5 Ways to Keep the Christmas Holiday Sparkle Alive!

Join us at Tanylan Farm and relax in one of our luxury Welsh holiday cottages where we'll be making up for lost time. Divinely draped in traditional Christmas decorations, staying in can be done in festive style, providing a Christmas experience that will be treasured for years to come. Here we offer 5 ways to help keep the holiday sparkle alive whilst visiting Tanylan Cottages and Barns.

1.      Bring out the Cocktails

Who doesn’t love a warming Christmas cocktail or mocktail?
Here we have a homemade Eggnog recipe that is quick and easy to make and the perfect winter warmer following a crisp winters walk.
Enjoy it spiked with a little alcohol or the family friendly alcohol free version. Love it or hate it, it’s a traditional Christmas drink, dating back hundreds of years, made with fresh eggs, milk, cream and spices such as nutmeg and vanilla. It’s a drink to be shared with the whole family but for the adults can be fortified with a good slug of rum, whiskey or brandy.

Ingredients

·        6 large Free Range egg yolks – we use Clarence Court for that extra yellowy finish

·        ¾ cup sugar

·        2 cups fresh whole milk

·        2 cloves

·        Pinch of cinnamon

·        1 cup of heavy cream

·        1 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg

·        1 ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract

·        2 tablespoons bourbon or to taste

·        2 tablespoons of rum

·        4 egg whites (optional)

Beat the egg yolks and add the sugar: In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until they become lighter in colour, then slowly add the sugar. Beat until fluffy.

Heat milk with cinnamon and cloves: Combine the milk, cloves, and cinnamon in a thick-bottomed saucepan and slowly heat until the milk mixture is steaming, but not boiling.

Add the eggs: slowly, adding half of the hot milk mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly while you add the hot mixture, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan.

Cook until eggnog thickens: Cook the eggnog, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens slightly, coating the back of the spoon.

Do not allow the mixture to boil, as it will curdle.

Remove from heat and stir in the cream. Let cool for one hour.

Stir in vanilla extract, nutmeg, and bourbon and rum or omit for a kid-friendly eggnog and proceed to chill.

Optional egg whites: Beat egg whites until they reach soft peaks. Add a teaspoon of sugar and continue to beat until they reach stiff peaks. Gently fold into eggnog.

If Eggnog is not for you try our Christmas cocktail The Sugar Coated Martini. Don’t forget the children, try our recipe for Wholesome Chocolaty Milk
Read more about our family history of milk farming founded in 1864, producing a huge volume of milk and suppliers to Cadburys and our huge sense of pride imagining that, maybe, the ‘glass and a half’ in that bar of Dairy Milk came from our farm. Learn more

2. Host an annual Christmas Movie night
Family members of all ages love a good film and having a Christmas film night is a time-honoured tradition for many households. Grand parents get the opportunity to snuggle down with the children and the parents can have a sneaky doze…yes we all do it!

3. Have a Christmas Themed Cooking Competition
Let’s be honest, a huge part of Christmas is the food. We eat, we doze, and we eat some more, before digging out the indigestion remedies! But spending Christmas with family is also a great way to share ideas and recipes, so why not turn this into a challenge and have a cooking competition?

4. Get Out The Games
Oh yes, be it trivial pursuit, charades or Jenga, its another great opportunity to reconnect with the family and friends over some happy banter and fun with the multitude of board games on offer over Christmas.

5. Wrap up and explore
Stick on your wellies and wrap up warm and get put and explore all that the local area has to offer. You're also encouraged to bring along your four-legged companions as all our holiday cottages are dog-friendly. In addition, Carmarthenshire offers endless dog-friendly winter walks along the coast. It’s even being suggested we are in for a white Christmas!

So, whether it's an escape from the bustling shopping crowds before the 25th or spending the special day seeing in the New Year, or just a family winter break away, it's guaranteed to be a magical adventure.

Our fully facilitated cottages and barns cater for the little ones with cots, highchairs, baths and bed guards, meaning you can be reassured throughout your stay that everyone is safe and comfortable.

Treat yourself to a soak in a cottage with a private hot tub, cook up your choice of winter warmers in our fully equipped kitchens and stream your favourite festive film with our complimentary WiFi, completed with a marshmallow topped hot chocolate.

If you’re wanting to get out and about, there are plenty of winter-friendly activities in the surrounding areas. Explore the several historic castles, plan a visit to the National Botanic Garden of Wales or embark on a cycling adventure along route 4 of the Celtic Trail.

For smaller groups, our Longhouse Cottages Wrth y Nant and Coeden Afal both sleep 4 for a cosy, intimate celebration, which are both available for Christmas and New Year.

Our third Longhouse Hawton Cottage is perfect for larger parties of 6-8. It’s fully booked for both Christmas and New Year, but we do still have some December availability, so be quick! Our Bryntowy Cottage can sleep up to 6 guests and is also booked for Christmas, but New Year’s is still unoccupied.

Our Barns Ty Llo and The Coal House also sleep up to 6 and anticipate your arrival for Christmas! In fact, the Coal House is free for New Year too, so you could enjoy an extended getaway.

Make sure you and your loved ones have a truly ‘wonderful Christmas time’ at Tanylan Farm’s West Wales Holiday Cottages this year and book now - check our website and don’t miss out!

Read more about what to do in Wintery West Wales in our Winter Wonderland blog

Past Visitors Comments

"The real log burner added to the magic. We played board games and drank hot chocolate and forgot the world outside. It was magically Christmassy. The hot tub under the stars was an additional bonus as there were lots of shooting stars to be seen. All facilities to cook everything from breakfast to a full roast. The beach walk topped off the most amazing weekend. We will see you again next year." - Ryan, Pontypridd

“This is a gorgeous property for a group of friends or family to spend time together. The space is amazing, and it has everything you could wish for to make your stay comfortable. It looked gorgeous at Christmas and is warm and cosy.”