For many holiday homes, December is a month with two faces. Midweek is often quiet. At weekends, on the other hand, towns with a Christmas market attract lots of visitors. If you have a property in or around such a town, you can turn those weekends into a strong period.
In 2025, Winter in Gent runs from 4 to 31 December. In Bruges, Antwerp and Durbuy too, Christmas markets draw visitors every year. In this article, you will read how to prepare your calendar, prices and property for the winter month. Mid-November is the right moment to do so.
Christmas markets as a draw
For many people, a Christmas market is a reason to get away for a weekend. Couples, groups of friends and families combine the market with a walk around town, a meal out and a night in a cosy property. They come from Belgium, but also from the Netherlands, France and further afield.
Winter in Gent runs from 4 to 31 December in 2025, so every weekend in December falls within it. The markets in Bruges, Antwerp and Durbuy attract a similar crowd. Check the exact dates of those markets with the town or the organisers before you mention them in your listing.
If your property is not in one of those towns, you can still benefit. Many visitors look for a stay a short distance away, where it is quieter and sometimes more spacious. State in your description how long the drive or train journey to the nearest market takes.
Weekends are the engine
Demand around Christmas markets is concentrated on Friday and Saturday. Those nights fill up first. From Sunday to Thursday, demand stays lower, except in the Christmas holidays.
So treat the December weekends as separate periods in your calendar. Do not set them at the same price as midweek. Compare with similar properties nearby and see how quickly their weekends fill up. If those are already well booked while you still have everything open, your price is probably too low.
Midweek, it works the other way round. A sharper price or a shorter minimum stay can make the difference then. Think of people who visit the market on a weekday to avoid the crowds.
A minimum of two nights
One of the simplest settings for winter weekends is a minimum stay of two nights. That way you avoid someone booking only the Saturday while the Friday stays empty. A guest who stays from Friday to Sunday earns you more and needs only one changeover.
At the same time, deliberately leave room for exceptions. If a single Friday or Saturday is still open shortly before the date, lower the minimum stay for exactly that night. A night that sells is better than an empty night.
Midweek, a minimum of one night can be enough. Do look at the cost of an extra changeover, though. If a short midweek booking is worth little after cleaning, consider two nights there too.
Taking the Christmas holidays into account now
At the end of December, the Christmas holidays come on top of this. In Flanders, they run from 22 December 2025 to 4 January 2026. In the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, the winter holidays run from 22 December 2025 to 2 January 2026. During that period, demand is higher midweek as well.
Set a separate minimum stay for Christmas and New Year, for example three nights or more. Families like to stay longer then. New Year's Eve is a night in high demand for many properties. Price that night separately and link it to a stay of several nights.
Winter photos for a winter audience
Your listing may show a sunny terrace or a summery garden. For someone looking for a December weekend, that is less appealing. People who book in winter want to see cosiness.
Take a few atmospheric photos of the property in winter style. Think of a warmly lit living area, a laid table, a throw on the sofa and a burning stove if you have one. Put those photos at the front of your listing. Adjust your title or first sentence too, for example with the distance to the Christmas market. After the winter, simply move the summer photos back to the front.
Be careful with decorations in photos. A Christmas tree in the opening photo works in December, but no longer in February. So do not forget to switch back in time.
A warm arrival
Winter visitors often arrive after a cold day or a long drive. The first moment in the property determines how they experience the stay. A cold house makes a bad impression, however beautiful it is.
Make sure the heating is switched on in good time. With a smart thermostat, you set it remotely a few hours before arrival. Leave a few lamps on if guests arrive in the dark. Check that the outdoor lighting works and that the path to the door is safe in frosty weather.
A small gesture completes the arrival. Think of hot chocolate, tea, a packet of biscuits or a few local treats. Add a short card with tips for the Christmas market: how to get there, where to park and which times are quietest.
Preparing in November
Do not wait until December to make adjustments. The first weekends of the month are already being booked now. Take time this week to price the weekends separately, set your minimum stay and take winter photos. Also check the heating and your supplies for the busy weeks.
Your winter without worries
At YourDomi, we adjust prices daily based on market data and communicate with guests seven days a week in their own language. That way you get more out of your winter weekends. Would you like to know what that could mean for your property? Request a personal proposal.
