Want a winter holiday with all the jingle bells and whistles? Come along to the Canary Islands for Christmas and yule be in your element! That’s right, with terrific Tenerife, lush Lanzarote, fabulous Fuerteventura and glowing Gran Canaria as your options, you can’t go wrong for a break in the colder season. And get this – just because it’s chilly at home, doesn’t mean it’s the same abroad. The Canaries stay nice and warm throughout winter!

To help you plan a jolly good getaway, we’ve picked out some of the best bits about winter breaks in the Canary Islands.

Tenerife’s traditions

It’s all eyes on Santa come December in the UK, but children often wait until Three Kings Day on 6 January in the Canary Islands to unwrap their presents. And in Tenerife, there’s usually a parade to accompany it. Going to be staying over the more traditional Christmas period? The isle’s full-throttle festive for even longer!

While you’ll be able to replicate the usual seasonal feelings of fuzziness here in Tenerife, things can be a bit different too. You’ll find most of the shops and restaurants are still open, so you’ll be able to spend your day doing something other than gorging on goodies or carol-singing around the fireplace. You can still attend Midnight Mass, but you can simply trade in the mulled wine for a sangria on the sand. Sign us up!

Christmas in Corralejo, Fuerteventura

If you’re keen to keep things classic, Christmas in Corralejo is a sure winner. While the sun’s rays might be out, you’ll still be in for market stall browsing and wining and dining just as you would at home.

From mid-December to early January, Corralejo gets all dressed up and decked out with market stalls. These wooden huts give you a sense of your Viennas, Pragues and other typically wintry destinations, and you’ll have similar knick-knacks and gifts to peruse. And when it comes to the magical morsels, head down to a beach bar and you’re bound to spy three-course menus of the usual – we’re talking soup, turkey and the trimmings and even the old faithful, Christmas pudding.

All fiesta, no siesta in Gran Canaria

There’s always a place for sequins in Gran Canaria, which means tinsel’s welcome too. While the temperatures might be in their twenties here at Christmas, that doesn’t mean there’s a lack of festivities. People are still belting out carols, it’s just on the beach. So, there’s no time for dozing off – it’s all about the party atmosphere.

If your holiday spills into January, you’ll want to be gazing up at the sky as fireworks dance across it come New Year’s Eve. The kaleidoscopic displays of colour are something to behold alright. What a way to kick off the next 12 months!

Lanzarote’s nativities

In Yaiza, Tinajo and Haría – villages outside our resorts but well worth visiting – you’ll find jaw-dropping nativity scenes. The craftsmanship exceeds bed linen being scrambled together for shepherds’ costumes and lots of cutting and gluing – these are no-expense-spared setups!

Head to Yaiza for possibly the most impressive, where a model village stands and wows with its nativity scene spanning a mighty 23 metres! Meanwhile, in Tinajo, San Roque Church is the spectacular setting for a life-sized nativity that even has little farm animals included. The detail is something else.

Gala meals in our hotels

Some of our hotels lay on special events over the festive period. Gala meals are the most common, so whether you’re with friends, family or your other half, you can get together around the table and enjoy brimming buffets and pile-them-up plates of food.

As each property will lay on different things to mark the occasion, it’s worth checking out what’s on offer at the time of booking your stay. Then all that’s left to do is get dolled up, embrace the Christmas spirit and make it a memorable one! Paper crowns optional…

Canarian Christmas cuisine

Speaking of meals, fantastic feasts and epic spreads are what Christmas is all about, which is why you’re – quite literally – in for a treat when you’re in the Canaries. Cod and a local fish, cherne, tend to take centre stage on the table when celebrating the big day.

But, as we can all agree, Christmas isn’t the same if there isn’t a whole heap of naughty chocs and sugary sweets at your disposal. Various don’t-tell-your-dentist cakes will be easy to get your hands on – and laughing gear around! You simply can’t beat truchas, a delicious puff pastry dessert that’s stuffed with sweet potato or pumpkin and mixed with an almond paste. Yum!