Britain’s Biggest Christmas Present revealed

Wrapping Britain’s Biggest Christmas Present was never going to be easy especially when it’s the size of a single decker bus. 
For a start there’s the wrapping paper. Where do you find 900ft of the bright red stuff at this time of year? That’s five times the size of Nelson’s Column by the way…

Wrapping an object 34ft x 40ft x 20ft isn’t so much a five-minute job but a military operation taking a team of eight people over eight hours to get right. Not to mention three pairs of stepladders, two spirit levels, five staple guns and several miles of sticky-back plastic!
Finishing it off needed a sparkly golden ribbon but not just any one that stretches 150ft and ties into a 6ft glittery bow!

 
But it was all done on the shores of Lake Windermere – England’s longest lake – the perfect location for Britain’s biggest present.

The enormous pressie represented the major prize in an online competition. Holiday park company White Cross Bay sought to find Britain’s most deserving family who’d had an “Annus Horriblis.”
Step forward the Carrs of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear. As well as being affected by the credit crunch, the family lost their beloved figurehead in 2008 when granddad Robert Carr, 65, died this year.
During his last trip to his beloved Lake District in 2007, he fell ill on the first night and ended up in the local hospital for the duration of the stay. Back home, he never really recovered and it was to be his last ever holiday. After an eight-year long battle with cancer he succumbed to the illness in April this year.

As the calendar of 2008 counted down to December, all the family was on tenterhooks wondering what Christmas would be like at home without him there.
Widow Gloria Carr, 61, entered the competition because the prize would mean a much needed family break for her and her family away from the memories at home.

And like many other households, money was tight with daughter Lisa Haan, 38, a dinner lady and her partner Colin Hart, 54, a forklift truck driver, of South Shields. Getting away for Christmas looked an impossibility - until she entered the competition…
Now as well as getting their hands on Britain’s biggest Christmas present, the whole family will spend a two-week Christmas break for six in a luxury holiday lodge on the four-star White Cross Bay holiday park on Lake Windermere.

 
There to help rip off the wrapping paper and share in the prize are Lisa’s daughters Jessica Haan, 10, and Taylor Haan, 8, Lisa’s partner Colin, and his mum Joan Hart, 73. The present in particular thrilled Jessica and Taylor who declared it “Awesome.”
Underneath the wrapping paper they will find a lodge containing a Santa’s grotto with everything they need for a perfect family Christmas - festive tree, lights, decorations, hampers, toys, festive drink and snow on the doorstep…

To ensure snow was guaranteed, holiday bosses drafted in snow machines for the grand unveiling.
Gloria said: “Christmas is a time of year you do feel emotional. I was dreading spending it at home or even at my daughter’s without my husband there. It will be nice to be somewhere that there are many happy memories for us all because Robert loved the Lakes so much. We fell in love with it in 1968 – a year after we were married. We loved the peace, quiet and the scenery of the Lakes.”
She added: “The credit crunch has affected everyone this year and if we could have afforded to go on holiday this year, we would but we have had to be more careful.”

On hearing she had won, Gloria said: “I was stunned when they told me. It was absolutely fantastic and for it to be Britain’s biggest present has left us all with a brilliant feeling.”
The Christmas break in the Lake District also means that for the first time, the family can now visit a special plaque they had made in memory of Robert which was placed in Wordsworth’s garden at Dove Cottage, Grasmere.

Caroline Guffogg, of White Cross Bay Holiday Park, said: “Christmas is the season of goodwill and we wanted to do something to celebrate us staying open over the festive season for the first time.”
“We were touched how the family had lost a loved one during what was already a tough year. We agreed they needed a proper family Christmas get-together where they could remember the Granddad who loved the Lakes.”

The winners will be able to take advantage of the parks facilities, which include an onsite restaurant, bar, indoor-heated swimming pool, gym; sauna and children’s play area.