What we pack for a Christmas or winter break at a UK holiday park such as Butlins: warm layers, charging, and the quick games we play in the bar.
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Christmas and winter breaks at Butlins and other UK holiday parks
We've had Christmas breaks at Butlins, and packing for them is very similar to a caravan holiday. The big difference is the weather: you'll be walking between your accommodation, the shows and the restaurants in the cold and dark, so warm clothes matter far more.
Here's what we'd pack for a winter or Christmas break at a UK holiday park.
A warm, waterproof coat for everyone – you'll be outside more than you expect, often in the evening.
Hats, gloves and scarves – easy to forget, and expensive to replace in a gift shop.
Layers – indoor venues are warm, so a jumper over a T-shirt works better than one thick top.
Waterproof shoes or boots – wet paths and puddles are almost guaranteed in December.
Christmas jumpers – for themed nights, Christmas lunch and photos.
Something a little smarter – if your break includes a Christmas meal or party night.
Bedding, towels and kitchen basics – what's provided depends on the park and the type of accommodation, so check your booking before you pack.
Tea towels, washing-up liquid and a starter supply of toilet roll – worth bringing if you'll be self-catering.
Power bank – cold weather drains phone batteries faster, and you'll be using your phone for booking slots, photos and finding each other.
INIU 10,000mAh 45W Power Bank
Compact, fast USB-C charging and enough capacity for a full day out without becoming a brick in your bag.
A USB charger with several ports – so the whole family can charge overnight from one socket.
Cable organiser – keeps everyone's chargers together.
BAGSMART Travel Cable Organiser
Keeps chargers, cables and a power bank together, so nothing gets left plugged in when you leave.
A torch – it's dark by late afternoon in December.
Insulated bottle – for a hot drink on a cold walk.
Insulated water bottle
Keeps drinks hot or cold for hours on long days out.
Some of our favourite moments on these breaks have been playing a quick game in the bar with a drink. Small, fast games work best, because there's limited table space and you'll be interrupted.
Dobble – very quick games, easy to pick up and put down, and works on a small bar table.
Dobble
A tiny tin with very quick games. Easy to play at a bar table with a drink in hand.
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza – tiny, chaotic and guaranteed to make the whole table laugh.
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
Barely bigger than a pack of cards, and reliably gets the whole table laughing.
On nights when you'd rather stay in, a bigger game comes into its own, and you've got the car to carry it.
Bomb Busters – our caravan holiday favourite, and just as good for a winter evening in with older children.
Bomb Busters
A tense, funny cooperative game our children wanted to play every single evening of our last caravan holiday.
The Crew: Mission Deep Sea – compact and cooperative, great for a couple of hours after dinner.
The Crew: Mission Deep Sea
Compact, cooperative and deep enough to keep older children and adults playing all evening.
Presents and wrapping supplies – if you're staying over Christmas Day, plus a bag to hide them in.
Christmas stockings – small games make excellent stocking fillers that the family can play there and then.
See our travel game stocking fillers
A spare bag – for bringing presents home.
Summer swimwear for every day – one set each is enough if there's an indoor pool.
Things the accommodation already has – check before packing kitchen kit or a hairdryer.
A book or a Kindle – a Kindle weighs less than a single paperback and holds a whole holiday's worth of books, so you'll never run out halfway through the trip.
Amazon Kindle
About 158g and smaller than the Paperwhite, so it's our pick for travel. It isn't waterproof, so keep it away from the pool.
Dungeon Crawler Carl: Book 1
Our favourite holiday read: funny, addictive and eight books long. It's for adults, not children.
Games on these lists are ones we've packed and played ourselves. Other products are linked to our researched guides, so you can check whether something is genuinely worth the space before you buy.
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