Christmas in Cornwall

Christmas holidays in Cornwall

A Christmas holiday in Cornwall? The idea had never crossed my mind until I returned to Cornwall after a long absence.

I had rented a chalet on the Lizard road while searching for more permanent accomodation. As winter was approaching I hadn't expected any problems, so I was surprised when the I was told I would have to vacate the chalet over the Christmas week as all the chalets were pre-booked. But as Christmas approached I could see why.

A Cornish Christmas is an event. Lights and decorations go up in all Cornish towns and villages and there is a tremendous atmosphere. Each town has it's seperate late night for shopping, and on that night the streets are packed. I went to Truro on my first year back in Cornwall and there was a throng of people in the city centre, all enjoying themselves as if the extended shopping hours were little more than an excuse for socialising. Cornwall is largely a rural community, and a Christmas visit to (say) Truro or Penzance can still hold a significance which has been lost in other areas.

I began to understand why visitors came to Cornwall for their Christmas break. There is accomodation to suit everybody: chalets, bed-and-breakfast establshments, farmhouses and cottages to rent, and of course hotels along every esplanade. There are plenty of events to enjoy in Cornwall, and of course there is always the excellent food and convivial Cornish hospitality.

The Cornish weather is also an advantage - in the counties to the north the roads can be covered in slush, but Cornwall is always several degrees warmer in winter and snow a rarity. On a clear December day it is not unknown to need nothing more than a T-shirt. Flowers are still to be seen and lawns need cutting all year round. Within a few weeks of Christmas famers will be harvesting spring vegetables and getting ready for the daffodil picking which starts in February.

And even if the sun isn't shining and the wind is blowing and the sea is crashing on the rocks, a walk along a Cornish coastal path can be a bracing experience - just the thing after a heavy Christmas lunch.