In the UK it’s the Queens Speech, out here in Spain it’s the Kings Speech, we might not be quite that high up but would still like to send you all our best wishes for the festive season. It’s a family time and at Wimpen our staff will be enjoying some quality time with the nearest and dearest.

If you are staying with us in Tenerife, Lanzarote, or Costa Del Sol we will look forward to sharing this special time (and lovely weather) with you. For those back in the UK we hope  your thoughts are already turning to pools, beaches, and sunshine in 2012. We will be keeping things ticking over nicely until you return.

WimPen Leisure would like to wish all of the owners and clients a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año Nuevo.

We can’t promise you snow, but keep an eye on Mount Teide’s peak, but we can promise you an amazing choice of events and traditions for Christmas, New Year, and Reyes. It really is a time for communities to come together and celebrate the religious and social side of this special time of year. Here in Tenerife you will find that a warm welcome is given to everyone to join in the fun and games.

There are some notable differences, Christmas Eve tends to be a family thing with shops closing mid afternoon but by Christmas Day afternoon most Canarian bars and restaurants will be open, and  there is even a normal Sunday service on the public buses. Boxing Day doesn’t exist on the Canarian calendar but off course home traditions are celebrated with great enthusiasm among the ex pat community, the happy mix of cultures is one of the big attractions of Tenerife life. Wimpen staff will be throwing themselves into the festivities and the poolside is a wonderful alternative to the sofa after a filling christmas dinner.

New Year is a massive event centred around the main plaza like in Los Gigantes, or down at the beach like in Los Cristianos and Playa de Las Americas. If your in a dancing mood prepare to keep going long into the early hours. The firework displays seen at New Year are always spectacular and last for ages, it’s a great night for everyone. That still leaves the big day Reyes-Kings Day on 6 January when Canarians exchange their presents, again a very family oriented day but the evening before is one of the biggest events of the year as the three kings arrive in all cities and towns.

The three kings are Balthasar, Mechior, and Caspar, the three wise men that arrived at the stable. They arrive on camels showering the crowds with sweets before taking their thrones to give out presents to children, in Adeje they arrive by helicopter into the local football ground. As Reyes is the big day, late night christmas shopping goes on until then, some of the big department stores in Santa Cruz open until midnight on 5 January.

However much you want to mix and match traditions there is plenty to see and church services including midnight mass are open to all worshippers. The major events for Adeje, Arona and Santiago del Teide are pulled together on this listing. Have a great Christmas, New Year, and Reyes.