So let’s see, the traditional carol has your beloved receiving….

On the first day of Christmas, a partridge in a pear tree

On the second day of Christmas, two turtle doves

On the third day of Christmas three French hens

On the fourth day of Christmas four calling birds

On the fifth day of Christmas five gold rings

On the sixth day of Christmas six geese a-laying

On the seventh day of Christmas seven swans a-swimming

On the eighth day of Christmas eight maids a milking

On the ninth day of Christmas nine ladies dancing

On the tenth day of Christmas ten lords a leaping

On the eleventh day of Christmas eleven pipers piping

On the twelfth day of Christmas twelve drummers drumming

What rubbish gifts, right?!  I mean I’d love the five gold rings but what do you do with the rest?  And why are there so many birds in there – can’t even do a five bird roast with swans or the calling birds or the turtle doves..

So what will Britannia coaches offer this Christmas?  We can’t promise many of the above but some of these might be tempting, all gleaned from tours current and future:

Horses racing – we can take you to fab days at the races at Lingfield

Boats a-bobbing – plenty to see in the tranquil setting of Bosham and old fishing quarter of Hastings

Wine a-flowing – sample the lovely wines made by Chapel Down Vineyard on our Wine and Dine Castles and Vineyards Tour

Trains a-steaming – hop aboard the Kent and East Sussex Railway for a train ride through the lovely Kent countryside to Tenterden

Swans a-swimming (YES, not sure if there are seven though!) at aptly named Swanbourne Lake

Peacocks a-preening (in the best tradition of lots of birds!) at Groombridge House. Best to be avoided though, they don’t take kindly to being petted.

Dippers dipping – not birds this time but people inviting you to taste the apparently therapeutic waters of Chalybeate Spring Water

Antiques a-waiting – browse the wonderful antique shops at Tenterden.

Castles a-standing – well what else do castles do! We visit several – Dover, Arundel, Lympne – so they had to get a mention.

Sea waves a-lapping – relax in a deckchair after a stroll around the lovely gardens in Eastbourne.

Skaters a-skating, at the Winter Wonderland in London.

Dogs a-running, a fun evening out at Sittingbourne Races.

I hope you will agree that as gifts to your true love, some of these will be greeted with a bit more enthusiasm than the offerings in the traditional carol.  We hope the list might inspire you with some ideas for Christmas – one of our spring day trips to scenic places in Kent will be a lovely occasion to look forward to after the cold and dark of winter.  Details of our 2017 tours will be posted on our website so keep checking back with us!