Christmas in the Sun

I have always wanted to spend a Christmas in the sun. Having lived in Spain and Costa Rica, you would think that I would have managed it once, but no. I always flew home to see my family which meant having to embrace cold weather. I don’t necessarily know whether I’ll enjoy spending christmas in the sun but it’s worth trying once. My brother believes that Christmas should always be a in a cold place, so he may be proven right and I might just run home to the cold with some slipper socks and hot chocolate (I very much doubt that though…)

Where? Villa Plus have challenged me to choose one of their excellent villa destinations for my Christmas in the sun. I pick Mallorca. Having spent a lot of time in Spain in my life, I still have never been to the Balearics and I hear that the quieter sides of each island are just beautiful. I love a place where I can chill out, have a barbecue, dip in the pool and go on runs and hikes in the nearby countryside. This place ticks all of the boxes.

Why? I love the idea of having a home away from home and when renting a villa, you can get all of your friends and family together and have a great get-together with no cabs home or extra organisation. At the same time, for Christmas, it’s nice not to be in a hotel and simply enjoy the company of the people you choose to spend Christmas with. That’s the beauty of a villa.

What would we eat? Well, the obvious Spanish traditional turron would be on-hand for snacking. There is also a Sunday market in nearby Pollença where we’ll be able to pick up lots of fresh local fruit, vegetables and nuts for a healthy Christmas week. Turkey is also pretty common in Spain for Christmas dinner, but I’d probably make sure that we have some fabulous seafood on the other days. I’ve also read that a roast suckling pig is also a must when in Mallorca – I’d probably head to a restaurant for that though – not sure I’d want to try that one myself! And of course, you can’t go wrong with a house full of cava, rioja and sherry…

What would we do? I checked the weather for Mallorca in December the other day and it was much better than I would have first thought, so apart from chilling out by the villa’s impressive pool and barbecue, I’d also want to get out in the local area; visit the local beaches, hike in the hills over Puerto Pollença and, of course, give the 365 steps up to the Calvario a go!

What would I wear? You need to be comfortable at Christmas – nothing tight and clingy. Villa Plus sent me a small budget to create an outfit for the day. I chose to spend it all at H&M, my go-to shop for the perfect, affordable yet stylish outfit. I’m not really a cheesy Christmas jumper kind of person, so I’d like to add a little sparkle to my casual outfit with this ‘Dear Santa, I want it all‘ sweater, teamed with a pair of leatherette shorts (I bought a size bigger for a more casual look). Just add a little more festive sparkle with some silver jewellery (ring and bracelets). No need for heels – I’ll most probably wear some black tights under the shorts (if needed in Mallorca!). Why wear shoes when you are at home?!

Where are you going to be this Christmas? Are you spending Christmas in the sun?

This post is a Christmas Capsule collaboration in association with Villa Plus.