Letters have been sent to Lapland, the doorbell is going every day with more deliveries, nativity rehearsals are in full swing and another house along your road puts up its festive lights every day. It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. But where will you spend the big day this year?
As festive excitement grows in the Europcar offices, we wanted to find out how far people are willing to travel for the big family get-together, and, most importantly, how they survive those potentially stressful journeys.
2024 seems to be a year to stay put for most, with 81% of people saying they will celebrate Christmas at home. However, almost half (45%) said they if they were to venture further afield than their own dining room, they would be willing to drive for up to two hours to visit family and friends. 35% wouldn’t want to drive more than an hour.
15% would be willing to hop on a short flight, while just 5% would take a long-haul flight to visit loved ones at Christmas.
Are we nearly there yet?
Every family has their own way of celebrating Christmas and their own traditions. But whether Christmas is a low-key event at home for immediate family or close friends, or a chance to catch up with the extended family or distant friends you don’t see often enough, driving seems to play a big part in the festive season for most.
Even for those who won’t be driving across the country to visit their third cousin once removed, most are likely to need to drive a lot over the holiday season – for shopping trips, parties, meals out and crunchy walks on frosty grass all wrapped up in cosy layers.
To reduce travel-related stress over the festive period, 29% of survey respondents said they would simply avoid travelling. 19% pass the time on the road by sing along to Christmas songs, 17% stock up on sweet treats and 13% schedule lots of stop to break up the drive. 11% let younger passengers watch movies and play games on their tablets or phones to take away the boredom and avoid the constant cries of “are we there yet?”
Pack it in
If you find yourself reliving memories of Tetris after a big Christmas shopping trip, or when you’re loading the car with the kids, the dog, the presents, the suitcases, the extra pillows and the Christmas trifle you promised to bring to Aunt Bess’, you might benefit from hiring a larger vehicle for a few days. Journeys can be less stressful in a more suitable vehicle, so hiring a larger car could help take the pressure off long trips – or big shopping trips. And to make rental even more convenient, Europcar can deliver and collect the vehicle so that all the focus can go on getting the last decorations up, presents wrapped and trifle made.
Top Tips to survive Christmas travel:
– Plan ahead – work out the route ahead of time, check for any road closures you’ll need to avoid and make sure you leave more than enough time to do the journey in case of heavy traffic or other delays en route.
– Work out stopping places so everyone can stretch their legs and use the loo without having to find somewhere in a hurry when the youngest is suddenly desperate and can’t possibly hold it anymore.
– Pack plenty of drinks and snacks to satisfy even the fussiest of passengers.
– Download music and podcasts ahead of time to keep everyone entertained even if you lose 4G, on multiple devices if necessary – and don’t forget everyone’s headphones unless you want to listen to Peppa Pig in one ear and Spiderman in the other, all over the top of the Christmas tunes you carefully chose.
– Don’t let the petrol or diesel get too low before stopping to refill, no one needs a panicked search for the nearest petrol station when their phone has no signal and maps won’t load.
– Make sure you have enough space in the car to pack all the luggage, gifts, food, passengers and pets safely and comfortably.
Europcar’s Delivery & Collection service is available six days a week from branches nationwide, right up to Christmas Eve, and from Boxing Day onwards. It is quick and easy to book online, and the vehicle can usually be delivered to a work or home address within 24 hours. Delivery & Collection is available on all types of vehicle, including cars, vans and electric vehicles.
Find out more about Delivery & Collection.
