House Sitting at Christmas: What It's Actually Like

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Spending Christmas away from family, in someone else's home, sounds like it should feel lonely. Our own experience was the opposite, a quiet, genuinely restorative kind of Christmas that we wouldn't have gotten any other way. Here's what it's actually like, and why Christmas might be one of the best times of year to be house sitting.

We sit through TrustedHouseSitters ourselves, and if you're considering a Christmas sit, a 25% discount on membership is available here. This is drawn from a real Christmas we spent apart, Caro flew home to see her family, and I stayed behind for a solo sit in Ostuni, Italy.

A Solo Christmas in Ostuni

The house itself was clean and completely undecorated, no tree, nothing festive at all, and that turned out to be one of the best parts of it. It didn't feel cluttered or like it was performing a holiday I wasn't really feeling. It just felt like a calm, settled space to be in.

I was looking after four cats, all outdoor cats who mostly kept their distance at first, genuinely nervous around someone new, which is fairly normal for cats unused to a change in who's caring for them. Care itself was simple, feeding, the occasional pat when they'd allow it.

Since I wasn't spending the day with family, I decided to do something for myself instead. I started a three-day fast on sardines, followed by a longer stretch of water only, and broke it a couple of days before the sit ended. That was entirely my own choice, made because I genuinely had the time and quiet to focus inward, not something I'd suggest as a general Christmas plan. With the whole day genuinely mine, and a proper video call to everyone back home instead of being physically present, it was one of the more restorative Christmases I've had.

By the end of the stay, the cats had noticeably warmed up, coming closer, more comfortable around me than on day one. Watching that slow shift happen over the course of the sit was genuinely lovely.

The Homeowner Exchange Was Small, and That Was Fine

We messaged briefly on Christmas Day itself, a simple "Merry Christmas, I hope you have a lovely day with your family," and got a warm message back wishing me the same. Nothing elaborate, no special arrangements either direction. That's worth knowing going in: a Christmas sit doesn't need to come with grand gestures to be a genuinely good one. A short, kind exchange is often exactly right.

Plan Your Shopping Before the Shops Close

This is a real, practical detail worth knowing. Shops in Ostuni closed early over the Christmas period, and even though I was fasting, I made sure to stock up beforehand on everything I might need if I decided to break the fast early.

If you're doing a Christmas sit anywhere, check local opening hours in advance and shop ahead of time, so you're not caught out scrambling for food on a day when everything's shut. Our pet emergency guide covers a similar principle for pet supplies specifically, knowing what's actually open before you need it matters far more on a holiday than any other day of the sit.

Should You Decorate the Home Yourself?

Genuinely, no, not without asking first. It would feel strange, and presumptuous, to start putting up lights or attaching decorations to someone else's home simply because you happen to be staying there over Christmas.

A small, personal touch, a stocking over the fireplace, or a small tree you bring and take with you again, is a reasonable middle ground. Anything beyond that, actual changes to the home itself, should be discussed with the homeowner first. Some homeowners may not want a festive home at all for reasons that have nothing to do with you, religious beliefs, personal preference, simply not celebrating the holiday. This is exactly the kind of detail worth raising on the pre-sit video call if you're planning anything beyond the minimal.

Don't Treat the Pets to Anything Off Their Normal Diet

I gave the cats a little extra sardine here and there, since I already had plenty on hand from my own fasting food, and that was as close to a "gift" as it got. They mostly preferred to be left alone anyway, which was completely fine.

Our honest advice: don't change a pet's diet meaningfully just because it's a holiday. Most homeowners have a specific routine or diet for a real reason, and straying from it risks an upset stomach and a cleanup that isn't worth whatever goodwill gesture prompted it. Our guide to what house sitters can and cannot change during a sit covers this same principle in more depth, and it applies just as much to a festive treat as anything else.

Why Homeowners Are Especially Grateful at Christmas

Christmas is peak travel season, people want to see family, and that means a real shortage of available sitters relative to the number of homes needing one. Homeowners posting over this period tend to be noticeably more appreciative than at other times of year, precisely because they know how hard it can be to find someone. Some will leave something extra for you, food in the fridge, a tree already up if they do celebrate. Ours didn't, and that was completely fine too.

Why This Might Be One of the Best Times to Sit

This is worth saying plainly: Christmas is genuinely one of the strongest times of year to be an active sitter, not despite the lower sitter numbers, but because of them. With homeowners genuinely stressed about coverage and sitters in shorter supply, you're often looking at the pick of the best listings rather than scraps.

There's a real, practical reason behind the demand too. Christmas is a well-known period for break-ins, precisely because so many homes sit empty while people are away visiting family. Having someone actually present matters in a very concrete way over this period, not just for the pets, for the property's security too. Our house sitting safety guide covers this broader security angle in more depth.

Some Christmas listings are also property-only, no pets involved, which is a genuine bonus for sitters who'd rather have a quieter, lower-responsibility stay over the holidays.

Our honest advice: apply early, ideally months ahead. Sitters who already have strong reviews and have done this before tend to line up their Christmas sits well in advance, precisely because they know how good this window can be. Our how much notice to find a house sitter guide covers exactly why posting and applying early matters most during exactly this kind of peak period.

Staying Present With Family Without Being There

My own family is scattered, my dad's in Cyprus, my mum's in Australia, and it's genuinely rare for us all to be together for Christmas regardless of whether I'm house sitting or not. My way of staying present is simple: a proper video call, real time spent talking rather than a quick message. After years of moving between time zones, I keep a small widget on my phone showing the current time in Cyprus, Australia, and wherever I currently am, a genuinely simple way to know exactly when a call will actually land well on the other end, without any complicated planning.

Caro and I haven't yet had a Christmas on a sit together, every Christmas so far has meant one of us travelling home while the other stays. For a couple building this lifestyle together, it's worth having an honest conversation about what each of you actually needs during the holidays, since it won't necessarily be the same for both people. What's mattered most for us is prioritising real quality time whenever we are together with family, precisely because those moments are less frequent now than they might otherwise be.

Conclusion

A Christmas house sit doesn't have to feel like missing out. It can be quiet, restorative, and genuinely appreciated by a homeowner who needed you more than usual. With listings up and competition down, it's also one of the more strategically good times of year to be actively sitting, provided you apply early enough to actually land one of the better ones, and prepare properly for the practical realities, closed shops, an undecorated home, a homeowner who may or may not celebrate the same way you do.

Caro and I have completed 20 house sits across 12 countries, driven 19,000km across Europe in our 1998 VW T4, and saved over $26,500 in accommodation costs over three years of house sitting. If you've spent a Christmas house sitting yourself, we'd love to hear how it went, DM us @housesittersguide, we answer everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is Christmas a good time to house sit?

  Yes, genuinely one of the better times of year. Demand for sitters is high and supply is lower, since many sitters also want to be with their own families, which often means better listings and less competition for experienced applicants.

• Can I decorate a homeowner's house for Christmas?

  Ask first rather than assuming. A small personal touch, like your own portable decoration, is generally fine, but anything that changes the home itself should be discussed with the homeowner beforehand. Some homeowners may not celebrate at all, for religious or personal reasons.

• Should I give a pet a special treat or gift on Christmas Day?

  Keep it minimal and stay close to their normal diet. A small amount of something they already eat is fine. A significant change to their diet risks an upset stomach that isn't worth the gesture, and most homeowners have specific routines for a real reason.

• What should I know about shops and services over Christmas while house sitting?

  Check local opening hours in advance and stock up on food and anything else you might need, many places close early or entirely over the holiday period, and you don't want to be caught without supplies.

• Is it lonely to house sit alone at Christmas?

  It doesn't have to be. A quiet, intentional Christmas without the pressure of forced festivity can be genuinely restorative. Staying connected to family through a proper video call rather than being physically present is a real, workable alternative.

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