christmas day varies! In Germany it’s the 24th, in other countries the 25th is the more important day
Yep it sure is. I was talking about my own personal preference. I cannot imagine travelling on 24, 25,26,31 December or 1,2 January.
In Scotland New Year is a huge holiday. Even a hundred years ago people worked through Christmas but always had Hogmanay and New Year’s Day off.
Thanks everyone. That has given me a little bit of hope. Will sort out writing a listing this weekend.
@ElsieDownie we actually did a sit that was originally planned to start on 24th December, but the HO family were “uninvited” (their description) for Christmas Eve so they had to leave on Christmas Day. As we were only 45 minutes away, it actually worked quite well. The children were up at a very early hour and had opened all their presents before we needed to set off, and it saved us taking all the presents with us. We still had time to cook Christmas dinner once we got there, and to visit the local pub. It only worked because we were so close!
I would definitely do sits over Christmas & have done before!!
That’s what I’m asking myself! The animals will make it!
Hi @Grateful11 welcome to our community forum and thank you for joining in our very first “Christmas Sit” conversation, I’m sure there will be many more.
We have done many Christmas sits and had sitters stay in our home over Christmas. Once I determined if it a special time for them also (not everyone celebrates) timing permitted, I would decorate and get some Christmas goodies in so they felt welcomed and festive, after all it is their Christmas also.
We are really lucky to have experienced Christmas sits in many different countries, learning about different customs and traditions, we’ve had sits close to family & friends and others where out hosts have kindly let is invite family to stay and each one has been made even more special by the pet company.
Enjoy being here on the forum and connecting with our members around the world.
We’d love to hear about your Christmas plans …
Angela and the Team
We did a local sit once at Christmas and really enjoyed it. It was for a couple that we’ve done repeat sits for and they said they were hesitant to ask us thinking we wouldn’t want to. Our son and his wife were coming for Christmas so the homeowners invited them as well and the four of us had a nice family Christmas doing the house sit and looking after their dog.
With only one grown son, being home at Christmas (or any holiday) isn’t that big a deal to me. We always say (we’re adults - we can celebrate whenever we want to!) I went to London eight after Christmas two years ago and had no trouble at all finding sitters for my house. I think it depends on where you are and if that’s an appealing place to spend the dead of winter. I happen to adore the UK (and Ireland) then. And, as I live in the American Southwest, there are lots of people who want to escape winter to come here. Late fall to early spring is my easiest time to find a sitter. I do think the advice to post early is a good one and to remember about travel issues (like on Boxing Day).
Last year and this year, I did and will be doing housesits solo over Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’m all for it!
yes usually look to get away with christmas/new year. Easy being single !!!
Is anyone interested in a 9-10 day sit in beautiful Charlotte, NC over the Christmas holiday? We will be visiting relatives in Phoenix so would love to firm up the sitter prior to making airline reservations.
We have a very easy, easy sit with a 12 year old Boykin Spaniel who just wants to lie around on the sofa with you and snuggle in bed at night (actually only snuggles for about 10 minutes, then moves to the foot of the bed or off to her own bed on the floor). She doesn’t require walks and just loves to relax if outside in her 1 acre yard where she watches the birds, squirrels and rabbits run around.
Not just Catholic countries I think. Here in the US a tradition in my Jewish family (and many others) was to go out for Chinese food on Christmas day - Chinese restaurants were the only family restaurants open that day.
@Sarahf yes there are plenty of us out there that would love a Christmas housesit. We don’t live anywhere near family and have no kids, so to get away at Christmas is a joy. I’d get it listed quickly to give people time to find the sit and get airline tickets! Welcome to the forum!
Hi @long1016 Your sit sounds lovely as does your laid-back Spaniel. Must feel good to be planning your Christmas break with family!
Have you put your listing up on the website already? We know lots of sitters from our full membership base are already, like you, planning their Christmas sits so I’m sure you’ll get some good responses through the website and you’ll hopefully be booking that flight before you know it! Good luck
Hi @long1016 Sassy look so adorable and what a great holiday companion she will make “Caring for Sassy was so much fun! She is a great pup and has the sweetest and most loving disposition”
… as @Vanessa_A says
It’s great to see your dates over the holiday includes New Year, being flexible with dates is so important, it allows everyone to make their best and most convenient travel plans and enjoy the holidays, without having to travel at peak and the most costly of times.
With so many amazing sitter recommendations via their feedback I’m sure you will have great applicants to choose from.
We are a family of 4 from Denmark and we have also been keeping an eye on Christmas sits. We are, however, looking mainly for a warmer climate and to shake off the soggy cold Danish weather. I see there are a lot of sits being posted for Christmas and I can honestly say, as someone looking, please post in advance because travelling around Christmas time can get pricey and we are planning it all now in hope of grabbing a good flight deal still.