With Christmas fast approaching, talk of turkeys, tinsel and trendy toys is never far away, but one woman is offering a festive experience closer to the heart of the nativity.
Fiona Turton is opening up her South Downs stable to the public for £12 a night, complete with a straw bed for two, tea making facilities, an armchair, a manger and a little donkey.
Reclining on a straw couch, guests can sing carols while pondering events in Jerusalem more than 2,000 years ago.
Brighton may not be Bethlehem, but then it seems unlikely that the birthplace of baby Jesus would have benefitted from mood lighting, a bookcase or heating.
However, with all proceeds going to Leukemia and Lymphoma Research, Christmas spirit is not in short supply. And neither are donkeys or shepherd costumes, which can be rented for an additional cost.
Stable owner Fiona Turton said "I love the idea of renting out my stable to people wanting to get a little closer to Christmas. By providing guests with an authentic nativity experience, I hope they can rediscover the true meaning of Christmas and all money goes to a great cause.”
Families or couples can rent this traditional nativity scene for themselves on unique accommodation site Wimdu.
Michael Riegel, CEO of Wimdu UK said: “We started Wimdu to open up the realms of traditional accommodation to include crazy places like this; £12 is a small price to pay for a Christmas that you will never forget. We put a lot of effort into quality control at Wimdu, so I tried out the straw bed myself and I can confirm its fit for a King or a Wise Man!”
