There’s good news for regular visitors to Lanzarote, Thomson Airways have launched a new service from Doncaster-Sheffield airport, also known as Robin Hood airport. New once a week flights have been added to the winter schedule starting from November 7.

Nick Smillie, Aviation Sales Director at Robin Hood Airport said the airline had recognised that holidaymakers want to travel from local airports. “This additional route has been added thanks to great customer support and demand,” Opening offers include return flights from as little as 169 pounds per person return.

It’s a great winter boost to Wimpen clients heading out to Las Brisas and Las Casitas resorts in Playa Blanca. Lanzarote enjoys wonderful winter weather and has a wealth of beaches to relax on and incredible volcanic scenery to explore.

Don’t panic if you haven’t started shopping yet, just a few gentle notes for your diary if you are planning Christmas in Tenerife. As always there will be plenty of events to enjoy and details and dates are now being revealed. Many of the big concerts are in Santa Cruz the northern capital but even that is a short drive of an hour, a little more from the west coast.

Let’s start  down south, big classical concerts tend to head for the north but the Magma Arts and Congress Centre next to the Playa de las Americas bus station is trying to redress that balance. On Monday 6 December the Moscow Ballet will be performing The Nutcracker there at 7pm. Tickets are 35 euros from their website or call the box office on (0034) 902109974.

Christmas Day may end back home with snoozing by the fire but in Tenerife you can end the night on a lively note in Santa Cruz with the annual FREE quayside concert. This year it’s Gospel Sinfonico featuring the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra and the Mississippi Mass Choir, a stage full of 200 performers. It starts at 10 pm and finishes at midnight, or a bit later, with a huge firework show.

There is no Boxing Day in Spain but the show goes on with the start of the big festive season offering at the Santa Cruz Auditorium. This year’s musical treat is Chicago with a top Spanish cast. Tickets range between 30 and 50 euros, phone the box office (0034)  902317327 or the website. The show runs until 2 January but no show on New Years Day – even musical stars are entitled to a hangover.

There will of course be lots of local music, colour and culture all around the island, and the nativity scenes at the town halls are always worth a look. Sorry we can’t offer you any snow – well maybe a little bit up on Mount Teide.