Working Christmas?

[Cathy]

Maybe this should be a poll. Just received an enquiry for Dec 23 to 28. A family coming from the US. We are excited (well we are with all reservation even if JUST and enquiry) but wondering if Christmas Day is what we want to do.
We are willing to do anything this year, well almost . Just trying to feel out our first year, and when the year is over we will decide what we like, don't like, etc.
We do not have a peak or low season, first because we don't know what they are, second, because the shines here 359 (another day with rain today that makes six so far this year), and 3rd well we just don't know yet.
It will feel odd on Christmas morning to wake up to having guests here. Do you make a special Christmas breakfast? Oh my

 

[Penelope]

What is the rest of your area like around Christmas? You could accept the reservation (it's a 5 nighter) and let them know that Christmas day is Continental or whatever "hands- off" type of breakfast you could serve. At the very least here in the States there is a Ryan's or Golden Corral open for Christmas Day lunch/dinner
Not everyone celebrates Christmas...if you do, tell them that. As a "not quite Inkeeper" (with kids) I hope I would take the booking and make it work for me.

 

[YellowSocks]

5 night booking? We're new and we'd probably take it, too. But we're not planning on going anywhere. We are thinking about going away at Thanksgiving, but I haven't decided which nights to block off yet.
=)
Kk.

 

[Cathy]

We don't have family or friends coming down this year so we are here any way. I love Christmas and it might be nice to have people to fuss over.
Christmas is celebrated on the 24th here with the big day being the 3 Kings Day on the 5th of January. So most restaurants will be open, unless it is a Monday.
It is just an enquiry so far. Nothing booked or paid for. We are hopeful though.

 

[Penelope]

Sometimes the good thing about inquiries is that they get you thinking about how you would handle certain situations that might not be normal.
Now, no one needs to get on my case. I KNOW there is no NORMAL in innkeeping. I also know that most reservations follow the same pattern.

 

[user 26]

i have been on the other side ...
stayed at an inn over christmas when widowed about 2 months.
it was awful.
i should have sought out a small b&b but found none that were taking guests over christmas ... understandable ... but this turned out to be a big place with a pretty website that made me think it would be all warm and fuzzy. i saw practically no one while there except for college girls who worked the computer and phone behind a reception counter and wall ... and there were renovations going on in the room next to mine so it was loud.
somewhere there is another thread about a christmas enquiry ..... someone mentioned guests who asked about bringing their own decorations.
you would have to be very specific about what you will and will not provide and be sure you understand their expectations.
as a guest, i would have been happy with a little conversation by a common fire. but there was none.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

We don't have family or friends coming down this year so we are here any way. I love Christmas and it might be nice to have people to fuss over.
Christmas is celebrated on the 24th here with the big day being the 3 Kings Day on the 5th of January. So most restaurants will be open, unless it is a Monday.
It is just an enquiry so far. Nothing booked or paid for. We are hopeful though..

We don't have family or friends coming down this year so we are here any way. I love Christmas and it might be nice to have people to fuss over.
Christmas is celebrated on the 24th here with the big day being the 3 Kings Day on the 5th of January. So most restaurants will be open, unless it is a Monday.
It is just an enquiry so far. Nothing booked or paid for. We are hopeful though.

Another thing to consider, they may not DO Christmas, they may belong to another religion and so leaving the country to escape all the hub-bub of the season. You might want to find out. OR they had a loss in their family and cannot bear to be THERE on Christmas so are leaving and going someplace else.
Or you might have some super guests who you can pour your Christmas spirit all over and have the best Christmas ever!!!

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

TAKE IT!
Unless you have some personal objections to working on Christmas or have all the relatives staying with you, take it.
We have inquiries CHRISTMAS EVE - traveling to get to a relatives house and want ME to make them breakfast when I have two wide eyed chidlren who want to see what is in their stockings! Nope, no Christmas eve, and the same Christmas night, traveling back home after a stressful day with relatives. That means we have to be "on" and clean up and not relax whatsoever.
In our situation we will never be open.
Now having said that, we did have a couple from Portland Oregon here - they were here one full week to visit their new grandbaby and spent EVERY MINUTE except sleeping and showering over there. They were terrific and did not want to rain on our parade. We made them no breakfasts as they were at the son and dil's place for all meals.
We gave them the room with their own entrance, so I freshened the room and that was all I did. I will have to say THE GREATEST GUESTS EVER.

 

[Cathy]

We have corresponded with them and they are excited. Said they will be in touch really soon to confirm. hmm maybe they will and maybe they won't. We do understand this.
I am sure we will find out more about them as the correspondence goes back and forth. I love it though when they sound excited in their responce makes me hopeful.
We will still be putting up our tree and few decorations that we have .. thinking we should maybe decorate the social room in Mexican, but right now that is the same as US and Canada. We may have to do some homework here.
First though will be the amazing Day of The Dead celebrations. My new favourite holiday.

 

[Willowpondgj]

TAKE IT!
Unless you have some personal objections to working on Christmas or have all the relatives staying with you, take it.
We have inquiries CHRISTMAS EVE - traveling to get to a relatives house and want ME to make them breakfast when I have two wide eyed chidlren who want to see what is in their stockings! Nope, no Christmas eve, and the same Christmas night, traveling back home after a stressful day with relatives. That means we have to be "on" and clean up and not relax whatsoever.
In our situation we will never be open.
Now having said that, we did have a couple from Portland Oregon here - they were here one full week to visit their new grandbaby and spent EVERY MINUTE except sleeping and showering over there. They were terrific and did not want to rain on our parade. We made them no breakfasts as they were at the son and dil's place for all meals.
We gave them the room with their own entrance, so I freshened the room and that was all I did. I will have to say THE GREATEST GUESTS EVER..

With kids at home, Christmas is off limits here too.
Even if they weren't, I would probably only consider one of our return guests, the ones we consider friends, who know and respect the space...the ones you would let in the kitchen and you know they'd clean it without you mentioning it!! Those are the keepers, the ones you'd share your holiday with! Taking on an unfamiliar guest, you may never do Christmas again!

 

[Morticia]

I don't like doing check-ins and check-outs on Christmas, but having guests isn't a big deal to us. We don't travel to see family and they all have kids so they don't travel to see us, either. For a whole house or even half a house, I'd definitely do that.
We haven't made anything special in the past. What you may need to think about is other meals besides breakfast as many, if not all, restaurants will be closed.

 

[Cathy]

I don't like doing check-ins and check-outs on Christmas, but having guests isn't a big deal to us. We don't travel to see family and they all have kids so they don't travel to see us, either. For a whole house or even half a house, I'd definitely do that.
We haven't made anything special in the past. What you may need to think about is other meals besides breakfast as many, if not all, restaurants will be closed..

We haven't made anything special in the past. What you may need to think about is other meals besides breakfast as many, if not all, restaurants will be closed.
Interesting point. I will be checking to see what is open close to us. We are very close to a Hotel that we send our guests to for a cheap and cheerful dinner. Will also check out a couple of the nearby Hacienda's to see what they are offering. We ourselves have dined out during the holidays.
I haven't done dinners yet, been asked to but have kindly declined. We will see what Christmas inspires. Don't have the reservation yet although thinking I am looking forward to it.

 

[muirford]

I don't like doing check-ins and check-outs on Christmas, but having guests isn't a big deal to us. We don't travel to see family and they all have kids so they don't travel to see us, either. For a whole house or even half a house, I'd definitely do that.
We haven't made anything special in the past. What you may need to think about is other meals besides breakfast as many, if not all, restaurants will be closed..

We haven't made anything special in the past. What you may need to think about is other meals besides breakfast as many, if not all, restaurants will be closed.
Interesting point. I will be checking to see what is open close to us. We are very close to a Hotel that we send our guests to for a cheap and cheerful dinner. Will also check out a couple of the nearby Hacienda's to see what they are offering. We ourselves have dined out during the holidays.
I haven't done dinners yet, been asked to but have kindly declined. We will see what Christmas inspires. Don't have the reservation yet although thinking I am looking forward to it.
.

We have guests occasionally on Christmas morning - not usually a full house, but a few people. We don't do dinners here - a local hotel dining room is open and we tell guests when they make a reservation to definitely make one for dinner as nothing else is open.
We have done special breakfasts - here is an item from our blog for last year. I enjoy doing the Christmas crackers and the trifle - then we usually don't take check-ins on Christmas Day. Or Thanksgiving Day, for that matter.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I don't like doing check-ins and check-outs on Christmas, but having guests isn't a big deal to us. We don't travel to see family and they all have kids so they don't travel to see us, either. For a whole house or even half a house, I'd definitely do that.
We haven't made anything special in the past. What you may need to think about is other meals besides breakfast as many, if not all, restaurants will be closed..

We haven't made anything special in the past. What you may need to think about is other meals besides breakfast as many, if not all, restaurants will be closed.
Interesting point. I will be checking to see what is open close to us. We are very close to a Hotel that we send our guests to for a cheap and cheerful dinner. Will also check out a couple of the nearby Hacienda's to see what they are offering. We ourselves have dined out during the holidays.
I haven't done dinners yet, been asked to but have kindly declined. We will see what Christmas inspires. Don't have the reservation yet although thinking I am looking forward to it.
.

We have guests occasionally on Christmas morning - not usually a full house, but a few people. We don't do dinners here - a local hotel dining room is open and we tell guests when they make a reservation to definitely make one for dinner as nothing else is open.
We have done special breakfasts - here is an item from our blog for last year. I enjoy doing the Christmas crackers and the trifle - then we usually don't take check-ins on Christmas Day. Or Thanksgiving Day, for that matter.
.

We have guests occasionally on Christmas morning - not usually a full house, but a few people. We don't do dinners here - a local hotel dining room is open and we tell guests when they make a reservation to definitely make one for dinner as nothing else is open.
We have done special breakfasts - here is an item from our blog for last year. I enjoy doing the Christmas crackers and the trifle - then we usually don't take check-ins on Christmas Day. Or Thanksgiving Day, for that matter.

That is something I forgot to mention, you can have guests IN residence, but not checking IN on those holydays. Good point J. So no waitign around for them and spoiling the whole day, they are in two days before thanksgiving etc.

 

[gillumhouse]

We are over 600 miles from our closest kid with weather that could change from great to fergitaboudit in a sneeze. East/west roads in Illinois, Indiana, and western Ohio (flatland) are not nice places when the snow she is a'blowin'! Everyone stays put for Christmas (the kids gather with each other at Thanksgiving - we see them in any of the other 3 seasons).
I offer 18th Century Thanksgiving, Christma, and New Years. I have a separate tree for the upstairs. So far Christmas is the only one that has not been used. Some day.......

 

[happyjacks]

I had an enquiry earlier this year for a Christmas booking. A family wants to book the whole place to give their daughters "a real country christmas". This is the family that asked if they can bring their own decorations (fine, if they don't attach to my walls/ceilings/etc) and want to put up a tree. And want turkey dinner on christmas day, and then hot turkey sandwiches out of the leftovers with fries and turkey gravy for dinner on boxing day "because we always do that".
I told them what we could do, what it would cost, and what they'd be allowed to do. They haven't booked--yet, they sent a followup enquiry last month--and I hope they don't. Sure, all this is do-able (except the fries) for me, but I would feel better about it if they didn't put soooo much emotional stock in it. It's like they have some Norman Rockwell picture in their mind, melded with their own must-have traditions, and there's no way I want to have to live up to that. If you're going to do something different for the holidays, people, do something different!
We're open over xmas because other than calling my family to wish them merry, we don't do anything for xmas. It's just another day for us. If anything, we promote our B&B as a place to get away from all the holiday mayhem. There's a market for that, too.

 

[Cathy]

I had an enquiry earlier this year for a Christmas booking. A family wants to book the whole place to give their daughters "a real country christmas". This is the family that asked if they can bring their own decorations (fine, if they don't attach to my walls/ceilings/etc) and want to put up a tree. And want turkey dinner on christmas day, and then hot turkey sandwiches out of the leftovers with fries and turkey gravy for dinner on boxing day "because we always do that".
I told them what we could do, what it would cost, and what they'd be allowed to do. They haven't booked--yet, they sent a followup enquiry last month--and I hope they don't. Sure, all this is do-able (except the fries) for me, but I would feel better about it if they didn't put soooo much emotional stock in it. It's like they have some Norman Rockwell picture in their mind, melded with their own must-have traditions, and there's no way I want to have to live up to that. If you're going to do something different for the holidays, people, do something different!
We're open over xmas because other than calling my family to wish them merry, we don't do anything for xmas. It's just another day for us. If anything, we promote our B&B as a place to get away from all the holiday mayhem. There's a market for that, too..

Cooking someone turkey dinner is daunting in my mind. Way to much pressure.
My partner's brother and family came 2 years ago for Christmas and the discussion came up over cooking the turkey. Then I got, ... "but we have always done it that way in our family" ... I said go for it as I am thinking that I then wouldn't have to do it or the work that went with it. Worked out well for me
There must be a million ways to cook a turkey (OK maybe not a million, but enough). I will be happy to have the turkey cooked that same way again as it was great. I am sure I can remember most of it from 2 years ago. Very moist, excellent flavour.
Still have no idea what the enquiry holds for us so far. Still waiting for them to decide. Still hopeful and excited at the prospect. If it works out well, we will always try to be open for Christmas. Would like to go home to Vancouver Island one Christmas in the future though so we will be closed that year for sure.

 

[Cathy]

I don't like doing check-ins and check-outs on Christmas, but having guests isn't a big deal to us. We don't travel to see family and they all have kids so they don't travel to see us, either. For a whole house or even half a house, I'd definitely do that.
We haven't made anything special in the past. What you may need to think about is other meals besides breakfast as many, if not all, restaurants will be closed..

We haven't made anything special in the past. What you may need to think about is other meals besides breakfast as many, if not all, restaurants will be closed.
Interesting point. I will be checking to see what is open close to us. We are very close to a Hotel that we send our guests to for a cheap and cheerful dinner. Will also check out a couple of the nearby Hacienda's to see what they are offering. We ourselves have dined out during the holidays.
I haven't done dinners yet, been asked to but have kindly declined. We will see what Christmas inspires. Don't have the reservation yet although thinking I am looking forward to it.
.

We have guests occasionally on Christmas morning - not usually a full house, but a few people. We don't do dinners here - a local hotel dining room is open and we tell guests when they make a reservation to definitely make one for dinner as nothing else is open.
We have done special breakfasts - here is an item from our blog for last year. I enjoy doing the Christmas crackers and the trifle - then we usually don't take check-ins on Christmas Day. Or Thanksgiving Day, for that matter.
.

What fun for a Christmas breakfast. Triffle for breakfast would be very nice as well. What a nice touch. I am thinking maybe a stuffed baked french toast as well your Christmas cracker and triffle ideas.
Did you make your own crackers? I wonder if I can get the supplies here for that. I have a friend from Ontario coming in October I may have to ask her to bring the snapper. I used to make mine years ago, but then Costco carried some really nice ones.
Thank you so much for sharing

 

[muirford]

I don't like doing check-ins and check-outs on Christmas, but having guests isn't a big deal to us. We don't travel to see family and they all have kids so they don't travel to see us, either. For a whole house or even half a house, I'd definitely do that.
We haven't made anything special in the past. What you may need to think about is other meals besides breakfast as many, if not all, restaurants will be closed..

We haven't made anything special in the past. What you may need to think about is other meals besides breakfast as many, if not all, restaurants will be closed.
Interesting point. I will be checking to see what is open close to us. We are very close to a Hotel that we send our guests to for a cheap and cheerful dinner. Will also check out a couple of the nearby Hacienda's to see what they are offering. We ourselves have dined out during the holidays.
I haven't done dinners yet, been asked to but have kindly declined. We will see what Christmas inspires. Don't have the reservation yet although thinking I am looking forward to it.
.

We have guests occasionally on Christmas morning - not usually a full house, but a few people. We don't do dinners here - a local hotel dining room is open and we tell guests when they make a reservation to definitely make one for dinner as nothing else is open.
We have done special breakfasts - here is an item from our blog for last year. I enjoy doing the Christmas crackers and the trifle - then we usually don't take check-ins on Christmas Day. Or Thanksgiving Day, for that matter.
.

What fun for a Christmas breakfast. Triffle for breakfast would be very nice as well. What a nice touch. I am thinking maybe a stuffed baked french toast as well your Christmas cracker and triffle ideas.
Did you make your own crackers? I wonder if I can get the supplies here for that. I have a friend from Ontario coming in October I may have to ask her to bring the snapper. I used to make mine years ago, but then Costco carried some really nice ones.
Thank you so much for sharing
.

Make my own crackers? No, sweetie, my first name is Jeanne not Martha!

I stock up on them around Christmas and afterwards at Marshall's and Target. Actually it would be fun to make them themed to your inn, if you were so inclined.
I have to say the trifle was fabulous. I used diced kiwi, strawberries and raspberries to make it red and green, and used cannoli cream for the layers. On the top I sprinkled pomegrante seeds, another of my favorite fruits for the holidays.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Actually, isn't this a crack up. Before opening an Inn I used to save all of our tp centers - cardboard rolls for a friend who made Christmas Crackers every year! She had everyone she knew savng them for her. Now i have as many as I could ever want and forgot about that, we could make our own easily. The rolls are the hardest part to get.