Driving Home for Christmas

Business Advice 16th December 2022

“I’m driving home for Christmas. Oh, I can’t wait to see those faces.”

As one of the all-time great Christmas songs, Chris Rea knows how to spread the Christmas feeling. “Driving home for Christmas” puts us in the shoes of everyone finishing their last day of work before turning up the music and driving home to our loved ones for the Christmas break. Obviously things have changed quite a lot since the Pandemic and many of us might not be leaving the office but simple switching off and heading downstairs or closing the laptop and popping it in a cupboard until January.

We wanted to share some tips on making the most of those final working hours, whether at home or in the office and if you are driving later how you can improve your awareness, safety and even save money along the way.

Closing time

“And it’s been so long, but I will be there.” – Take your eyes off the clock and make your final working hours of the year count! The last day before the Christmas break doesn’t have to be doom and gloom; create a plan for the day and stick to it. If you have important things to get done work focus on getting those finished first thing so that you can leave space and time for some festivities – be it an online Christmas quiz with colleagues, or a Christmas lunch. Get the joy happening so that when you shut down, lock the doors and switch the lights off for the last time until after Christmas, you can exhale, feel your shoulders drop and start to relax.

Christmas music

“I sing this song, to pass the time away.” – Christmas music is a wonderful thing. It has the power to spread joy and allows you to truly embrace the warm festive feeling. Create a playlist or CD of all your favourite Christmas songs to have on during your last day of work and for your journey home and sing along to your heart’s content!

Traffic conditions

“Top to tail in tailbacks.” – If you are heading home from the office it’s a good idea to check for traffic ahead of time. There are a lot of road works happening at the moment across Kent on main roads or local towns so it’s always a good idea to check the roads before you leave the office to see if taking an alternative route would be beneficial to you.

Road conditions

“Oh, I got red lights all around.” – The freezing weather conditions at the moment in the UK are bringing minus temperatures and also frost. We’ve even experience snow this week (11th Dec 2022). Road conditions can become treacherous, so it’s important to stay alert to the potential dangers you may face. If it’s icy, stick to the main roads for safety and always ensure your car is safe to drive in these conditions. Remain in a high gear if you happen to come across ice, and keep chains or snow socks in the car just in case.

Always be prepared

“Get my feet on holy ground.” – At the end of the day, no matter how long it may take, you want to get home safely to your loved ones. In the event of your car breaking down, it’s important to take the necessary precautions to stay safe. Firstly, ensure that you have enough clothing to keep yourself warm whilst waiting for a tow; it can get pretty cold this time of year! Secondly, ensure you have the equipment needed to alert other drivers – e.g. a reflective triangle warning cone.

Energy saving

“I take a look at the driver next to me, he’s just the same.” – There are a lot of vehicles on the roads these days, and it can get particularly busy around the Christmas period. But there is a way to reduce emissions, helping the environment and saving you money on fuel. Car sharing is the perfect way to do this and gives the extra incentive for a Christmas carpool karaoke! Take a look at the driver next to you, they’re just the same!

On behalf of all of us at Lumina Energy, we want to wish you and our customers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for 2023.