The winter chill is definitely in the air and slowly but surely Christmas lights are being turned on! I don’t know about you but I LOVE this time of year.

There is always a great atmosphere and cheer around this time of year and it’s this buzz that makes Christmas special for me. Like most people I have spent most of my Christmases at home in front of a roaring fire, full of turkey and all its trimmings. But the one Christmas that really stands out for me is one I spent in the sun!

So the great debate starts… Christmas at home or in the sun?

Personally I will choose sun every time! I know Christmas is supposed to be full of snowmen and mulled wine but there is no better feeling than being able to go for a swim or lie on a sun lounger after having your Christmas feed!!

Imagine having no plates to clear up, no glasses to wash, nothing to put away… Sounds like a happy Christmas to me!

So where is the best place to get away to the sun over Christmas? My advice would be the Canaries or Southern Spain and here is why……

The Canaries are always a popular place in the winter because it pretty much guarantees sun when the rest of Europe is a bit duller. The flight time to the Canary Islands is about four hours so it’s a little further than most European holiday spots but that’s where the sun is!

Lanzarote is a little jewel in the Canary Islands and is often compared to the moon because of its lunar landscape. Laid back ambience, warm waters, golden sunshine and wonderful food are just a few of the island’s essential ingredients for brilliant holidays in the winter. Also Lanzarote shares a lot of our Christmas traditions so it still has a familiar feel.

While Christmas Day isn’t a huge thing on the island there are definitely hotels that celebrate the day in style! For example the beautiful 4* VIK San Antonio Hotel in Puerto Del Carmen has a full day of events and entertainment to celebrate on Christmas Day, including a visit from Santa and a wonderful Gala dinner. Lanzarote is definitely a popular choice for the sun seekers at Christmas but you need to book early!

A little closer to home and only a two and a half hour flight away is Southern Spain. Ok so the sun cannot be guaranteed but the weather will definitely be nicer than Ireland! Costa del Sol is a personal favourite of so many in ClickandGo. Why? Because it has so much to offer. Golden sandy beaches, first class golf courses, theme parks, lively entertainment and relaxing resorts are just some of the features of the coast.

The Spanish usually don’t celebrate Christmas Day but they celebrate various days over the festive season with huge big family meals, not too dissimilar to us.

The Costa del Sol is built for tourism and similar to the VIK San Antonio tons of 4* and 5* hotels along the coast make a fuss on December 25th.

The Sol Don Pedro in Torremolinos is a fab 4* over 50s hotel in a great location overlooking Bajondillo Beach. It is a lively hotel with lots of facilities to draw you in including 9 swimming pools (one heated and covered in winter), sun terraces, garden, multi sports court, table tennis, 6 lawn bowling rinks, gym, Delfinus Spa with beauty clinic, massage, hydromassage, hair salon, internet room and 24 hour reception.

As mentioned above, meal times are always big for the Spaniards so you can be sure that dinner on Christmas Day is no different in the Sol Don Pedro. They provide a beautiful gala dinner on the day full of turkey and all the trimmings with plenty of entertainment for everyone.

Weather in Southern Spain can reach 21 degrees or 25 degrees in December so you could get some great Christmas fun in the sun.

The Canaries and Southern Spain has everything from luxurious 5* and 4* hotels to more reasonable apartments so you will definitely find something to suit you.

So the good news is there are plenty of places within your reach to get sunshine at Christmas.

The bad news is prices for holidays at this time can be crazy expensive. Everyone wants to go away during the winter and the airlines and hotels know this, so prices can really increase around Christmas.

But if you plan and book your Christmas Sun Holiday far enough in advance you can still get a good bargain.

Everyone should spend at least one Christmas in the sun so this year instead of dreaming of a white Christmas, dream of a bright Christmas!!

— Andrea!