Subscribers RV Travel Newsletter for Sunday, December 21, 2025

America’s Original RV Newsletter. Since 2001
Issue 1240
Ads have been removed in this newsletter
for our much-appreciated volunteer paid subscribers.

Today’s thought 

“So the shortest day came, and the year died, and everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world came people singing, dancing, to drive the dark away.” —Susan Cooper

Merry (almost) Christmas to all…

By Emily Woodbury
It’s almost Christmas. I hope you’re reading this somewhere cozy, whether with friends, family, your partner, your dog, or simply your own thoughts. I hope there’s gentle music in the background, something delicious in the air, and a sense of contentment around you. Most of all, I hope you are warm, healthy, and grateful for the joys, big or small.

If this year looks a little different—if you’re not surrounded by loved ones or struggling in some way—know that this corner of cyberspace is for you too.

2025 has had its ups and downs. At RVtravel.com, we’ve worked harder than ever to maintain editorial excellence (after all, we’re battling robots!), and your support as readers and donors means everything. Even as prices rise and holiday plans shift, remember that the most meaningful things—love, kindness, a smile, a hug—cost nothing.

At RVtravel.com, our heart is community. Whether your RV is a full-time Class A, a weekend pop-up, or your only home, our community is for you. We remind ourselves, always: We’re all human and we all need each other.

Though the holiday is still a few days away, we wish you a Merry Christmas. To those celebrating Kwanzaa or Hanukkah, our warmest wishes, and a nod to anyone savoring the quiet joys of the season.

Oh, and today is the Winter Solstice. The shortest day of the year. A reminder that even the darkest days hold the promise of more light ahead.

Wherever you are, may this season be filled with peace, joy, and always a little magic.

Happiest of Holidays,
Emily, Chuck, Diane, Kim, and the entire RVtravel.com team

AS YOU READ TODAY’S ISSUE… Click here and have this playing in the background. Make sure your volume is turned up. (We have it playing right now as we work on this issue!)

Reader asks: No signs of life at a nearby RV—What would you do?

Here, reader Brad T. is boondocking in a peaceful desert spot, enjoying perfect weather and wide-open space. But something doesn’t sit right. A nearby RV has shown no signs of life for days. No movement. No chairs. No answers at the door. And with a past experience that ended tragically, the question becomes impossible to ignore: At what point does minding your own business turn into checking on a neighbor? Please read and comment.

Read the fine print before bringing your golf cart to the campground

By Gail Marsh
Charlie wasn’t happy. I could see his frustration before I even got situated at the campfire. His anger quickly erupted. “After buying a trailer and hauling it across the country, now I find out that my golf cart is banned in this campground!” “That’s why you should always check the campground rules before you reserve,” Chet advised. Yep, Chet is right… 

When Quartzsite had its own bank in a motorhome

Last week, Chuck Woodbury joined Tony and Peggy Barthel on their podcast and discussed his 50th anniversary as an on-the-road reporter. During their discussion, Chuck talked about a Quartzsite bank of yesteryear—that was housed in a motorhome! Here’s his story about the bank, from all those years ago.

CAN YOU HELP YOUR NEIGHBORS? If you’re able, please consider donating to your local food bank this week. Help a family celebrate the holiday with a full stomach. Whether you’re able to donate money, food, or your time, everything helps. And if you are in need of food assistance, here is a list of food banks near you.

FUNNY: Why did Santa go to music school? He wanted to improve his wrap skills.

Today’s RV review…
Ember RV Touring Edition 2200ETL—I’d give it an award: my favorite RV?

Today’s RV review is of the new-for-2026 Ember RV Touring Edition 2200ETL. But wait, you say. Didn’t Ember have a Touring Edition already? Well, yes. But this is different. Quite honestly, if you’re looking for a mid-sized trailer that can be a great bunkhouse or just a couple’s camper, I can’t think of a better one than this. Here’s why.

Yesterday’s top news for RVers

• RVers at risk: Expert warns Battle Born lithium batteries are dangerous and unsafe
• National park pass lawsuit targets Trump image on 2026 pass
• Camping World debuts new RV financing plan, but buyers beware
• Why winter RV camping feels different this year
• Ford’s new F-150 Lightning pickup to have 700-mile range, improved towing

Read the rest of the news in yesterday’s newsletter here.

The Christmas Corner

Today’s festive Christmas season was once a dark and eerie time

While researching the history of Christmas traditions, Baylor University’s Michael P. Foley, Ph.D., uncovered many forgotten Christmas customs and folklore, including those “scary ghost stories” alluded to in the 1963 holiday classic, “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year.” Ghost stories at Christmas have been around for centuries. Take a look at these darker sides of the holiday.

Vintage RVs all decked out for the holidays

By Cheri Sicard
If you are ready to get into the RV Christmas spirit, pour yourself a cup of eggnog and settle in for a compilation of delightful Christmas campers. Our hostess here is even wearing a fabulous RV Christmas sweater that I missed when putting together our collection of RV Christmas apparel. Get cozy and hit play on the video—it’s sure to put you in the holiday spirit.

How it Happened: The history of sending Christmas cards

By Gail Marsh
Each year, Christmas sneaks up on me and I’m sending out Christmas cards well after New Year’s Day. Mailing Christmas cards is a time-honored tradition and one I’m not willing to abandon—even if my cards arrive well after Christmas is over. Thinking about my yearly procrastination got me wondering about the history of sending Christmas cards.

RANDOM RV THOUGHT: Putting up a Christmas tree in an RV is cute… until it becomes a game of “How many ornaments can survive a 100-mile drive?”

Reader poll
Did you travel or will you travel for the holidays this week?

Respond here.

A quick story and a quick tip
Telescoping magnetic grabber saves money and my day

Earlier this week, my (Emily) car battery died. My dad (our publisher, Chuck) was nearby and helped me replace it. Just as he was tightening the last screw, boom, the metal attachment piece clinked, clanked, clunked… into the depths of nowhere. With my battery hardly secure, we drove down to the auto parts store for a new part. The guy at the front desk said, “Wait! I have a tool for that!” and brought out his magnetic grabber tool. He slid it down into the depths of the hood, looked around, and boom! The piece instantly stuck to the strong magnet, and he pulled it out. Problem solved! I suggest we ALL carry this in our toolkits from now on… Chances are you’ll need one someday, too!

Sunday giveaway
How would you like to win this vintage camping puzzle?

How to win
We’ll select a winner at random out of all entries we receive today by 7 p.m. Pacific time. You can only enter once and after we notify you by email that you won, you have 24 hours to respond. Click here to enter or see last week’s winner!

TRAVEL TIP: The Utah Film Trail invites movie enthusiasts to experience the state’s iconic geography and fan favorite filming locations firsthand, using physical markers scattered throughout the state that pay homage to the films or television shows produced at that real-world location.

RVer health
How to help prevent and manage macular degeneration

RVtravel.com readers are mostly in their 50s and older. Because of their “senior” status, the eye disease macular degeneration is a concern for some. Here is advice about the condition, including how to help prevent it, and/or how to manage it.

Travel destinations
Finding the Christmas spirit in Poinsettia Mine, Nevada

By Dave Helgeson
In the spirit of Christmas, Poinsettia Mine, Nevada, is this month’s featured ghosted place. I would have written about the ghost town of Christmas, Arizona, but I have yet to visit it. Since poinsettia plants are associated with Christmas, it was the next best place I could come up with for the December installment of Ghost Town Trails.

Brain teaser

Four elves are in a workshop on Christmas Eve. Each elf makes a different number of toys, but the total is odd. Elf A makes 7 toys, Elf B makes twice as many toys as Elf A, Elf C makes half as many toys as Elf B, and Elf D makes 5 more toys than Elf C.

How many toys did each elf make, and what is the total number of toys?

(Answer below.)

Highlights from this week’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter

• Tips for hanging items on RV walls
• How to eliminate hitch clunk
• How couples can avoid arguments living in a tight space
• When you think outside the ‘conventional campsite’ box, a whole new world awaits
• 7 uses for Reflectix reflective tape besides as insulation

YOU CAN’T CALL YOURSELF A REAL FAN of RVtravel.com if you’re not signed up for our RV Daily Tips Newsletter! It’s one of the best newsletters in the entire galaxy! Read a few issues here, and if you like what you see, become a real fan and sign up! 

FUNNY: Why did Santa’s helper go to therapy? He had low elf-esteem.

In the RV shop with Dustin
What it means when an RV roof is over-glued and why it looks so bad

I recently received a message from an RV owner in one of our Facebook groups who was concerned about their towable’s roof. They had noticed ripples, bubbles, and uneven spots under the membrane and were worried it meant a serious failure. Their question was a good one, and it’s something I’ve seen quite a few times in the shop over the years. Continue reading.

RV tire safety
More information on proper tire inflation

By Roger Marble
Based on the recurring questions on “proper tire inflation” that I see every week on various RV forums on the internet, it sounds like there are a few people who were never told that owning an RV REQUIRES the owner pay attention to tire inflation. There are still some folks who have never read about what the “At Max PSI xxx” statement on a tire sidewall means. Continue reading.

INTO ZOMBIES? Then plan a stop at Zombie Burger in Des Moines, Iowa. The Zombie Burger, known far and wide, serves up a sandwich called the “Walking Chedd” (ched as in cheddar cheese). It features a bun made from deep-fried macaroni and cheese, bacon, a burger patty, lettuce, tomato, more macaroni and cheese and, of course, Zombie Sauce. Cardiologists, we presume, are not fans.

Ask Dave

Twelve days of Christmas RV tools

Eighth day: smartphone and selfie stick • Ninth day: hand-held LP leak detector • Tenth day: creative cord holders • Eleventh day: endoscope • Twelfth day: Klein multimeter kit

RV MAINTENANCE ADVICE: That’s the topic at RVtravel.com’s Facebook group, where nearly 90,000 members discuss keeping their RVs in tip-top shape (and how to fix things that break!).

Recipes of the day
Christmas crack recipes: Not what you think; much better!

No, of course these aren’t real crack recipes… they’re much better! Delicious, edible Christmas crack aka really delicious sweet and salty snacks! You deserve these recipes, but if you need a last-minute gift, package these up and there you go! Get ready to drool. 

Confuse-Us Say: RVer who snore loudly at night in campground like foghorn without ocean.

Video of the day
RV campground turns into amazing Christmas wonderland

Every year, as November rolls around, something magical happens in northern Indiana. The Shipshewana RV Campground transforms from a popular camping spot into a dazzling “Christmas Campground.” This two-mile-long drive-through display, known as “Lights of Joy,” creates a holiday experience filled with millions of twinkling lights, animatronics, and festive cheer. Click here to learn more, and make sure you watch the video to see the sights in action.

RVing with dogs
Does my dog need a jacket and boots in winter?

By Gail Marsh
Growing up, had you asked me if a dog needed a jacket and boots in winter, I likely would have laughed. Out loud! Now, many dogs wear full outfits in the winter! So, does my dog need to wear a jacket and boots outside in winter? Short answer: maybe. Whether your dog needs a jacket, boots, both, or nothing at all depends on several factors.

Readers’ pet of the day

“Cuddles (Havanese, almost 3) is my teflon girl. She was born on Christmas Day. She knows how to wrap people around her paw. She’s camped with us all over PA and NY.” —Bob M.

• RVing with Dogs group on Facebook. You’ll love it.

Want to see your pet in this newsletter? Please send us a photo of your pet with a short description. No blurry photos and please do not submit your photo more than once.

Trivia

The world’s tallest cut Christmas tree was a 221-foot-tall Douglas fir, cut from Weyerhaeuser property near Enumclaw, southeast of Seattle, WA. It was displayed just north of downtown Seattle at the then-brand-new Northgate Shopping Center (the first modern shopping mall in the U.S.) in 1950. That’s one tall tree!

FREE IS GOOD! The American Red Cross is in need of donors. To encourage people to donate, you can get a free Red Cross long-sleeved T-shirt (while supplies last) when you donate blood, platelets or plasma through January 4, 2026!

Sunday funny

Did you miss last week’s RVtravel.com newsletter?

Read it here | Back issues

Brain teaser answer:

7 +  14 + 7 + 12 = 40

Vintage postcard of the week

Postcards owned by Colleen and Ed Weum, Pacific Northwest Postcard Club. Read more about their 90,000 postcard collection here.

Today’s weather forecast across the nation
THIS MAP UPDATES TWICE A DAY

Visit Current National Radar Weather Map

And finally… Music from the past

Ladies and gents, we present… the original Rockettes of the 1930s!

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