One glance around Lanzarote at Christmas time will confirm that there is no snow, no robins, no holly and very few fir trees. That’s OK – the original Christmas story wasn’t very wintry, either, but spending Christmas in warm weather does need a bit of a reset in the home.
First, don’t forget that half the world celebrates Christmas in the sunshine – it’s the hot time of year in the southern hemisphere, which means that there are festive celebrations from Australia to Brazil. A quick surf online will bring you loads of ideas for how Aussies, Kiwis and many others celebrate in the sun, which you can easily adapt to Lanzarote.
Barbecues, for example, are an Australian Christmas tradition, and just as possible here on Lanzarote as they are in Melbourne. In fact, with shops and supermarkets groaning with fresh seafood, there’s no better time to pop a shrimp on your own barbie.
Indoors, it’s a good idea to try and keep the cosiness until after dark. In northern Europe, a whole culture has grown up to protect people from the evil weather outside. It includes roaring fires and thick carpets and is completely inappropriate for Lanzarote during the day, when the most you’ll need is a light blanket or a blast from an electric heater.
Once night falls, cosiness is achieved by lighting more than heating, and that sustaining Christmas sparkle can be achieved by LED lights and candles. That warm Christmas jumper is only ever useful after nightfall here, too.
The best way to make Christmas in the sun work is to embrace it. There’s a freshness about the Canarian winter climate that makes it the perfect time to get out and stride up a volcano or along the seafront. And once you do get out and about, your home will be so much more pleasant to come home to.
