Christmas Camping

[OutdoorMomma]

My kids have somehow gotten the bright idea that we need to camp on Christmas Eve and 'Santa' hunt. Any other time of year, I would love to go camping with the family, but it's already freezing here, I can't even imagine how cold it's going to be in a months time. I might suggest living room camping and see if I can get out of actual camping.

 

[TakeAHike]

If this week is any indication, it will be far too cold here for any outdoor camping. We are already looking at 20's pre-wind chill. I think after that was factored in this morning it was about 6 degrees out. I would definitely be trying to get them to living room camp.

 

[Hikenhunter]

With the right clothin,food, and attitude, you will find that this is a great time of the year to go camping, but if you do go educate yourself and the kids on all aspects of such an undertaking. Mother Nature is unforgiving to those who are not Fully Prepared! If you go let us know how it went.

 

[ppine]

I would suggest to the kids, that you have a lot to do around Christmas and that they can camp in the backyard and keep an eye out for Santa. Bring them hot choclate. Read some old stories from Norway of Germany.

If they are old enough to tend a fire, build them a lean-to with a fire in front so they can watch the sky for a sleigh and reindeer.

 

[bsmit212]

I have done this once. We were out at uncle-in-law's farm and did a family camp out. It got down to about 29, which for GA is cold haha. Since I am the only one there that does any regular camping I was set up pretty nicely. However, the rest were quite cold the next morning.

 

[ppine]

Cold weather always separates the sheep from the goats.

 

[Hikenhunter]

Cold weather always separates the sheep from the goats.

WHAT? I might be dense here but what the heck dos that mean?

 

[RingTwist]

I don't know if it makes me a sheep or a goat, but I'll stay inside rather than camp during the winter. I'd do some kind of "camping" inside with the kids, although it'd make it trickier to put out gifts if they are sleeping in the living room where our tree is.

 

[carmen]

I have never went out during the holidays. Most of the time our house is the host for the parties so tossing a trip into that mix is just a bad idea if anyone plans to have holiday dinner on the table. Hunting Santa does sound fun though, that guy just about bankrupt me when the kids were growing up!

 

[Pathfinder1]

WHAT? I might be dense here but what the heck dos that mean?

Hi...


I'm not sure either. Maybe it was said to confuse us...?? :tinysmile_hmm_t:

Or, if referring to domestic animals, in colder weather I'd rather be wearing what the sheep was wearing...!! :tinysmile_fatgrin_t

 

[Theosus]

I did my Christmahanukwanzika relief hike last year, the first week in January, to celebrate the end of the winter solsticed-based holiday craziness. Being out in the woods mostly alone was very rewarding. It only got down to around 30 or so, but it was fun.

 

[Grandpa]

We have campers every Christmas/holiday. With 5 bedrooms, the marrieds get the bedrooms and the girls camp out in the living room upstairs and the boys camp out in the family room downstairs.

This Thanksgiving, married granddaugher finally got a bedroom for her, hubby and their baby. She almost broke out crying because she knew she would miss the "girls campout" with her cousins.

 

[OutdoorMomma]

I still haven't managed to talk them out of it! We had three inches of snow last night, and are supposed to get another four tonight. When they had this bright idea, it was still in the 50s and 60s, hopefully when they realize how cold it is, they will come up with something else. My oldest two are 12, then there is a 9 year old and a 5 year old, I really don't think they would last long out there. They were whining that it was cold when it dropped into the 40s at night on our last camp out.

 

[ppine]

Hikenhunter,
In many parts of the world sheep and goats run together. Separating them is not that easy. In a metaphorical sense, situations like cold weather are a type of litmus test to see which people really like the outdoors and which sort of play around at it.

It is a livestock reference, but a useful one.

 

[Grandpa]

One winter, I built a large hut out of straw bales out of sight in the orchard. When the kids were coming for Christmas, I told the grandkids to bring sleeping bags because we were going to camp out in snow caves. With about 4feet of snow, zero temps and a stiff breeze, some moms worried while the kids were snug and warm in our secret hut. Revenge is sweet for what those mama's put us through when they were growing up.

 

[Treehugger]

OutdoorMomma, you may want to “remind” them how cold it really is outside. Here in CT it’s 26-feels-like-18 degrees tonight and we’re expecting our first really nasty Nor’Easter tomorrow morning. It’s probably pretty br-r-r-r-r where you are, too. Why don’t you suggest that since you know it’s going to be really cold Christmas Eve you think an early test drive is in order? Pick a really cold night this week and let them camp in it. Don’t bring them hot chocolate or anything else -- maybe they’ll change their minds if you make them rough it

 

[Cappy]

Saturday before Christmas and its 79 degrees outside. If I was exageratin i'da called it 80. We aare supposed to get a front through tonignt which aughta bring it down to in the 60's for the week. Man I hope so. The AC needs a break. I got 6 big oak pallates and just finished busting tem up for camp fire wood, and we really look forwards to a camp fire Christmas evening.

 

[Stargazer]

I like the idea of having the kids camp in the backyard. Mine would be the ones to throw a fit and not want to do it though. They would never suggest camping in the cold.

 

[Theosus]

Backyard camping where I live really sucks. We're on a corner lot at the entrance to our neighborhood, and the main road is busy. It's like grand central station all night. Really, where do people have to go from 230 to 430 in the morning? Jeez…