ALCOSENSE LITE 2 BREATHALYZER

Many of you will no doubt be planning a knees-up or two if you’re going camping with friends and family over the festive period. But, did you know, just because you’ve had a good night’s sleep, you could still be over the limit to drive in the morning? That’s where the new AlcoSense Lite 2 (which supersedes the original Lite) comes in. It’s a compact, entry-level breathalyser that’s easy to use – simply turn it on, wait for it to count down to zero, and then blow until it beeps. A few seconds later, you’ll then know whether you’re safe to drive or not.

The drink drive limit can also be adjusted to suit different limits in the UK and

Ireland. The Lite 2 is pocket-size, measuring 110cm by 45cm by 21cm, and is powered by three AAA batteries. alcosense.co.uk

VW CAMPERVAN WITH CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATION

Second only to finding out what

Father Christmas has left for you under the tree on Christmas morning, surely decorating the Christmas tree is the most exciting event of the festive period? A roaring fire going and

Christmas music playing… a mince pie in one hand and a glass of Baileys in the other… yes, please!

But decorating the tree can be stressful, too. First of all, the kids will want to do it, and you’ll have to pretend to like those dreadful schoolproject baubles. Then, once they’ve got the tree looking like it’s just been rescued from landfill, your pets will want to trash it and chew all the decorations. At least we were in lockdown last year, so you didn’t have to worry about what family and friends might think, but it’s back to keeping up appearances now.

Our advice is to buy a lorry-load of these campervan baubles and completely cover the tree in them. They are of a good size, measuring 15cm by 6cm by 4 cm, so you won’t need too many of them – especially if you save money and buy a really small tree!

We love Christmas and, even though we’ve been putting together this gift guide in October (not as amusing as the time we made a colleague wear a Santa outfit in Brownhills’ showroom in mid-September!), we’re really getting into the festive spirit (level) with this motorhomeshaped keyring (Ed – that’s the worst pun ever, we’ve still got that Santa suit, remember).

If you’ve not come across Etsy before, it’s like eBay, but mostly handmade and mostly not from China. We searched for motorhome (within the UK shops) and came across this cute little wooden keyring with a spirit level in it. Michael, the creator, bought a motorhome 12 years ago and was inspired.

Choose between pine for £7 or oak for £8.55. The package is gift-wrapped in tissue paper and a hessian bag but, if you’re not a dab hand, you can opt for the Christmas gift wrapping to make this an even easier stocking filler. etsy.com/uk/shop/woodsmangifts

In a survey we carried out earlier this year, we discovered that the majority of campervan and motorhome owners give their ’van a name, with Olive and Betsy ranking as the most popular. That’s hardly surprising, given that they are our pride and joy, considered by many as a member of the family. So, that means Olive/Betsy had better be on your Christmas shopping list, and did you know that they are discerning types with expensive tastes? A driveaway awning, such as the Cayman Air from Outdoor Revolution, is an excellent choice for most types of ’van, as it’s available in three height options – the Low is priced from £579, the Mid costs £589 and the High is £599.With singlepoint inflation on an Oxygen Air-Frame, it’s quick and easy to put up, too, instantly creating a large, cosy space for relaxing. If you’ve got guests staying over, you can also get the Cayman Annex (£179), which zips into the rear section of the awning, while the addition of a Two-Berth Clip in Inner Tent (£69) creates a sleeping pod for two. Other handy accessories available include a Dura-tread Carpet (£ 59), Footprint Groundsheet (£29) and Duratread Doormat (£4.99)

Heading out into the sticks over the festive period certainly has its appeal – no Brussels sprouts or moaning mother-in-law to put up with, for a start. But going off-grid can have its disadvantages, too. Just close your eyes for a moment and try to imagine a situation with no internet… so, no binging Netflix box sets, or uploading holiday snaps to the cloud, and no online bargain grabbing in the January sales… It’s almost enough to make you not want to go camping. But fret ye not – help is at hand in the form of a Maxview Roam WiFi kit.

Using a WiFi router, an omnidirectional roof-mounted antenna and a SIM card, this essentially creates a hotspot for you in your motorhome throughout Europe. The 3G/4G router will also connect to other WiFi sources when available and the antenna is 5G-ready. The router is specifically designed for travel, so it features an aluminium housing and an anti-vibration mounting bracket. The Roam kit includes everything you need to set it up (apart from the SIM card), and is available in black or white for £349.99, or £369.99 for a white one with an extra-long (1.8m) cable. maxview.co.uk