Deck the halls inside and outside your RV to add a festive touch and celebrate the season.
By Debi Riggs, F521977
December 2022
Is it possible to bring the magic of Christmas into your RV? Living full-time in an RV does not mean you can’t decorate and enjoy the seasonal holidays! In September, the orange lights, fall leaves, cinnamon brooms, and scarecrows give our coach a sweet and peaceful amber glow — reminding us that fall has arrived, and Christmas is right around the corner.
Tim and Debi Riggs are passionate about the holidays.
I grew up in Florida, and my family owned a flower business, so the holiday seasons have always been a big part of my life. As soon as Mother’s Day was over, it was time to begin purchasing winter greens, holly berries, cinnamon sticks, holiday ribbons, and everything Christmas. By September, the flower shop began to fill with the sweet aroma of cinnamon, and artificial snow had fallen on the workstations in preparation for the holidays. Every Thanksgiving weekend, the flower shop was transformed into a “winter wonderland” for all to see.
Not decorating for the holidays while living full-time in an RV for several years was not an option for me. My husband married into the flower business and loves Christmas almost as much as I do. He always plays a big part in helping me create the “Christmas experience” inside and outside any RV we’ve lived in — no matter the type or size!
To deck out their motorhome, Debi and Tim modified a 7-foot-tall Christmas tree previously used in their fifth-wheel and added other signs of the season.
We purchased our 36-foot Tiffin Phaeton motorhome in June 2021. Almost immediately after acquiring the coach, I began mentally planning where our 7-foot tree — which had been beautifully displayed in our fifth-wheel — and all our decorations would be placed in our Phaeton. My wheels began spinning, knowing the motor coach wheels would be immobile during the month of December.
The RV living room is ready for cold nights and Christmas morning.
The bins came out from storage in November, and the transformation began. The L-shaped couch was positioned as though the slideouts were coming in for traveling, so we could be creative with tree placement. We adjusted the size of the tree by bending the very top down and placing it under the ceiling vent in the living area. Our tree seemed quite angelic as it reached toward the heavens. Every light and ornament added a special glow to the tree and the RV.
The lighted garlands, ribbons, snowmen, and the smell of cinnamon and gingerbread filled the coach with warmth and sweet memories of my childhood growing up in the flower shop. The Nativity scene, always placed in a special location, reminds us of the joy, peace, and love that Christmas brings to our hearts.
Go ahead and go all out — make a cup of hot chocolate, put on the holiday music, and enjoy decorating your RV this winter. Happy holidays, and happy new year to all our fellow RVers!