Comping is a great hobby for the winter months. After all, you don't need to venture out of your wood-fire-warmed living room or cosy bedroom to be able to enjoy its fun!
All you need is a computer, and maybe a pile of postcards and stamps and the latest issue of Compers News for company!
It's not always necessary to venture into the cold for comping, with online comps galore to choose from, for example. And of course Compers News comes right to your door, so there's no need to head outside on our account, either!
But that's not to say comping isn't just as fun during the summer as it is in winter.
To mark the fact that we've been seeing rather more good weather recently (okay, maybe not as much as we'd like, but still an improvement on the winter months!) here's a great guide to having the perfect comping summer!
Take your comping outside
Comping is a portable hobby - just as fun from a park bench as from your living room.
Store away your copy of compers news in your handbag and take along your smartphone on that lunch break.
Then you can look for the latest competitions while enjoying a sunny day, and read up on comping tips and stories at the same time!
Get the kids involved
The summer holidays are a great time to help kids try their hand at comping. And creative comps in particular can help pass the time nicely. As well as entering your little boy or girl's work in a comp they're interested in, you can always give them a prize of your own so that they'll be a winner no matter how they fare in the competition itself. If only all comping worked that way!
Enter some summery comps
There's nothing like a summery comp to make it feel that bit more like the sunny season is upon us.
Of course holiday comps are popular year-round, but if you find yourself dreaming of time away when it comes to the sunnier times of the year, why not focus your efforts on some chances to win a holiday? There are always plenty out there!
There's a Spanish holiday on offer in this HiPP Organic competition on the Tesco Living website, for example.
The comp closes on June 2nd and has an online entry form to fill in.
The prize is a self catering break for seven nights - staying at the Menorca Paradise Club and Spa venue - for two grown ups and two children up to the age of 11.
Whoever wins must take the break before June 30th next year (but can't use their prize over part of the Christmas period).
If the summer is making you dream of trips closer to home, why not try this Alton Towers comp over on the Rustlers website?
There is a special VIP Alton Towers break on offer, with overnight stay, the chance to enjoy the park for two days and more.
According to the T&Cs, the comp closes May 30th, and the winner (and three other people) need to take their break by October 16th this year (again, there are some restrictions on the dates they can pick). There's also a stipulation that attendees must be 18 or over.
Win a beach read
Book comps are all over the internet - after all, a book is a nice affordable prize for a promoter. If you like reading in summer, why not enter a few? Just check whether you're likely to get your prize in time for your holiday if you really are planning to read it on a beach break!
Organise a summer comping club trip
What better way to combine comping with some other fun than getting your pals from the comping club together and heading off on a day trip or afternoon out? It doesn't have to be a big trip - even heading to a local cafe where you can all sit outside in the warm weather could be a lovely way to chat about comping in the sun!
