Retirement has plenty of perks, but few are as good as being able to go on holiday whenever you want. With no arduous processes to book days off work and no juggling of shifts with your partner to figure out when’s best to go; you can just book your holiday and off you go.

With the freedom to go wherever you want, whenever you want, you are not at the mercy of the summer peak periods and can instead take advantage of cheap flights throughout the rest of the year. As winter draws in and Christmas gets closer, you might be dreading the thought of shopping and dreaming of getting away instead. But what better way of solving both those problems and taking advantage of lower prices, than to go somewhere to reignite your Christmas spirit? Here are a few ideas to consider.

New York

Spending a few days walking around a frost-glazed Central Park or visiting the giant tree at the Rockefeller Center before retiring to a plush hotel with a steaming mug of hot chocolate will get anyone into the festive spirit. And where better to make a dent in your Christmas shopping than in the shopping capital of the world?

Paris

Paris is the city of love and during the winter when fairy lights dot the trees lining the Champs-Élysées and the Eiffel Tower is highlighted gold against the Paris skyline, the romanticism of Christmas is hard to resist. Whether you’re looking out across Paris with your loved one from the Sacré-Cœur or simply strolling along the Seine, what more could you possibly need to get you in the mood for Christmas?

London

If too much travelling or going abroad doesn’t appeal to you, why not just visit our great capital? London is now more accessible than ever and with flights from London going to nearly every airport in the UK, you can be there a lot sooner than you think. Christmas in London can be a magical experience, visit the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland; a Christmas market where you can buy everything from mulled wine that will warm the toes, to original Christmas presents for everyone. Alternatively, the West End puts on some of their very best shows around the festive period so seeing a show could be an experience of a lifetime.

Belfast

With their own Christmas markets as well as plenty of music and Christmas crafts, Christmas is the perfect time for a short trip to Belfast. And with flights from Belfast to London being so cheap, it could be one of the easiest ways of getting you into the festive spirit. The Christmas Continental Market at Belfast City Hall runs from mid November until the week before Christmas and sells plenty of gourmet food and hot drinks to warm cold toes. For music lovers, you can revisit those timeless classics in Belfast this winter as Frank, Dean and Sammy’s Christmas special, one of the best tributes in music to Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., graces the Belfast Waterfront.

Malaga

If cold weather and dark nights aren’t your idea of a great Christmas, why not get away for a few days, not just from home, but from the weather too? The average winter temperature in Malaga is a balmy 17 degrees C, just enough to give you that sun-kissed look to contrast with all that snow back home. By the middle of December, Malaga’s cities are awash with over two million lights, with each street bathed in a different colour. Christmas in Malaga may not be the typical snow flecked winter wonderland but it still offers its own festive magic that won’t fail to get you into the Christmas spirit.