Having splashed and sloshed our way through the wettest summer in living memory, many of us Brits are severely in need of a bit of light relief. Recent statistics reveal a desperate rush to leave the country over Christmas and head to the gloriously sunny climes of Tenerife. The statistics, from a survey by TravelRepublic, show a massive increase in winter sun holidays in general and Christmas breaks in Tenerife are the most popular of all.
There has been a drop in Tenerife travel prices this season with many one-week packages to Tenerife coming in at under £300. Cheap trips to Tenerife are clearly a big draw to those of us keen to escape the grim British weather, but could there be more to it than this? Christmas is getting bigger every year and the pressure to get it right is immense. A Tenerife Christmas can remove such hassles, and more. That's why I've compiled a list of ten aspects of Christmas hell and how jetting off on a sunny holiday to Tenerife will turn them all around!
1) In the UK: Presents and shopping
Us Brits spend an average of £384 on 18 Christmas presents. Significantly more than you might be spending on your whole Tenerife holiday!
On holiday: Spanish souvenirs
It's impossible to list all the Spanish souvenirs you could find for your loved ones, but here are five of the most popular items you could pick up whilst in Tenerife:
Abanico - hand held fans elaborately decorated or carved from wood make a great Tenerife Christmas present.
Football Souvenirs - items brandishing the Real Madrid crest or a miniature replica of the stadium are ideal gifts for footie fans!
Bullfighting Souvenirs - you can buy a representation of the three matadors or even a replica matador's jacket.
Toro - these miniature Spanish bulls vary in quality from moulded plastic to elaborate pieces hand made in leather.
Art & Paintings - from the country that gave birth to Salvador Dali and Picasso there is a large selection of cheap scenes of everyday Spain.
2) In the UK: Enforced jollity
At Christmas there is no greater sin then appearing to be grumpy. Never mind if it's raining again when it ought to be snowing. Never mind the awkward family tensions. If your mood isn't up you're in trouble - you're 'ruining Christmas'.
On holiday: Real jollity
Waking up to the bliss of no responsibilities and a day of sunbathing will put you in a naturally good mood, so there's no need to fake it!
3) In the UK: Inappropriate outfits
Christmas seems to inspire the oddest outfits: fluorescent antlers, hair tinsel, 'fun' paper crowns, ridiculous knitted festively themed woolly jumpers - the list is endless and another example of that enforced jollity.
On holiday: A good tan
Developing a healthy glow in Tenerife will make you the envy of all your friends when the glitter of Christmas has died down to a dull fizzle and everyone's feeling pale and miserable. Ha-ha!
4) In the UK: Guzzling excessive cheap alcohol
To get through the emotional rollercoaster of another family Christmas, many of us, despite our best intentions, will turn to the bottle to ease the pain. The following day's hangover only makes it that much worse.
On holiday: Sipping cocktails by the pool
There are so many fabulous bars in Tenerife that you'll be spoilt for choice, and there's no need to overdo it when you're already having so much fun!
5) In the UK: Office parties
You can already picture the scene: watching what you drink in case you say exactly what you think about your unbearable boss or colleague, whilst pretending not to be disgusted by the cringeworthy advances of the office letch. Finally, you end up dancing wildly with said letch in a mad drunken stupor. The Facebook photos won't make it any easier to forget.
On holiday: Beach parties!
A beach party in Tenerife will really blow away the winter cobwebs. For daytime fun, the main beach of Playa de las Americas is where the party people go to recharge their batteries before the next clubland assault and when the sun goes down you can head to Enramada Beach near La Caleta, where Chiringuito Beach Club hosts parties at the weekend. Many revellers choose to camp on the beach at Las Galletas, bringing their own food and drinks and listening to music into the small hours. Christmas in Tenerife is such fun!
6) In the UK: Christmas lunch
First of all, whoever's cooking is incredibly stressed, and claims you have no idea how much work there is to do (if you try and help then you're inevitably doing it all wrong). This leads to petty arguments and numerous kitchen disasters. Meanwhile one member of the family has suddenly decided to become a vegan without telling anyone and refuses to eat a thing, glaring grumpily while everyone else tucks into their turkey.
On holiday: Tapas & fresh tropical fruit
Food in Tenerife is very tasty and a lot less stressful than Christmas dinner. Tapas are Spain's appetizers, scrummy little dishes which are often flavoured with garlic, chillies or paprika, cumin, salt, pepper or saffron. It often comes with seafood such as anchovies, sardines or mackerel in olive oil with tomatoes and sometimes peppers or olives. On your Tenerife holiday you can also sample many delicious tropical fruits like mangoes, paw paw and 'platanos fritos' - fried bananas.
7) In the UK: Christmas television
Saccharine Coca Cola adverts, endless repeats of 'Only Fools and Horses', soap extravaganzas and 'Celebrity' Christmas specials.
On holiday: singles - Find a winter romance
For goodness sake, forget TV and get out there onto the lively Tenerife singles scene. If anything's going to boost your sprits at Christmas it's a sizzling holiday romance!
8) In the UK: Christmas number ones
Slade's 'So here it is Merry Christmas', Band Aid's 'Do they know it's Christmas' and Aled Jones' 'Walking in the air'. Haven't you heard them all enough?
On holiday: iPod
Forget the naffness - when you set off for your holiday in Tenerife you make sure you've got all your favourite tunes at your fingertips so you can sunbathe in peace.
9) In the UK: Carol singers
Expecting you to give them money for one chorus of 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' when half of them don't know the words and the other half are miming.
On holiday: iPod
See above.
10) In the UK: Unrelentingly grim weather
Grrr. Grrr. Grrr.
On holiday: Sunshine
Mmm - what a relief!
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