Five to seven nights
Over Christmas almost every host lets the full week, often with a fixed arrival day. Single nights are rare in this period.
Guide to the Christmas holidays
Christmas holidays in the mountains – how the days in a hut stay calm
Minimum stay, the Christmas tree, shopping on 23 December, arriving in snow, and the question of how much programme a family really needs over the holidays. Everything worth settling before you book.
01 · Choosing the hut
Over the holidays it is the table that matters
Christmas in a hut means everyone is there at the same time, usually for several days, often in weather that rules out long trips. So the question is less how far it is to the lift and more whether the living room can hold everyone.
Look for a table everyone actually fits around, a kitchen two people can cook in, and somewhere to retreat for those who need a break. It says so on every hut page – and if it does not, ask us.
02 · Dates
The holidays are let by the week
From October it gets tight
Demand picks up in autumn. Search in December and you take what is left. We will tell you honestly what is still free.
Browse free hutsAdvent and New Year
If the holidays feel too busy or too expensive: Advent before is quieter and cheaper, New Year after has its own appeal.
Advent guide03 · The Christmas tree
Settle in advance who brings the tree
Not a given
Some hosts put up a decorated tree, others none at all. Both are fine – you just want to know beforehand.
Real flames usually not allowed
In a timber hut open candles on the tree are normally prohibited, often in the house rules. Battery lights are the easy answer.
Worth bringing
If you have a clear picture in your head, pack a small box. The tree from the wood next door is rarely decorated like the one at home – and that is exactly the charm.
04 · Supplies
23 December is your shopping day
Everything shuts at midday on the 24th
On 25 and 26 December shops in Austria are closed. Plan the big shop for the 23rd, at the latest the morning of the 24th.
Ask your host
Many have eggs, milk, bread, bacon or cheese from the farm next door – or will leave you a starter box. Asking costs nothing and saves the drive.
What you will definitely need
Coffee, spices, baking paper, battery candles, wrapping paper. Small things you cannot buy anywhere on the 25th.
Packing list05 · Several generations
Everyone under one roof
A plan B for the presents
If the weather does not play along, an afternoon of board games and biscuits saves the day. Count on it rather than hoping everyone will be outside.
Family hutsNot everyone wants everyone all the time
A second room, a reading corner, a balcony – over seven days that makes the difference. In bigger huts, look at how the rooms are laid out.
He can often come along
Dogs are welcome in many of our huts, usually with a limit. Over the holidays that is the real reason many families choose a hut.
Browse hutsFrequently asked
Christmas in a hut – short and honest
How long do we have to stay over Christmas?
Usually five to seven nights with a fixed arrival day around 21 or 22 December. The exact minimum stay is on each hut page.
Is there a Christmas tree in the hut?
With some yes, with others no. Ask before booking – we will settle it for you. Real candles are often not allowed in a timber hut.
When should we book for Christmas?
As early as possible. Demand picks up from October, and in December only leftovers remain.
Where do we shop over the holidays?
In the valley on the 23rd, and only until midday on the 24th. On 25 and 26 December almost nothing is open in Austria. Many hosts sell eggs, milk, bread and bacon directly.
Can you drive to the hut in winter?
To most of them yes, to some not all the way. Then there is a car park in the valley and the host collects you. It says so on every hut page.
Is Christmas in a hut suitable for small children?
Yes, if you do not fill the days. Presents by the stove, a sledge outside the door and an afternoon indoors when it pours – that is all it takes.
You might also like
More in December
The weeks before
Advent holidays in the mountains
Slow travel, small markets, short days.
Advent guide The week afterNew Year in the mountains
Fireworks rules, self-catering on the 31st, getting there.
New Year guide The whole seasonWinter holidays in the mountains
Access, equipment, ski days and the limits of the terrain.
Winter guideNot sure which hut suits your holidays?
Tell us who is coming and how quiet it should be. We will tell you honestly what is free.