Hooray, hooray, it’s on its way! |
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How does Christmas sneak up on us like this when, just a couple of blinks ago, it was half-term? The recent cold snap and snow have perhaps raised expectations for more of the same at Christmas but hey, still some time to go! Whatever weather Father Christmas sends us here in the West Country, we can guarantee you a cosy cottage to hide away in or, for a more social gathering, we’ve still got some bigger houses left; and short breaks are available in many of them.
Some tempting discounts are also available – 20%, 30% even 50%! Watch the rollers bound in on Fistral Beach (Q3); bring your golf clubs to St Mellion (R21); enjoy a Christmas plunge at Blackborough (G4); get the family together at a lovely Grade II listed property (Z441) in St Just-in-Penwith, or simply indulge yourself in Salcombe (L901). Whichever holiday home you choose, you can rest assured we’ve been to it, we can tell you all about it and we can make sure it’s the right place for the holiday you want. Don’t forget to check out all our other seasonal deals on our special offers page, including a tremendous 50% offer from this Saturday at a superb apartment (L535) right on the beach at Bigbury-on-Sea.
Our Christmas gift…
Christmas has come early this year - we’re offering you the chance to win the holiday you book for 2009 with Helpful Holidays for FREE. We’re giving away 12 holidays, one each month of the year, so if you rent a holiday cottage with us you've a great chance of getting your holiday free of charge.
How? With every booking made with Helpful Holidays by 5.30pm on 6th January 2009, we’re offering you the chance to win that holiday you've booked FREE of charge in our New Year raffle. The competition applies to all Helpful Holidays bookers, so don’t worry if you’ve booked already for 2009, your booking will be entered automatically. The promotion applies to all bookings made and the prize is limited to one week free only – please check for more information and the full terms and conditions of our exciting New Year raffle.
So what are you waiting for?… if you’re a previous booker, you’re also entitled to a reduced deposit of only 20% of the cost of your holiday.
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Santa’s here, Santa’s there, Santas Santas everywhere!
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South Devon Railway
He’s on the steam trains at South Devon Railway, Buckfastleigh to Totnes and back. There are presents for all the kids, mulled wine and mince pies, free parking.
Santa's train times
Roll along to A48
Mill Cottage
Buckfastleigh, Dartmoor
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West Somerset Railway
There you are enjoying the journey and suddenly, there’s Santa. Right beside you!
Santa's ticket office
D183a is just the ticket
The Stable
Trebles Holford, Somerset Coast
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Santa on the trams
He’s checking tickets on the Seaton to Colyton tramline; refreshments on offer and a Santa grotto.
For all the fun
Alight at G24
The Margarets
Beer, East Devon
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Santa is everywhere...
…lurking in the depths of Cheddar Gorge,
Santa's schedule
Head for E64
Glebe Cottage
Wookey, Somerset's Heart
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Turning on the lights...
…and parading into Looe (5th) and Polperro on 6th – to switch on the lights and offer you seasonal refreshments.
For lighting up time
Relax in R51
Meadowside Barn
Looe, South Cornwall
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Santa's turning green...
There’s even a green Tudor Santa at Trerice House and Gardens, just a bit inland from Newquay.
Santa's green credentials
Q12 is handy for the fun
Little Barton
Colan, Newquay Coast
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Harbour lights and music - Saturday 13th December
The Christmas lights at Mousehole harbour will be switched on at 7.30pm and the famous male-voice choir will be accompanied by the Pendeen Silver Band. Tom Bawcock’s Eve is on 23rd December so don’t miss the chance of supping on stargazey pie, traditionally made of baked pilchards and five other kinds of fish (although some say use rabbit), with the fish heads sticking out. Check out that recipe
Rest it off at Z19
Mural Cottage
Mousehole, End of England
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Slip, slide your way to Christmas…
The Ice Skating Rink at the Eden Project is a part of their Winter in Wonderland theme with a giant crystal and a snow machine and is open from now until February – probably best to book. Get your skates on here
Slip along to R35
3 Harbour View
Fowey, Cornwall's Med
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More skating...
And there’s more skating on offer at Taunton from 4th December till 4th January, right in front of the Brewhouse Theatre. All the details here
Slide down to E8
The Old Bakery
North Curry, Somerset's Heart
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Now you know it’s your duty…
If you still have some shopping to do there are Christmas Festivals on 2nd, 9th and 16th December in Totnes with lots of entertainment, shopping and food. There’s late night shopping (till 8pm) on Tuesday 9th December with Santa’s grotto, a hog roast and raffle and Sunday opening on 7th, 14th and 21st December in our home village of Chagford. And you can shop late in Porlock from 13th December and enjoy some village hospitality at the same time. Check out those shops
Back to F34 for tea and cake after Porlock
Stable Cottage
Luccombe, Exmoor
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Keep on running!
The 20th Wyvern Christmas Cracker 10K run is on 14th December at Weston-super-Mare. Last year’s weather was appalling, but they just kept on running, sinking into the sand, getting soaking wet but with big smiles on their faces!
Race details here
Rest those feet at E620
Compton House
Compton Bishop, Somerset's Heart
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It’s behind you… oh no it isn’t!
It's Panto time and we’ve some classics to amuse you this season with Jack and the Beanstalk at the Queens Theatre, Barnstaple; Snow White at the Princess Theatre, Torquay; and probably the greatest pantomime of them all, Cinderella at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth. Make sure you get your invite to the ball... starring Lesley Joseph as The Fairy Godmother.
Book those tickets now
Take your carriage back to L39 before midnight
Quince Cottage
Kingston, South Hams
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Twenty-five Helpful years for Sylvia…
Our lovely Sylvia has just completed 25 years working for Helpful Holidays. Twenty-five years ago it wasn’t the high tech thriving business it is now, but a smaller company run from the Dartmoor farmhouse of Euan and Su Bowater. Over the years, portable typewriters were replaced with electronic ones and then of course computers, but Sylvia remained unfazed, always making light of these and other challenges. Sylvia said, “So many happy years, so many happy memories, here’s to the next 25,” as she celebrated at a surprise lunch attended by friends, family and colleagues. |
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New properties…
We’ve added many more new properties over the last few weeks and have now taken the total on offer to well over 600. There’s a little place (Z33) in Mousehole with views of the harbour, a smart and cosy old smithy (P48) near Tintagel, a real village house (F37) in Dulverton and the return of the wonderful Binnacle House (L100) perched on the edge of the creek at Newton Ferrers. |
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L100, Binnacle House
Newton Ferrers, South Hams
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Still Christmas shopping?
If you’re a bit stuck for a present for someone this year, how about a Helpful Holidays voucher? They come in denominations of £10, £20, £50, £100, £200 or £500 and make an ideal present that can be offset against the cost of a Helpful Holiday any time.
Thank you for your support in 2008; it’s been a very busy, successful and happy year for us and we look forward to a prosperous and challenging 2009. All of us at Helpful Holidays hope you have a very enjoyable Christmas and wish you all a great New Year. We look forward to welcoming you back to one of our holiday homes soon.
Best wishes and a very merry Christmas
Moray Bowater
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© 2008 Helpful Holidays, Mill Street, Chagford, Devon, TQ13 8AW Tel: 01647 433593 Email: help@helpfulholidays.com
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