Winter in Europe has its magic; the sparkle of Christmas markets, fireside dinners in Provence, or a stroll along the harbour lights of St Tropez.

For many, it’s the cosiest, most romantic season of the year. But sometimes, even when you love all of that, there’s another kind of magic calling — palm-fringed beaches, turquoise waters, and sunsets that last until dinner.

If you’re wondering which kind of holiday mood you’re in, here are 11 playful signs it might be time to trade your snow boots for sandals:

1. Your coat weighs more than your cabin luggage.
Layers are great for Alpine chalets, but when packing feels like an Arctic expedition, the lure of linen shirts and light dresses starts to shine.
2. You’re starting to forget what your toes look like.
Woolly socks are wonderful, but bare feet in warm sand (preferably with a pedicure) are even better.
3. Your “evening glow” comes from firelight, not the sunset.
Candlelight dinners are hard to beat, but so is a Caribbean sky painting your evening in pinks and golds.
4. The only ice you want is clinking in a glass.
Icy driveways and frozen windscreens? No thanks. A frozen margarita on the beach? Yes, please.
5. Your weather app has you daydreaming of sunnier skies.
One glance at that endless grey forecast and you’re already picturing palm trees swaying in the breeze.
6. You’ve caught yourself Googling “St Barths in December” between Christmas shopping trips.
Your browser history knows your heart.
7. The only tan you’ve had this year is from the light of your laptop screen.
If colleagues mistake you for an ethereal figure, it’s time for some natural vitamin D.
8. You’d happily swap chestnuts roasting on an open fire for lobster grilling on the beach.
Both delicious. One comes with a sea breeze.
9. You secretly envy friends who spend the holidays in linen, not cashmere.
There’s FOMO, and then there’s TOHA: They’re On Holiday Again.
10. You’ve started planning dinner around daylight hours.
If you’re eating at 4pm because it’s already dark, maybe it’s time for a holiday where the sun lingers.
11. When someone mentions a “white Christmas,” you’re imagining beaches, not snow.
After all, sand is just snow with better weather.

Sometimes the greatest gift you can give yourself at Christmas isn’t under a tree — it’s a plane ticket. Whether it’s vin chaud in Provence or a sunset spritz in St Barts, the festive season is all about finding the setting that makes you shine.

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