There was probably a time when everyone fit around the same table.
Then the kids grew up. Partners came along. Then maybe grandchildren. Someone moved away. Someone got a dog. Suddenly Christmas dinner requires three tables, two air mattresses and a strategic discussion about who gets the guest room.
Your family got bigger.
Your house didn't.
If you've been searching for a large vacation rental for Christmas near St. Louis, somewhere the whole family can stay together for the holidays, or simply a way to have Christmas without squeezing everyone into one house, consider moving the celebration to Innsbrook.
A Christmas getaway doesn't mean leaving your traditions behind. Bring them with you.
You just get a little more room for them.
Can You Rent a House for Christmas Near St. Louis?
Absolutely.
And you don't have to turn Christmas into a major cross-country vacation to make it feel like you've gone somewhere.
Innsbrook is located about an hour west of St. Louis, making it close enough for an easy drive while still giving you the feeling of getting away.
That can be especially helpful when you're trying to coordinate a multigenerational Christmas. Nobody needs to navigate an airport. You aren't losing an entire vacation day to travel. Family members around the St. Louis area can pack the car and head west.
Once you're there, wooded roads, lakes and vacation homes give Christmas a very different backdrop from the usual holiday routine.
How Do You Plan Christmas in a Vacation Rental?
Start with the people, then choose the property.
Before booking, figure out who is actually staying overnight. Count adults and children, think about sleeping arrangements, and consider whether your group would benefit from multiple gathering spaces.
Then look beyond the number of bedrooms.
Is there enough seating for your group? What does the kitchen offer? Is there a dining area that works for the meal you're planning? Are there amenities that matter to your family?
Every Innsbrook Escapes property is different, so read the individual rental listing carefully before booking.
A little planning now can prevent Christmas morning from beginning with, “Wait...does anyone know where the roasting pan is?”
What Should You Bring to a Christmas Vacation Rental?
Start with the things that make Christmas feel like Christmas to your family.
Stockings. Matching pajamas. Favorite board games. Christmas movies. A small tree or a few decorations if you'd like. The special breakfast everyone expects on Christmas morning. Grandma's cookie recipe.
Then think practically.
Make your grocery list before you leave. Plan meals for the entire stay, not just Christmas dinner. Check the kitchen amenities listed for your rental and bring any specialty cookware you know you'll need.
And remember the little things that are easy to forget when you're packing for a holiday instead of a normal vacation.
Coffee. Creamer. Snacks. Drinks. Chargers. Medications. Warm clothes. Comfortable shoes for walking outside. And whatever ingredient everyone assumes somebody else remembered.
Do Your Grocery Shopping Before You Arrive
This might be one of the best Christmas vacation tips we can give you.
Don't wait until Christmas Eve to discover you forgot the butter.
If you're planning a large holiday meal, do your major grocery shopping before arriving at Innsbrook. Divide the list among family members if needed, pack coolers for the drive and decide ahead of time who's responsible for bringing what.
There is a convenience market inside Innsbrook for snacks, beverages, wine, spirits, heat-and-serve items, toiletries and some basics, which can be a lifesaver when something gets forgotten.
Still, holiday hours can vary anywhere you travel. If Christmas dinner depends on it, bring it with you.
Your future mashed potatoes will thank you.
Arrive Before the Celebration Starts
If your schedule allows, don't make Christmas morning your travel day.
Arriving earlier gives everyone time to unpack, learn where everything is and settle in before the holiday begins.
Put groceries away. Choose bedrooms. Set out the stockings. Get familiar with the kitchen. Let the kids explore. Take a walk.
Then when Christmas arrives, you're already there.
Instead of spending the first half of the day carrying bags inside, you can make coffee and enjoy it.
What Is There to Do at Innsbrook During Christmas?
Here's where a destination Christmas gets fun.
You don't need to entertain everyone every minute.
Bundle up and explore the nature trails. Look for wildlife. Take a quiet walk around the lakes. Bring binoculars and see how many winter birds you can spot. If there's snow, getting outside becomes an activity all by itself.
Innsbrook's winter landscape is quieter than its busy summer season, which is part of the appeal.
And then there's everything you can do without leaving your rental.
Make cookies. Start a puzzle. Play cards. Have a family game tournament. Watch the Christmas movie everyone can quote from beginning to end. Cook together. Sit around a fire where your property's amenities allow. Make hot chocolate.
Let the kids stay in their pajamas until noon.
Honestly, let the adults do it too.
Plan One Little Christmas Adventure
If you're staying for several days, you can also make one outing part of the trip.
Look for Christmas lights, seasonal attractions, shopping, restaurants or holiday activities around Innsbrook and the surrounding communities. A nearby Christmas tree farm traditionally operates from around Thanksgiving into December, for example.
Just check dates, hours and availability before you build anything into the itinerary. Seasonal schedules change, and holiday hours deserve an extra look before you pile everybody into the car.
You don't need something scheduled every day.
One outing can be plenty when the vacation rental itself is where everyone came to spend time together.
How Do You Keep a Family Christmas Trip From Becoming Stressful?
Don't overplan it.
Seriously.
You don't need breakfast reservations, an afternoon activity, a Christmas light tour, matching outfits, a complicated dinner, professional-level cookie decorating and mandatory family game night all in one day.
Leave some empty space in the itinerary.
That's where the good stuff happens.
Someone starts a card game. The cousins disappear to talk. Grandpa falls asleep in a chair. Somebody opens another bottle of wine. Dinner runs late and nobody cares.
You rented a place where everyone could be together.
Let them be together.
What If Some Family Members Can't Stay the Whole Time?
That's okay too.
One of the advantages of choosing a Christmas getaway relatively close to St. Louis is that the trip doesn't necessarily have to be identical for everyone.
Some family members may stay for several nights. Others might have work schedules, other family celebrations or commitments that mean their trip needs to be shorter.
Coordinate those details before you book and make sure everyone who will be visiting or staying is accounted for according to your rental's policies.
The goal isn't creating a perfectly synchronized family vacation.
It's creating more time together than you might have had otherwise.
Christmas Travel Tip: Check the Weather Before You Leave
Missouri December weather can keep you guessing.
Check the forecast before your trip and pack accordingly. Bring layers, warm coats and shoes that can handle cold or wet conditions if you plan to spend time outdoors.
If winter weather is expected, give yourself additional travel time and check road conditions before leaving home.
The beauty of a Christmas vacation rental is that once everyone arrives, you don't necessarily need to go anywhere.
Let it snow.
You've got leftovers.
Give Christmas a Little More Room
Maybe you found this because you searched for Christmas cabin rentals in Missouri.
Maybe you need a large vacation home for a family Christmas near St. Louis.
Maybe you're trying to figure out where a big family can stay together for Christmas, how to plan a destination Christmas without flying somewhere, or what to do when your family has simply outgrown your house.
Whatever brought you here, the solution might be simpler than you thought.
Don't make the dining room bigger.
Make the holiday bigger.
Pack the stockings, the recipes, the games and the people who make Christmas yours, then bring the celebration to Innsbrook.
With an Innsbrook Escapes vacation rental as your holiday home base, you'll have more than somewhere to sleep.
You'll have time to wake up together, cook together, explore together, stay up too late together and make Christmas morning last a little longer.
And isn't that what you were trying to make room for in the first place?