I have to admit that I tend to take sunshine, warm weather, palm trees, beaches and the ocean for granted much of the time. But of late, watching news footage of the chaos and misery being wrought across Northern Europe by freezing temperatures and snow, I’ve been counting my blessings for being lucky enough to live in the beautiful Fortunate Isles.

Where I live I know winter has arrived when I can sit at a pavement cafe for half an hour without hugging the shade like a vampire and when I feel the need to slip on a sweater before going out at night. It’s funny to see the looks I get from T shirt and shorts wearing visitors when they see my long sleeves and my boots, their eyes expressing genuine amazement because to them, this is better than the very best of their summers.

So for everyone who isn’t lucky enough to live in a year round tropical climate, this year more than ever, an escape to the sun is top of the post-Christmas agenda and once it’s booked the winter will become that much more bearable just knowing there’s a sunbed with your name on it.

And if you’d like that sunbed to be on a soft, white sand beach with a turquoise lagoon lapping at the shore while the fronds of palm trees gently sway and a Mai Tai is just a flip flop away – there’s no better time to book it.
From now until the 31st January 2011, if you book a Sands Holiday Resort vacation online you’ll save an unbelievable 25% on the best web rates.

It seems to me you can kill three birds with one click here – get the best January sales bargain going without even leaving the warmth of your living room, book your place in the sun, and transform the rest of the winter from endless misery to temporary inconvenience.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m just off to apply the factor 15 and maybe even order another Mai Tai …aahh, bliss

It’s the yin and yang of life that every time a holiday looms with its promise of a few days off work and a chance to relax and forget about the world of work for a while, the amount of effort that goes into getting ready for it can leave you too exhausted to enjoy it. And Christmas can be one of those occasions.

Well add the word ‘me’ to your festive shopping list in the next four days and you can add a little more yin to your yang  – or should that be yang to your yin.

Award yourself a post-Christmas break and a sunny start to 2011 at Sands Beach Resort and if you book online before 15th December you’ll get a whopping 15% discount.
Then put your holiday confirmation under the Christmas tree in an envelope addressed to ‘me’ and count the days until you’ll be trading grey skies for blue.

Offer conditions:

• Applicable to all web bookings made before the 15th December 2010 for stay between 6th January 2011 and 30th April 2011.
• Not applicable with any other offers or promotions.
• Subject to availability

How many people are looking out of their window right across Europe now and looking at a barbecue that’s covered in ice and snow?

Yesterday I was walking the dogs and I could smell the unmistakable aroma of a barbecue. It struck me that here we are in the Canary Islands in December, just four hours or so flying time from the UK and yet our evenings are still warmer than most summer nights in Britain.

While northern Europe shivers in the blast of its icy freeze, Sands Beach Resort will be lighting the coals on Saturday 11th December 2010 for its Christmas Barbecue.

In the poolside setting of the Mai Tai restaurant on Paradise Island, we’ll be preparing a delicious range of starters, succulent barbecued cuts and some of our trademark irresistible deserts.
We’ll have live music to get the night into full swing and lots of wine to keep it there.

So – where would you rather be, looking out at a frozen barbecue in a frozen garden…or sitting by the pool, glass of wine in hand, moon on the water and a big, fat pork chop with your name on it sizzling on the barbecue?
Well you won’t be the only one choosing the latter so make sure you book your place and we’ll see you there

The facts:
Sands Beach Christmas Barbecue with Live Music
Saturday 11th December 2010, 8pm-11pm
Mai Tai bar/restaurant
Tickets €23 including food, wine and water
Book online, or telephone 928 826 095, or email reservations@sandsbeach.eu