What makes the perfect family holiday?
Even though the boys will be 3 years old, in less than a month’s time, I don’t have much to reference in terms of our ‘perfect family holiday’ as we haven’t actually had one yet.
And don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a pity party, we’ve had some lovely, lovely weekends away and done some amazing things, together as a family.
We’ve been on camping adventures, to festivals and on day trips.
We’ve played on a beach.
The boys haven’t been in the sea yet but we were lucky enough to go to to Bluestone in Wales , for four days last year, and they went in an amazing wave pool.
They’ve even played in the snow and built a snowmen (albeit, in our back garden and not on the slopes of Tignes).
But as I look at all of these pictures it strikes me that, even though they mark exciting little milestones in my son’s lives, they’re just a little bit *flat*.
The scenery is more ‘turgid’ than technicolor. And on closer inspection, it dawned on me that they’re all lacking in a couple of vital ingredients.
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Colour And Sunshine.
Now I’m a sucker for colour in all it’s guises.
From the sunniest, happy inducing yellows, to soft and delicate shell pinks. I love every colour of the rainbow and all the shades in between.
I work with colour — in my day job — and write about it constantly, here on my blog, in the form of my Pantone series.
Colour surrounds us. Although very often, in our everyday lives, we don’t stop to pay it any attention.
We’re all so busy — trying to get to somewhere on time, making supper, shopping — just living life in general, that we sometimes forget to take a step back and admire the scenery.
Then we go abroad and the pace slows down. And glorious colour fills our eyes, like an assault on the senses.
Cobalt blue skies, clear aquamarine seas or mountains topped with heathery purple and violet. Vibrant markets, colourful stuccoed buildings and lustrous fruits and vegetables.
The Perfect Family Holiday
Overseas holidays seem to treat us to a kaleidoscope of colour, that seems to be lacking, here a home.
I think sunshine has a big part to play. That magical star, that radiates it’s warmth on our planet, changing flat grey skies to blue.
Adding light to everything and bathing all it touches in a golden glow.
Sunshine gives the sea it’s sparkle, makes the grass seem a little greener, the sky bluer, sand yellower. Gives the snow a sprinkling of glitter and just makes everything a little bit more colourful.
So on reflection, that’s what would make our perfect family holiday.
Sunshine and colour.
Perfect partners, they go hand in hand.
A bit like my beautiful boys.
To illustrate this even further, I’ve made a little film.
This is our family’s entry for the #MarkWarnerMum 2016 Family Ambassador programme in the ‘Craft’ Category! For more info on their fabulous ski and sunshine holidays visit Mark Warner.
Wish us luck!
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
Thanks so much darling!! xx
Lovely entry and photos and good luck!
Thanks so much Claire!
I find it doesn’t matter where you go it is the family that makes the family holiday! Great post though. Good luck!
That’s a lovely sentiment and I’d love to agree with you Tori, but have you ever been on a caravan holiday, with twin toddlers, when it’s raining?! I have and, with the best will in the world, a bit of sunshine would have made all the difference!! ;)
I love reading your blog about your twin princes! I’m a twin myself and find it an amazing experience! Today we wrote a little post about being twins too. You can check it out at Joleisablog.wordpress.com
Oh by the way, I hope you’re chosen, so good luck!
Aaah another twin!!! I love that you say it’s an amazing experience :) I hope that my two grow up saying the same thing!! :) xx
Good luck in the competition! xx
Thanks so much!! :)
Such a lovely post – we have been lucky enough to have had two holidays abroad since Pickle arrived. Sunshine and colour are definitely great to have. Good Luck! Kaz x
Thanks so much Kaz. I’m keeping my fingers crossed! :)
Oh Caro, that video is just wonderful! I’ve watched it a few times now and it’s so lovely to see how brilliantly creative you are. MW would be crazy not to pick you xx
Aww thanks ever so much!! Creativity is a double edged sword though — it means that you can’t ever just do a ‘half-baked’ job. You end up spending far too long trying to perfect things. But you know that already, as you are just the same!! ;)
Beautiful video! Wishing you the best of luck xx
Thanks so much Maria :)
Love the video. I’ve always wanted to go to bluestone. It looks great there. Good luck in the competition xx
Thanks so much Kerry. Bluestone is FABULOUS! We went in March last year — it was cold but fantastic!! They boys absolutely loved the swimming/wave pool. Even a year on, they still talk about it!! I’d go back there in a heartbeat :)
Good luck with your entry, I really hope you you get to take the boys away on a lovely family holiday.
Aah thanks SO much Kizzy — that’s lovely of you xx