Why not have a festive holiday at home?

During the festive season, many people tend to travel halfway around the world to reach their destinations, but you do not have to go to such lengths.

Why not consider having a holiday at your very own home this year?

“With extended work hours, part-time jobs, and active social lives, homeowners are spending so little time at home these days that a short ‘staycation’ might be a great way to revel in the reasons why you love your home,” said Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa.

Here are his suggestions for how to make the most of the year-end break without having to leave the comfort of your own home:

• Day 1:

All-day Movie Marathon – The first day of your staycation is your refuelling day.

“After all the days of deadlines, school runs, late nights, and early mornings, you need to give your body a break and just allow yourself the luxury of doing nothing,” said Adrian. Go old school and buy some classic DVDs or stay true to the modern age and binge-watch a series on Netflix. However you choose to do this, there are three essential components: A comfortable couch, quality TV, and – most importantly – your most favourite pair of sweatpants.

• Day 2:

Late Spring Clean Out – After your day of rest and recuperation, it’s time to get through that long list of to-dos that have been building up since last year.

Unpack that cupboard and donate to a local charity, fix that broken door hinge, repack the garage, and put up those frames that have been collecting dust on the top shelf since last Christmas. If you’ve got children, rope them into helping you with these tasks – it’s a great way to keep them out of mischief and, as they say, two hands are better than one. “This is also the perfect opportunity to tackle quick DIY projects around the house. Update the look of your home simply by replacing outdated handles on your cupboard doors, or replace old fittings with more modern ones,” Adrian suggested.

• Day 3:

Games Day – As the old proverb goes, ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’.

Adrian suggested that the way to avoid a dull staycation is to dust off the board games and pull an all-day game-a-thon. To keep things interesting, swap the actual for the virtual mid-afternoon and challenge your children on their home turf: the PlayStation/ Wii/ Xbox or whatever other gaming station your household owns.