Blinged up caravan competitions, Rolexes & diamonds for babies – what Christmas as a traveller is REALLY like
IF you’ve ever wondered what Christmas is really like in the traveller community, you’ve come to the right place.
From blinged up caravan competitions to young children receiving Rolex watches and diamond bracelets – Fabulous spoke to gypsy girl Chantelle Devonshire, 23, to find out how traveller families really celebrate the festive season.
Chantelle, the stay-at-home gypsy wife, who also refers to herself as the ‘Gypsy Cleaning Queen’, shared that when it comes to Christmas decorations, traveller women will compete with each other for the best displays.
As a result, Chantelle believes that it’s never too early to put the decorations up and has nabbed bargain buys from a variety of high street shops to ensure that her chalet sparkles.
Chantelle, from Cambridge, told Fabulous: “I put the decorations up early this year. I wanted it to be extra. I go over the top with it.
“I spent the whole day putting up my decorations. They’re all around my house.
“I’ve gone overboard. I think the more the better. Every year I add more and more.
“My husband Swaley even had to buy me a shed especially for my Christmas decorations.
“With travellers, there’s a competition as to who’s got the biggest decorations. Some of the women in the community go really overboard, they like to be extra.
“Iif one person does something, someone else will follow. If one gets a big tree, someone will get two trees.
“Travellers will copy one another and try to go the extra mile to be better.
“I know women that have had Christmas decorations up since straight after Halloween. Travellers love to go big – they always want to go that extra mile.”
Going overboard for the kids
Chantelle revealed that Christmas is very important in the traveller community, as parents often want to go all out for their children.
She continued: “Because travellers have big families, they want to go overboard for the kids.
“When you live on a site, everyone’s got lights and decorations up, it’s a nice community to be around.
“Christmas is a big thing in my family. I come from a Christian home.
“When I was little and we lived in a house, my granny would go insane with the decorations and the food.
“She had train tracks in the room that you could actually sit on.”
Traditions in the gypsy/traveller communities
Nomadic lifestyle: Traditionally, many travellers maintain a nomadic lifestyle, living in caravans and moving frequently. This mobility is a core aspect of their identity, reflecting a deep connection to freedom and independence.
Strong family bonds: Family is central to traveller culture. Extended families often live and travel together, providing a strong support network. Marriages and social events are significant community affairs, reinforcing familial ties.
Distinct Language: Many travellers speak Shelta, also known as Cant or Gammon, a distinct language that mixes elements of Irish, English, and other languages. This language serves as a cultural marker and a means of private communication within the community.
Religious practices: The traveller community often follows Roman Catholicism, with religious festivals and milestones like baptisms, communions, and weddings being particularly significant. However, individual beliefs and practices can vary widely.
Unique celebrations: Events such as horse fairs and traditional weddings are major social gatherings for travellers. These occasions are marked by elaborate preparations, vibrant attire, and communal participation.
Decorations everywhere – even the loo
Chantelle admitted that she loves decorating her home for the festive season and started her Christmas shopping back in October.
She confessed: “I love Christmas, I always have. Everything’s got to be bigger and better each year. Each year I’ll add something new.
“In the little trailer, you couldn’t go overboard because you wouldn’t be able to move.
“Now I’m in the chalet, I’ve got decorations everywhere – I’ve even got Christmas bedding.
“I’ve gone all out. I said to my husband ‘I want to buy more, I want to buy loads’.
“We start getting our presents in October. I like to be organised.
“As soon as I get my presents from the shop, I wrap them up.”
My husband Swaley even had to buy me a shed especially for my Christmas decorations
Chantelle Devonshire
And if you need some last minute decorations, Chantelle has got you covered, as she added: “The best place for me for decorations was Home Bargains.
“I got a few things from B&M. I got a lot of stuff from The Range too.
“My bedding was from The Range and I also got a set from Asda.
“I’ll keep my decorations for a few years and then I’ll change it.
“My granny laughed and said she couldn’t actually see my tree because of all the decorations, but I like it like that. I like to do things differently. I don’t like to see gaps in a tree.”
Chantelle explained that not only has she gone all out with her Christmas tree, but she’s also decorated her kitchen cupboards, sofas and kitchen stools too.
Never too over the top
But for the haters that have criticised Chantelle’s festive pad, she clapped back and explained that she won’t listen.
She revealed: “I wrapped my stools up to make them look like candy canes. I even wrapped up my kitchen cupboards.
I see a lot of people have just one tree with a few baubles on it and that’s it. For me, that’s not enough
Chantelle Devonshire
“Some people say that my decorations are a bit extreme. People have said it’s a bit over the top.
“But a lot of people like my decorations and non-travellers have said that they’re going to copy my tree.
“I like things that are different, bigger and better.
“I see a lot of people have just one tree with a few baubles on it and that’s it. For me, that’s not enough.”
A festive feast fit for a King
When it comes to December 25th, Chantelle revealed that in the gypsy community it is a very busy, full on day.
She admitted that where food is concerned, nothing is done by halves, as she confessed: “When I was [living] at home, Christmas was very hectic.
“Everyone gets together. All of the children are there, everyone’s running around. The women are all in the kitchen.
Facts on gypsy and traveller communities
Typically, gypsies is a term used to describe Romani people who migrated to Europe from India while traveller refers to a person with either Irish, Scottish or English heritage.
Around 300,000 Gypsy, Roma and Irish travellers are thought to live in the UK.
All three groups come from nomadic ways of life, however, as it is increasingly difficult to find land to live on, many are moving into permanent housing.
They place high value on family life and often live close together even after reaching adult years and getting married.
Often the men are the breadwinners of the family while the women stay home.
While many English gypsy girls are allowed to drink alcohol and go on holiday with their friends before they get married, their Irish counterparts are not.
“Gypsy people are always extra when it comes to food. Everything is bigger and better.
“We have starters, mains, and desserts. And everything is homemade.
“For starters we’d have giant, garlic King prawns, prawn cocktail, or soup. There’s always different options.
“We’d have three or four different meats – gammon, turkey, beef.”
Bigger and better gifts
Not only is food in the traveller community on the next level, but the gifts are too.
Chantelle claimed: “With some gypsies, it is more for show. Some gypsies will get their kids Rolexes for Christmas. It’s got to be bigger and better.
A lot of travellers go to the extreme. Little girls would get diamond tennis bracelets at the age of 10
Chantelle Devonshire
“A lot of travellers expect big presents. They expect designer clothes.
“A lot of travellers go to the extreme. Little girls would get diamond tennis bracelets at the age of 10.
“When travelling children are born, a lot of them will get gold bracelets and necklaces bought, so at Christmas, people will buy them things like that.
“I’ve seen some travellers, you couldn’t walk into the room as there would be presents everywhere. They would go really overboard.”
Traveller community spirit
Particularly for gypsies living on a caravan site, according to Chantelle, you can feel the Christmas spirit in the air.
She explained: “When you live on a site, the kids will go outside and play with their toys and show all the other children.
“One year on the site, my grandad bought a massive marquee and put a hog roast in it with turkeys.
“The whole site got together. I did the dessert, another woman did the vegetables and we all had Christmas dinner together on a giant table. It’s an atmosphere you’ll only get if you live on a site.”
And not only this, but Chantelle explained that a lot of travellers will have epic Christmas parties too, as she acknowledged: “A lot of travellers have Christmas parties, normally on Christmas Day evening or the day after.
“People will get dressed up, they’ll put music on, have drinks, and it can go on until 1am, whenever the wife calls them in.”