The Sun Newspaper

THE turkey leftovers are nearly finished and the Christmas tree might be looking past its best.

While we have still got all the fun of New Year’s Eve this week, our thoughts will no doubt be turning to something we can look forward to in 2026.

And, of course, that has to be a holiday.

Travel companies are going all out this year to encourage us to get planning and there are some great deals to be had in their New Year sales.

Lisa Minot takes a look at some of the bargains to be bagged before Big Ben’s chimes usher in 2026.

British Airways

BRITISH Airways and BA Holidays’ January sale offers savings on trips to some of its most-searched holiday destinations in 2025, including New York, Orlando, Dubai, the Maldives and Barbados.

SEIZE THE DAY

Sun travel team’s top day trips abroad with £15 flights and free attractions

GOING UNDER

UK travel company goes into administration after 55 years

With 2026 marking the centenary of America’s Route 66 and the World Cup kicking off, there are return flights from £411 to Los Angeles, £427 to San Francisco and £439 to Miami.

Flights to Dubai start from £449 and Cancun from £482.

British Airways Holidays has seven-night packages to European destinations including Malaga, the Algarve, Malta and Majorca from £299pp.

And for a cheeky city break, there are deals in hot spots including Barcelona, Nice and Venice from £199pp.

There are also discounted holidays to the US, with Florida and Los Angeles from £599pp.

Deals include seven nights’ room-only at the 4H Pestana Alvor Beach Villas in Alvor, Portugal, from £299pp including Gatwick flights on dates in March and 23kg luggage.

Or seven nights’ room-only at 3.5H The STRAT Hotel, Casino and Tower in Las Vegas from £649pp including Heathrow flights on select dates in November.

To book, go to ba.com/sale.

Virgin Atlantic

THERE are savings of up to £120 per couple and £210 for a family of four on Virgin Holidays packages to the Caribbean, Orlando and Tampa with a low deposit of just £75pp.

Deals include 14 nights’ room-only at the Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando from £908pp including Virgin Atlantic flights from Heathrow on March 4, 2026.

There are also holidays to new route Cancun in Mexico, with seven nights’ B&B at The Fives Downtown Hotel from £1,086pp including Virgin flights from Heathrow on September 19, 2026.

In Virgin Atlantic’s sale there are return flights to New York from £373 on select dates in February 2026, as well as return fares to Phuket in Thailand from £648pp on selected departure dates in October 2026.

You can also get return flights to Cape Town, South Africa, from £729pp on selected dates in January and February 2026.

See virginatlantic.com.

TUI

TOUR giant TUI is touting its biggest sale ever with up to £500 off holidays, zero deposits with direct debits to spread the cost and thousands of free kids’ places in the school holidays.

There are flexible departures from more than 20 local airports and hundreds of free room upgrades.

The sale offers savings of ten per cent with the code SALE up to a maximum saving of £500 as long as you download the TUI app and create an account.

As well as land-based holidays, there is up to £300 off TUI River Cruises when you spend over £3,500, or £200 off if you spend over £2,500 on sailings departing between March 2026 and the end of October 2027.

The deal is valid on sailings of five nights or longer on Europe’s River Rhine, Douro or Danube and River Nile in Egypt.

Or you can head long- haul to the Caribbean with seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 5H Riu Negril in Jamaica.

It costs from £1,420pp including flights from Gatwick on June 16, 20kg hold luggage and transfers.

To book, go to tui.co.uk.

Jet 2

THE UK’s largest tour operator is sharing the love with £100 off ALL holidays booked in its sale, with a low deposit of just £25 needed to lock in a great deal.

The sale, running until January 12, also includes 20 per cent off all flight-only bookings on jet2.com, including on one-way flights.

All package holiday deals include 22kg luggage, 10kg hand luggage, under-seat bag, return transfers, plus ABTA and ATOL protection.

There are millions of free child places, as well as pay monthly plans to spread the cost.

Deals are available on more than 75 destinations across Europe, the Med, North Africa and the Canary Islands.

Offers include seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 3H Club Mac Alcudia Resort and Waterpark in Majorca from £579pp with flights from Leeds Bradford on April 18.

And seven nights’ B&B at the 3H Hotel La Barracuda, Costa del Sol, from £389pp including flights from Stansted on February 27.

See jet2holidays.com.

easyJet

THE Big Orange Sale from easyJet holidays is promising up to £400 off city breaks and beach escapes.

Holidaymakers can get £50 off a minimum spend of £500, £100 off an £800 minimum, £150 off a minimum of £1,500, £300 off a £3,000 minimum spend and £400 off a £4,000 spend with the code BIGSALE.

The deal is valid on 8,000 hand-picked hotels in more than 100 destinations in Europe and North Africa, from popular cities including Amsterdam and Prague, and beach spots from the Canaries to Cape Verde.

All holidays include flights and hotels, and beach packages also come with a 23kg luggage allowance and transfers.

Deals include four nights’ room-only at the 3H Espresso City Centre in Amsterdam from £227pp including flights from Southend on February 1.

And seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 4H Valeria Dar Atlas Resort in Marrakech from £435pp including flights from Liverpool on February 5, with 23kg luggage and transfers.

Book with a £60 deposit at easyjet.com/en/holidays.

WITH her steamy shower scenes and sexy outfits, you might assume the much-hyped Sydney Sweeney is the centre of attention in new thriller movie The Housemaid.

Instead, critics are raving about her older co-star Amanda Seyfried as the standout of the film that hit UK cinemas yesterday.

Mamma Mia! actress Amanda, 40, is tipped for an Oscar nod for The Testament Of Ann Lee, which is out in February and sees her play the founder of the Christian fundamentalist Shaker Movement in the 18th century.

But it is The Housemaid, based on the same-named bestselling 2022 novel by US author Freida McFadden, that will be putting bums on seats first.

In the sexy flick, Amanda plays deranged housewife Nina Winchester, who hires 28-year-old Sydney’s Millie Calloway to take care of domestic chores and her daughter.

But nothing is what it seems in this psychological potboiler as Amanda — also famed for 2004 teen movie Mean Girls, as a student who believes her breasts predict the weather — steals the show.

united front

Inside the Beckhams’ Christmas without Brooklyn as they ‘send message’ to son

wedding prep

Adam Peaty’s mum does U-turn on wedding vow as Holly Ramsay’s heads to venue

Revelling in the role, she teases: “It’s dark as s**t. But when you get opportunities like that — to go nuts, go anywhere — I’m so happy I can still do it.

“There were ample opportunities for me to play unhinged, and playing unhinged is delicious. I had so much fun.”

In The Housemaid trailer, the two co-stars appear to be at each other’s throats. There is shouting, screaming and knives are reached for.

But in real life, fellow Americans Amanda and Sydney became great pals while making and promoting the film.

‘She’s a sweetheart’

For a bit of fun together, they even took a lie-detector test for Vanity Fair magazine, with a very animated Amanda asking Sydney whether her breasts were real.

Sydney is now caught in a storm over her recent “great jeans” ad, as some claimed its pun on “genes” hinted at white supremacy.

But Donald Trump, hailed it “the hottest ad out there”.

There have also been online rumours of her having romances with co-stars including Housemaid actor Brandon Sklenar and Glen Powell, who Sydney got steamy with in 2023 rom com Anyone But You. None of it was true.

Amanda knows about falling for a co-star, having dated Dominic Cooper from 2008 film Mamma Mia! for three years before the British actor reportedly broke her heart.

But asked about all the hype around pin-up Sydney, she told Vanity Fair: “I don’t envy anything she’s going through.

“I’ve spent a lot of time with her, we just hit it off immediately. She’s a sweetheart. I did not have a moment like she’s having, ever.”

If Sydney ever wanted to know more about the ups and downs of fame, Amanda would be a great person to chat to.

People would run into me and kids would be like, ‘Hey, can you tell us what your boobs are thinking?’ I got that so often, but I didn’t mind it’

Amanda Seyfried

Her pharmacist dad Jack and mum Ann, an occupational therapist, brought her up on a college campus in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

At school, Amanda started modelling then, in her teens, broke into acting with roles in US soap operas As The World Turns and All My Children.

This led to the “liberation and freedom of living on my own in New York City”, as her career took off.

She says: “I was having so much fun — paid a thousand dollars a day and working, like, three times a week — for a 17-year-old.”

The dream seemed to be over when the TV work dried up, and she enrolled at college.

But then an audition for mega-hit Mean Girls, which starred Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams, saved her career.

Amanda says: “I was just happy to be working — big cheque.”

But playing that student who believes her boobs have superpowers led to some pointed questions from admirers.

She recalls: “People would run into me and kids would be like, ‘Hey, can you tell us what your boobs are thinking?’ I got that so often, but I didn’t mind it. I did my job, good enough, I guess.”

Four years later, she got the lead role of Sophie in Abba-inspired smash-hit movie musical Mamma Mia!, alongside Meryl Streep.

Amanda says of the much sought-after part: “I can’t f***ing believe I got that role but it felt like something I should be doing, could be doing.”

She was on a roll as further box-office success followed, including 2009 comedy-horror Jennifer’s Body with Megan Fox, 2010 romantic drama Dear John with Channing Tatum, and 2012 hit Les Miserables.

But not all of her career choices turned out well. She passed on the role of green alien Gamora in 2014 superhero blockbuster Guardians Of The Galaxy, only for it to take nearly £600million worldwide and spawn a pair of sequels.

The part was played instead by Zoe Saldana. Amanda says: “The offer came in and I was like, ‘I should take this, right? But this is going to be Marvel’s first bomb and I do not want to be ruined for the rest of my life. Who the f is going to see a movie with a talking raccoon?’”

But her later decision to star in an off-Broadway play in New York called The Way We Get By in 2015 was to have a major impact on her personal life. Co-star Thomas Sadoski would become her husband two years later.

She says: “We met, we came very, very close, and then we started seeing each other a year later — and now we have kids [a daughter born in 2017 and son born in 2020].”

Amanda had never intended to be a mum because she feared it might ruin her career.

But she says: “If you’re lucky enough to accidentally get pregnant, which was me twice, I’m just like, thank God. I would have been, ‘I’m too busy’, ‘I’m gonna disappear from Hollywood and it’s gonna be hard to get back on track.’”

If you’re lucky enough to accidentally get pregnant, which was me twice, I’m just like, thank God. I would have been, ‘I’m too busy’, ‘I’m gonna disappear from Hollywood and it’s gonna be hard to get back on track.’

Amanda

In reality, after getting pregnant, Amanda took only a few months off and discovered she was being offered “mum” roles by casting directors.

She says: “There’s something that happens to you when you become a mother or a father.

“You know, when your life no longer matters as much and you can’t live for yourself any more.

“That sacrifice also is very enriching and the roles got better. But it was funny how fast that happened. They’re like, ‘She’s pregnant. Is she pregnant? Oh, she had a baby. Oh, yeah, no, she’s a mom. She’s a mom now.’

“But I did play one character where I was not a mom, since then.”

One mum she played was silent film star Marion Davies in Gary Oldman’s 2020 movie Mank, about alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz railing against 1930s Hollywood society while completing the screenplay of 1941 movie classic Citizen Kane.

That led to a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination in 2021, which in turn secured a starring role in the Disney+ series The Dropout, for which she won an Emmy and Golden Globe.

‘Weird dance’

Amanda says: “Going to the Oscars, you’re like, ‘I’m just happy to be here’, honestly. But it brought me up the casting list. I got the offer for The Dropout the next day.”

But there were restrictions on playing real-life character Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout because the medical fraudster was not convicted until January 2022.

The programme’s lawyers even advised against sex scenes.

Amanda says: “Every script went through a team of lawyers.

“We couldn’t say certain things, we couldn’t do certain things. We couldn’t show them making love, so we had that weird dance scene because that was their foreplay.”

Every script went through a team of lawyers. We couldn’t say certain things, we couldn’t do certain things. We couldn’t show them making love, so we had that weird dance scene because that was their foreplay

Amanda Seyfried

Fast-forward to now, and her title role in upcoming period drama The Testament Of Ann Lee, about the UK-born Shaker Movement being taken to the US by Manchester lass Ann in 1774.

It sees Amanda shake ecstatically as the ultra-puritanical sect, which avoided earthly pleasures such as sex, celebrated the Almighty.

Also known for their pacifism, the Shakers’ number peaked in the mid-19th century but then declined with industrialisation, with only one active community remaining today, in Maine. Amanda says of Ann: “Nobody could have sex because sex, she thought, was the root of all evil — the root of why she was in so much pain.

“She had got pregnant and lost her babies.

“The idea that taking sex away could make you closer to wholeness is kind of beautiful. I think she’s nuts and also very cool.”

But despite her impressive credits reel, Amanda still reckons she must battle to stay on the “list” of most-wanted actresses in Hollywood.

She says: “These f***ing lists. Every time I’m auditioning it’s like I fluctuate. I fall down the list, I go to the top of the second list or keep going back to the bottom of the first list, and it’s like, I’m lucky to be on the list at all.”

But after The Housemaid, she shouldn’t need to worry about being on that Tinseltown A-list.

EROTIC AND CAMP

THE HOUSEMAID (15) 131mins

★★★☆☆

By LINDA MARRIC

A GLOSSY, erotic thriller that is as hilariously camp as it is suspenseful.

Adapted from Freida McFadden’s smash-hit novel by director Paul Feig and screenwriter Rebecca Sonnenshine, Sydney Sweeney stars as Millie, a young woman fresh out of prison.

She takes a live-in maid job at the lavish home of wealthy couple Nina and Andrew Winchester (Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar).

What initially promises a fresh start for the young woman, quickly turns into something far stranger as Nina’s wildly erratic behaviour borders on the theatrical, while Andrew’s “perfect husband” routine grows increasingly unrealistic.

Feig, usually known for his work in comedy, brings an over-the-top energy to this adaptation that makes for a fun, if slightly ridiculous, ride.

While his shift into psychological drama feels a bit bumpy, the film’s knowingly silly vibe is exactly what makes it so entertaining.

But it struggles with its own shifting tone and at 131 minutes, the pacing sags and several twists are made a little too obvious.

Sweeney does her best with the script but it is Seyfried who ultimately comes out on top here, putting in a brilliantly unhinged performance as Nina.

The Housemaid may lack subtlety and genuine menace but no one can deny that it is a great deal of fun from start to finish.

ROSIE Huntington-Whiteley goes through a purple patch in lingerie from her Marks and Spencer range.

The 38-year-old, married to movie action hero Jason Statham, 58, also modelled a modest red set.

The ex-Victoria’s Secret model-turned-actress has worked with the high street giant since 2011.

Action film star partner Jason Statham, 57, popped the question in 2016, but she later said getting married was “not a priority”.

A source said: “Jason might be 20 years older than Rosie, but they are on the same page with each other in so many aspects of their lives.

“Their love for each other, and their children, is incredibly reassuring and something their friends look up to.”

JUST ROSIE

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley looks incredible as she strips off to lingerie

TIGHT WHITELEYS

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley sizzles in tight top and string bikini bottoms

The couple have been together since 2009, and they have two children aged seven and three.

Earlier in the year, the couple teamed up for their first photoshoot together.

They were promoting Italian fashion brand Falconeri.

Rosie said of the photoshoot: “It was relaxed and easy.

“We got to spend a day together, working with a team we love, in a place we love.

What more can you ask for?”

WHAM! star George Michael has raked in almost £75million from beyond the grave — and is set to bank even more, accounts show.

The singer’s firm, Nobby’s Hobbies Holding Limited, has turned over £74.7million since he died aged 53 on Christmas Day 2016.

Royalties poured in after the band’s 1984 classic hit Last Christmas, which he wrote, was the festive No1 in both 2023 and 2024.

George’s estate earned £6.6million from the 2023 chart success alone.

Cash also came from the 2023 Netflix documentary Wham!.

The company’s latest accounts end in March 2024, meaning earnings from Christmas 2024 are yet to be included.

Read more on George Michael

SPRUCED UP

George Michael’s £10m mansion gets modern makeover after row with neighbours

Generous George

George Michael’s incredible generosity revealed after handing singer £50k

George left a £98million fortune when he died, mostly to his sisters.

We revealed earlier in the year how George Michael’s dilapidated £10m London mansion is showing signs of improvement after major renovation work.

A bitter row with neighbours over the chopping down of a number of historic trees hasn’t deterred the late star’s sister from updating the property.

George’s only living sibling, Yioda Panayiotou, was handed ownership of the property following the singer’s tragic death on Christmas Day 2016 at the age of 53. 

There was outrage when Yioda’s design team asked the local council to remove a number of trees and prune others at the front and rear of the property, which is in a conservation area. 

One residents association was furious that the works were also going to occur during the peak nesting season, which runs from March to July. 

2026 is shaping up to be a massive year for music fans, with huge names set to drop new albums and singles.

From Lana Del Rey adding a country twist to her latest tracks, to The Rolling Stones promising fresh rock anthems, there’s something for every taste.

Rising stars like Raye and Leigh-Anne will be making waves, while veterans including Paul McCartney, Van Morrison and Bruce Springsteen show no signs of hanging up the microphone.

With this and so much more on the way, here are our top picks for an exciting year ahead.

LANA DEL RAY 

FOLLOWING the likes of Beyonce and Post Malone, Del Rey is set to saddle up and add country nuances to her tenth studio album.  

Previously announced as Lasso and The Right Person Will Stay, expect Stove sooner rather than later in the new year.  

XMAS LEGEND GONE

Driving Home For Christmas singer Chris Rea dies aged 74

NEW TUNE

Legendary band’s unreleased track to be played publicly for first time since 1974

Singles Henry, Come On and Bluebird demonstrated her shift to Americana stylings. 

THE ROLLING STONES 

MICK JAGGER, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood may be hanging up their touring boots, but it still promises to be a momentous year for rock’s great survivors.  

There was a huge 18-year gap between Hackney Diamonds (2023) and the Stones’ previous album of original songs, A Bigger Bang.  

But in late April, we can expect a new one, again produced by US live wire Andrew Watt. 

RAYE 

WE can expect the much-anticipated follow-up to Raye’s all-conquering, soul-bearing, Brits-winning My 21st Century Blues.

The R&B singer debuted two unreleased songs at this summer’s Glastonbury with one, Where Is My Husband!, becoming the lead single from the as-yet-unnamed album.

Her official site promises an early 2026 release date. 

FOO FIGHTERS 

A NEW album from Dave Grohl and Co is on the cards in 2026, their second since the sad passing of Taylor Hawkins.

With another new drummer, ex-Nine Inch Nails Ilan Rubin, announced in the summer, the first recorded music with him appeared in the shape of single Asking For A Friend.

Two massive UK shows at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium are set for June. 

ROBBIE WILLIAMS 

INSPIRED by the mid-Nineties period after Robbie left Take That, Britpop is his 13th studio album. 

It begins with the, er, rocket-fuelled Rocket, which is graced with suitably heavy riffing from Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi. 

Bearing in mind the recent exploits of Oasis, Blur, Pulp and Suede, why not this celebration by one of the era’s favourite singers?  

Out on February 6. 

CHARLIE XCX 

AFTER the Brat summer of 2024, the singer heads in another direction with her soundtrack album for Wuthering Heights.  

Out on February 13, same day as Emerald Fennell’s film version of Emily Bronte’s novel, it has already yielded singles House, with Velvet Underground legend John Cale, and Chains Of Love.

Charli says: “It couldn’t be more different from Brat.” 

PAUL McCARTNEY 

AS far as his epic music career is concerned, Macca will never “let it be”. 

The Beatles legend confirmed work on the follow-up to 2020’s excellent McCartney III.  

In the foreword to a memoir about his other band, Wings, he wrote: “Right now, I have 25 songs that I’m finishing . . . new songs that are interesting.”  

He’s also mentioned in despatches sessions in LA with Andrew Watt (Stones, Lady Gaga). 

THE FACES 

HERE’S a rock ’n’ roll reunion to savour. 

The band’s three survivors, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood and Kenney Jones, have been preparing their first album in more than 50 years. 

At least 11 songs have been recorded, which Jones says are “a mixture of stuff we never released but is worthy of releasing and some wonderful new stuff. Rod is writing the lyrics.” 

COURTNEY BARNETT 

THE Aussie rekindles her love of the electric guitar on her forthcoming fourth album.

After decamping to California, she’s been recording in Rancho De Luna, Joshua Tree, home of the legendary hard-rocking Desert Sessions.

First evidence of her labours is recent single Stay In Your Lane, complete with scuzzy bass lines and wonderfully deadpan vocals. 

VAN MORRISON 

HOT on the heels of his sublime return to form, Remembering Now, comes this love letter to the blues, Somebody Tried To Sell Me A Bridge.

Out on January 23, the 20-track album proves Van is still “The Man” at 80.

It includes Fats Domino’s Ain’t That A Shame, Blind Blake’s Delia’s Gone and features stellar 

guests – Buddy Guy and Taj Mahal among them. 

DANNY L HARLE 

AFTER stellar production duties with Dua Lipa, Caroline Polachek and Olly Alexander, Harle steps into the limelight with the genre-hopping Cerulean (released February 13).

“This is my debut album. This is the big one,” says the North Londoner.

Singles already released Starlight (ft PinkPantheress) and Azimuth (ft Polachek) offer much promise. 

BJORK 

THE Icelandic icon has given a strong hint of new material in the new year, her first since 2022’s Fossora. 

She’s involved in a huge exhibition in Reykjavik involving immersive audio and visual installations.

A social media post reveals that the third and last of these is “a new work based on music from her forthcoming album, currently in development.” 

LEIGH-ANNE 

THE impressive former Little Mix singer can finally do things her way when 

she releases her 15-track debut album as an independent solo artist. Following the singles Been A Minute, Burning Up and Dead And Gone, she delivers My Ego Told Me To in February.

Rooted in reggae and pop, it explores personal themes of family and empowerment. 

GORILLAZ 

MURDOC, Russel Hobbs, 2D and Noodle – the brainchildren of Damon Albarn and visual artist Jamie Hewlett – release The Mountain on March 20.

The ninth Gorillaz album brings Indian music to the fore but also finds room for guest appearances by Sparks, Gruff Rhys, Idles and Johnny Marr. Drummer Hobbs calls it “a journey of the soul – with beats.” 

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 

THIS was a year when The Boss gave us so much.

Another visit to the UK with the E Street Band followed by two significant raids on his archives – Tracks II with its SEVEN unreleased albums and an expanded Nebraska to coincide with the recent biopic.

Yet he told Rolling Stone: “I have a record finished. It’s a solo record  . . .  I imagine it will come out in ’26 some time.”  

MUMFORD & SONS 

THE trio of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Deane have reunited with Taylor Swift associate, The National’s Aaron Dessner.

He has produced and co-writes Prizefighter.

Set for release on Feb 13, the band’s sixth studio album arrives less than a year after their UK No 1 fifth, Rushmere. Gracie Abrams, Chris Stapleton & Hozier guest. 

LUCINDA WILLIAMS 

BEARER of one of the most passionate voices in American music, Williams returns with World’s Gone Wrong on January 23.

She addresses head-on the divisions in her country while taking specific aim at the sandy-haired White House incumbent.

She duets with the mighty Mavis Staples on a cover of Bob Marley’s So Much Trouble In The World. 

THE DAMNED 

WHEN the punk pioneers’ founder member Brian James died earlier this year, the current line-up recorded a covers album celebrating the Sixties music loved by their fallen comrade.

Not Like Everybody Else is out on January 23.

Singer Dave Vanian turns There’s A Ghost In My House into a hoot and Captain Sensible takes the lead on Pink Floyd’s See Emily Play. 

ADAM Peaty and Holly Ramsay have made waves over their wedding plans — by banning the public from the venue for an entire day.

The ceremony for the Olympic swimmer, 30, and his model bride, 25, is scheduled to last for just 90 minutes on Saturday.

But they have block-booked Bath Abbey so no one else can get hitched there on the day.

Sources at the abbey said it was an “all-day booking” and tourists will also be stopped from entering the landmark.

A security team is set to patrol to stop people trying to take pictures of the couple.

The cost of hiring the facility for a wedding can be around £2,500 — but the couple are thought to be paying several thousand more for exclusivity.

RIGHT DIRECTION

Truth about Harry Styles & Zoe Kravitz’ love… and their make-or-break Xmas

WORK, BRIT!

Britney Spears suffers nip-slip as she dances in skimpy bikini during vacation

One local said: “It seems rather selfish to be hiring the abbey for the whole day when your wedding service only lasts for an hour and a half or so.”

Around 200 people are set to attend, including Holly’s chef dad Gordon and their close friends David and Victoria Beckham — but a falling-out has led to Adam’s mum Caroline being left off the guest list.

The couple have a “special connection” to the abbey — meaning they comply with a rule that anyone hiring it must have a link to it.

In its list of conditions for eligibility to be wed there, it is on offer to “parishioners, members of the congregation and those with a qualifying connection to the abbey”.

It is unknown what the connection is that the couple have which qualifies them.

Adam’s spokesman declined to comment, saying: “It’s a private, family wedding.”

Meanwhile, Adam has been branded “spiteful” after he left most of his family off his Christmas gift list amid their wedding falling-out.

He did not get anything for his parents, or brothers James and Richard.

He did get Richard’s daughter presents, along with his sister Bethany and her two kids.

But he ignored the young sons, aged 11 and seven, of James, who was arrested for allegedly making threats against him last month.

A family source said: “Kids are innocent and shouldn’t be included in any family fallout. To do this is cruel and spiteful.”

The Sun asked Adam’s team for comment.

AS the Osbournes face their first Christmas without Ozzy, his daughter Kelly has a sure-fire way to put a smile on the family’s faces – a new puppy.

The Black Sabbath legend, who died on July 22, age 76, famously hated the festive season.

But that hasn’t stopped Kelly ploughing ahead with plans to try and boost the grieving clan — as 14 of them gather at Sharon and Ozzy’s Buckinghamshire pad for the big day.

And it sounds like Sharon especially will be showered with love.

Kelly said: “I got my mom so many gifts. It’s crazy.

“I did everything bespoke this year.

“I got her all the things that I know that she really needs but with her name on.

“We have a problem with moths in our house so I had these special moth bags made that say, ‘F**k off moths’.

“I got her some new gardening equipment with her name on because she’s been doing a lot of gardening, and a stocking with her name on it.

“She loves chocolate so I bought her a huge new chocolate jar that says ‘Sharon’s Chocolate’.

“I’m also getting her a new puppy because this year we lost Elvis (Sharon’s beloved Siberian Husky, who died in October age 14), which is really hard.

“It’s a Pomapoo (a cross between a Pomeranian and a miniature poodle).

‘I’ll be sous chef – I just point with wooden spoon’

“I don’t even want to go into it all because I keep accidentally telling her what I got her — I get too excited so I tell everyone everything.

“But she knows she’s getting the dog so it’s not going to ruin the surprise.”

There’s no doubt the first Christmas without the Prince of Darkness will be a painful one.

But Kelly is still doing all she can to bring the festive spirit for her mum, as well as her DJ partner Sid Wilson and their three-year-old son Sidney at the mansion where Ozzy is buried underneath an apple tree.

Kelly revealed: “We are going to have a proper English Christmas.

“I always love that.

“They don’t even have crackers in LA.

“You’ve got to go to the (specialty shop) World Market to get them, and they’re not even the best ones.

“So we will have crackers and all watch the King’s speech.

“On the day, there’s going to be 14 of us and I ordered everyone that’s with us a pair of matching pyjamas to wear.

“We are going to be sitting in front of the telly.

We are going to have a proper English Christmas. I always love that

Kelly Osbourne

“My brother Louis (Ozzy’s eldest son who he had with ex-wife Thelma Riley) will cook dinner.

“I’m going to be the sous chef, which means I just point with a wooden spoon. And we’re going to eat tons of chocolates.”

Fresh from his stint on I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here!, Jack Osbourne, 40, will stay in LA with his wife and children.

“But he’ll be on FaceTime,” Kelly added.

“Then Mom is leaving two days after Christmas to be with him.

“My son is so excited for Christmas.

“Space NK brought Santa Claus to visit us and he couldn’t believe it.

“He kept sneaking into Santa’s sack.

“It was so cute and such a magical moment.

“Me and Mom were sat there going ‘aww’.”

Speaking at Juliet Sear’s Silverwood baking range launch at Fortnum & Mason, Kelly joked that she might even attempt to make her This Morning pal’s gingerbread cookies, saying: “She does make it look easy.

“I’ve been doing a lot of charity work before Christmas to keep me busy because I find it really fulfilling.

“I’m working with Centrepoint as well the King’s Trust, and all the charities from Birmingham that we work with, like the Children’s Hospital, Acorn, and the Parkinson’s charity.”

In a low moment, though, Kelly is ready to admit all her efforts to stay busy don’t mask her grief at losing her dad.

She said: “I just want to get through Christmas without crying.”

Kelly has lost a lot of weight since he died — which cruel trolls have pointed out online.

She previously said in a video on social media: “To the people who keep thinking they’re being funny and mean by writing comments like ‘are you ill?’ or ‘get off Ozempic, you don’t look right’.

“My dad just died, and I’m doing the best that I can, and the only thing I have to live for right now is my family.

“And I choose to share my content with you and share the happy side of my life not the miserable side of my life.

“So to all those people, f**k off.”

‘Being an aunt is the best job in the world’

Now she has hit out at the criticism of how she and Jack, who both shot to fame on MTV’s The Osbournes, have been handling Ozzy’s death.

Kelly said: “I think that people forget that he and I are not the teenagers from that reality show.

“You know what people do now is they’re like, ‘Oh my God, she’s had so much plastic surgery’.

“But you’re looking at a picture of me from when I was 16 years old.

I’m 41 years old now. It’s insane.”

It’s the family that keeps Kelly and the rest of the Osbournes going — and they are all thrilled that Jack is now expecting his fifth child.

Jack has three children from his previous marriage, and little daughter Maple with interior designer wife Aree Gearhart.

Kelly added: “Jack and I have this weird dynamic.

“Even though I am the older sister, he’s the older brother.

We will have crackers and watch the King’s speech. On the day, there’s going to be 14 of us and I’ve ordered everyone a pair
of matching pyjamas to wear. We’ll be sitting in front of the telly

Kelly Osbourne

“I go to him more than he comes to me.

“Unless I have to be protective of him, then I’m the older sister.

“I speak to him every day.

“I’ve already rang him twice this morning.

“Doing the jungle, the hardest thing for me was not being able to speak to him.

“And he is having another baby.

“I try not to make it about me, but I get so excited that I get to be an aunt again because being an aunt is the best job in the world.

“I’ve now got five nieces and nephews now and it’s so good.

“And now that some of Jack’s daughters are getting older, we have a different relationship, where they come to me for things that they don’t go to their dad for.

“It’s really special.”

And with 2026 around the corner, Kelly is not planning to make any resolutions this year.

She said: “No. I’m working on having a farm here.

“I’m setting up barns as we speak, then we’ll get animals.

“The plan is to stay in England now. I wouldn’t leave my dad.

“It’s just one day at a time.

“Grief is a hard thing. It really is.

“You never know when it’s going to take you out.

“It’s the hardest thing you’ll ever go through in your life.

“I’ll never ever be the girl I was before.”

VICTORIA Beckham looks full of Christmas spirit — while son Brooklyn gets some beef from his followers.

Posh Spice, 51, had a shot of tequila with her beauty brand team as she prepared for a first Christmas without eldest child Brooklyn amid an ongoing feud.

Meanwhile, the wannabe chef, 26, shared a video of himself making a shepherd’s pie — but used beef mince instead of the traditional lamb.

One Instagram user told , who will spend the festive period with wife Nicola Peltz and her family in the US: “Please educate yourself.”

It comes after The Sun revealed the reason Nicola Peltz followed in the footsteps of Brooklyn by blocking the entire Beckham family on Instagram.

Sources confirmed to The Sun that Nicola stands by Brooklyn’s decision wholeheartedly and as such followed his lead in blocking all of the family too, including his 14-year-old little sister, Harper.

READ MORE ON BECKHAM FEUD

ULRIKA JONSSON

I sympathise with Beckham & Peaty spats – there’s only one way to fix rift

SUBTLE DIG?

Brooklyn Beckham’s wife shares post about ‘family’ after he blocked his parents

One insider said to The Sun: “Brooklyn and Nicola have been and will always be a united front.

Another source close to the couple says: “She will always back him so that’s why she’s done the same and blocked his family.”

The couple’s reps had no comment when contacted by The Sun.

It was first reported that David and Victoria had unfollowed their eldest son on Instagram amid a growing divide that has seen Brooklyn distance himself from his parents.

However, youngest son Cruz went on record to publicly confirm that Brooklyn had blocked all the members of the family and that David and Victoria would never unfollow their son.

GLIDING into the glitzy Grand Atrium and gazing up at three marble-clad floors of bars and boutiques, a thought hit me.

If this is just one small section of the impressive ship Iona, how am I going to experience everything on offer in just one-and-a-half days?

This was my first cruise and, as a total novice, I’d decided to book a short, two-night sailing.

P&O Cruises’ Iona is deemed the perfect ship for first-time British cruisers, partly because — carrying 5,200 guests and 1,800 crew, it is big enough to not feel cramped or overwhelming.

Plus there are plenty of familiar UK favourites on board from roast dinners to Tetley tea.

And with prices starting at £199 per person, including all your food and activities, you can’t go wrong.

LIVING IT UP

New cruise ship that you can live on FOREVER is cheaper than a London flat

CHANNEL IT

I went on an English Channel cruise with island hopping & seawater pools

Longer voyages are cracking value, too, with five nights on a European itinerary costing less than £500pp.

You could spend a week on board and not run out of things to do thanks to Iona’s 30 bars and restaurants, ten entertainment venues — including a cinema, theatre and spa — swimming pools and hot tubs along the decks.

I stayed in a Conservatory Suite, where floor-to-ceiling windows offered breathtaking views without having to brave the biting wind on the balcony — the only downside of a UK cruise.

Luckily, the SkyDome has a heated indoor pool and this area of the boat has just had a sleek refit.

It’s a great place to kick back with a beer in hand (a pint of Moretti costs £6.25).

Nowhere is quite as relaxing as the spa, though — home to a therapeutic sauna, sensory steam room and rejuvenating hydrotherapy pool.

If that doesn’t float your boat, why not indulge in some retail therapy at the on-board boutiques, where you’ll find designer watches, bags and sunglasses, among other gems.

A particular hit with my husband was the Barbour shop — I’m fairly certain he came home with a whole new wardrobe.

When we weren’t watching aerial acrobatics in the large theatre, or rolling dice at the casino, we were sampling the excellent food.

‘BUFFET OF DREAMS’

The Horizon Restaurant — an all-you-can eat buffet of dreams — has salads and sandwiches, freshly-cut kebabs and full roast dinners.

Meanwhile, The Quays offers a street food style selection of live cooking stations, where I tucked into delicious breakfasts of fresh scrambled eggs and hash browns.

And Ripples ice cream parlour serves treats with edible cups and spoons — a small but fabulous nod to P&O cutting back on waste.

It would be hard to tire of the dining options included in your fare, but if you do fancy treating yourself, the speciality joints are top notch.

We loved Sindhu, the Indian restaurant where you can get three courses for £22, with a £3 supplement for the lobster thermidor.

My husband and I enjoyed Sindhu’s signature cocktail, the East India punch, a muddle of spiced rum, cognac, falernum (a sweet syrup) and tropical juices.

And if you can’t decide what to eat, the Sindhu Signature Plate boasts smaller portions of three of their most popular dishes: the duck tikka malabari, the beef lali mirch masala and the creamy lobster, drenched in thermidor sauce.

Elsewhere, the Glass House in the Grand Atrium offers a heavenly seven-course tasting menu and wine pairing (priced at around £35 a person), by award-winning wine expert Olly Smith and acclaimed Spanish chef Jose Pizarro.

Our highlight was a black tie dinner and show at the adults-only Limelight Club, with a performance from singer Jonathan Wilkes and a nightclub boogie on board.

If that doesn’t convert you to a cruise lover, I’m not sure what will.

THE Muppet Show is making a 50th birthday comeback — with pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter joining as a special guest. 

Disney has revealed Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and the gang are back for a one-off special, more than four decades after the curtain came down on the beloved original series.

The show will stream on Disney+ from February 4, promising fans “music, comedy and a whole lot of chaos” from the original Muppet Theatre.

In a teaser clip, Kermit’s green arm can be seen turning on the lights of an old studio, before placing down a mug with his name on it.

The show originally ran from 1976 to 1981, with a generation of kids singing along to the theme tune: “It’s time to play the music. It’s time to light the lights.”

The series became so popular that big name stars clamoured to be guests, including Sir Elton John, Johnny Cash, Diana Ross, John Cleese and Debbie Harry.

read more on sabrina carpenter

NIGHTY TIGHTS

Sabrina Carpenter shows off her legs in sweatshirt & tights in New York City

‘SHORT N’ SWEET

White House slams Sabrina Carpenter for defending ‘sick monsters’

It was broadcast in more than 100 countries and in 1978 Time magazine called the show “the most popular television entertainment now being produced on Earth”.

The series won a host of awards, including Emmy, Grammy and Bafta gongs.

Despite the lights going out on the main series, the Muppets Tonight talk show ran from 1996 to 1998.

Other short-lived TV projects followed, including a mockumentary series in 2015, the Muppets Now short form series in 2020 and The Muppets Mayhem musical comedy series in 2023.

A host of movies included The Great Muppet Caper in 1981 and The Muppet Christmas Carol in 1992.

The last film, Muppets Most Wanted, in 2014, starred British comedian Ricky Gervais.

Muppets creator Jim Henson died in 1990 and Disney bought the rights in 2004.

Sabrina, who has had four UK No1 singles and two UK No1 albums, is an executive producer for the new show, as is Canadian comedian and actor Seth Rogen, who was in the 2020 series.

AN unreleased track by rock legends Queen that “no one has ever heard” will be played publicly for the first time today.

Guitarist Sir Brian May, 78, will broadcast Not For Sale (Polar Bear) on radio station Planet Rock.

It was originally recorded during the sessions for the band’s 1974 album, Queen II, but did not make the final cut.

This remastered version will feature in the 2026 re­release of the album.

While a “bootleg” version of the song by May’s pre-Queen band Smile may already have circulated, he says “no one” has heard this version.

It will be played during Sir Brian’s Planet Rock Christmas Special at 6pm — featuring his favourite seasonal tracks.

RHAPSODY REVEALED

The truth behind Bohemian Rhapsody – Freddie’s fears and what lyrics mean

ICON’S COIN

Freddie Mercury gets flashy new Royal Mint coin as proud family praise tribute

He said: “It’s a song that goes back a very long way, but to my knowledge no one has ever heard this version.

“It’s a work in progress and will appear on the forthcoming rebuild of the Queen II album.

“But I’m sneaking this into my Planet Rock special because I’m fascinated to know what people think about it.”     

Formed in the 1970s, Queen was made up of guitarist Sir Brian, drummer Roger Taylor, late frontman Freddie Mercury and bassist John Deacon.

The group has since had six UK number one singles and 10 UK number one albums with some of their best known songs including Bohemian Rhapsody, Killer Queen, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, and We Are The Champions.

BROOKLYN Beckham blocked his family on social media after mum Victoria “liked” a post of his about roasting a chicken, The Sun can reveal.

The budding chef, 26, saw red after Posh showed her approval of a self-shot video in which he discusses beer-brining a bird to give it extra flavour.

Former Spice Girl Posh’s response was soon followed with comments from fans urging estranged Brooklyn to build bridges with his family.

But it is believed that he got annoyed at his worried mum’s public display of affection as she bids to heal the family rift.

David and Victoria are understandably heartbroken by what’s gone on here

Source

Within hours of her olive branch, Brooklyn had blocked Victoria, 51, dad David, 50, brothers Romeo, 23, Cruz, 20, and his 14-year-old sister Harper.

It means they cannot see any Instagram posts he uploads from his LA home where he lives with actress wife Nicola Peltz, 30.

read more on beckham family

BOLD MOVE

Fresh twist in Beckham family feud as David and Victoria UNFOLLOW son Brooklyn

POSH’S PAIN

Inside Victoria’s plans for Xmas without Brooklyn as she gives up on call hope

It was initially thought that the Beckham family had “unfollowed” Brooklyn’s account, as The Sun on Sunday reported yesterday.

Cruz soon put things straight.

Pulling no punches, he shared a post which read: “Not true.

“My mum and dad would never unfollow their son.

“Let’s get the facts right.

“They woke up blocked  . . .  as did I.”

It marked the first time any of the image-conscious Beckhams had directly addressed the family feud.

Despite wall-to-wall coverage of the row, it was business as usual until Cruz’s blunt contribution.

Unsurprisingly, Cruz and Romeo are furious

A source

A source said: “David and Victoria are understandably heartbroken by what’s gone on here.

‘PUBLIC ATTACK’

“This came out of the blue for them, and in the lead-up to Christmas when families are supposed to come together, it’s devastating.”

The source added: “All they want is for things to be fixed but with every week they just seem to be getting worse.

“Unsurprisingly, Cruz and Romeo are furious that Brooklyn would make such a public attack.

“As for Brooklyn, he wants things fixed in private and not played out on social media, although his actions have resulted in quite the opposite.”

Brooklyn, who married Nicola in a lavish wedding in April 2022, has had nothing to do with his family since the start of the year.

It is thought the feud may have somehow been triggered during the lead-up to Brooklyn and heiress Nicola’s big day.

He swerved his dad’s 50th birthday celebrations in May and the proud ex-England football captain’s knighthood investiture at Windsor Castle last month.

In between, none of the Beckhams were present when the couple renewed their wedding vows in August.

The Beckhams have not been pictured together as a family since Boxing Day last year.

SCOTLAND’S peaks are known for drama, beauty and inaccessibility.

As a wheelchair user, for years I thought they were off limits to me, unless I fancied freezing, struggling or staying behind.

But then I heard about the Cairngorm Mountain Railway, which reopened in February.

A step-free funicular that climbs right into the clouds? I had to try it.

Access is built in from the moment you arrive – a lift to the platform, a small threshold ramp, and level boarding into the front of the train.

I wheeled straight on with no fuss, no faff, and no feeling like I was the exception.

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

The train climbs from 635 to 1,097 metres in less than ten minutes.

As we rose through pine forests and heather, the view just kept opening.
Mist clung to the glens below. Ridges curved into the distance.

It was smooth, and completely surreal – like floating uphill. Ptarmigan Station is right at the top.

From the lift you roll straight into a warm cafe, an exhibition space, and a huge outdoor viewing terrace with the kind of panoramic views I never thought I’d access without help. (You can’t go beyond the terrace unless you’re part of a guided walk, but honestly, I didn’t need to.)

The restaurant serves hearty food and sweet treats.

I had a Baileys hot chocolate – totally earned – and sat soaking up the sunshine at 1,000 metres up.

Now I don’t get to do that every day.

I stayed about half an hour away at the Grant Arms Hotel in Grantown-on-Spey – a traditional Highland property with helpful staff and a calm, cosy vibe.

My accessible room was easy to navigate, meals were relaxed and the whole place had that lived-in charm.

It’s worth saying the access isn’t perfect – there’s a small service lift with manual doors – but the team were happy to help me, and I never felt like I was causing a problem.

This part of the Cairngorms has a few hidden gems that are surprisingly accessible.

Loch Garten has level paths and a great wildlife viewing area.

Countryside accessibility can be tricky for disabled travellers

Anagach Woods offers some forest trails you can wheel through, best in dry weather.

And a few local spots like the Highland Folk Museum and Wildlife Park advertise step-free access and accessible toilets – always worth checking ahead.

Countryside accessibility can be tricky for disabled travellers.

I’ve had to turn back more times than I can count.

I’ve scrolled past places that were “not suitable for wheelchairs”. So when a mountain made space for me, it meant something.

I made it to 1,097 metres above sea level.

No compromises, no apologies.

Just clear skies, fresh air, and the kind of joy that lasts long after you come back down.

WE all know that reindeer pull Santa’s sleigh – but did you realise his entire fleet of magical-hooved creatures is female?

“We know this because of their horns,” Diego Osorno tells me, pointing towards Vixen, one of Grouse Mountain’s resident herd.

At that moment, she decides to depart her hay-filled lodge and gently plod off through the snow, tilting her antlers towards the shimmering Christmas lights in a well-timed performance.

Males shed their antlers in the winter months, while females cast theirs in summer, the knowledgeable Diego shares. He is one of a few rangers here at Grouse Mountain, a 4,100ft tall peak that towers over the city of Vancouver, on Canada’s western coast in British Columbia.

This magnificent landmark will be celebrating its 100th birthday next year, and for those already planning their 2026 wintry getaway, few places offer more Christmas cheer, aside from Santa’s home in the North Pole.

A small “skating pond” sits just beyond the reindeer shelter, where kids can twirl on ice in front of snow-topped fir trees listening to festive music echo between the trunks.

ON THE UP

‘Queen of the English Riviera’ set for multi-million pound revamp

TAKE OFF

Heathrow Airport reveals new £1.3billion upgrade plans with fewer delayed flights

Elsewhere on the peak, you can trudge through fresh white powder on a snowshoe experience, weaving through the frosty woodland which, at this time of year, is dripping in twinkling lights.

These lights are almost as magical as the ones glimmering up from the city of Vancouver at night.

Birds-eye views of the city are spectacular from the cliffside restaurant, The Observatory, and you can soak them up while you dive into fondue — a bubbling pot of rich, gooey cheese served alongside thick slices of charcuterie, pickles and hunks of bread for dipping.

Of course, there’s skiing and snowboarding, too. In fact, visitors will have their pick of three mountains for snowsports when staying in Vancouver, which is partly what makes this region one of the best in the world for night skiing.

You can hit the slopes in a mere 25 minutes from the city centre, including the cable car journey. And Vancouver’s breathtaking nature doesn’t end with its mountains. At the foot of the snow-capped cliffs lies a huge harbour, filled with ships, fishing boats and humming seaplanes — and plenty of wildlife, too.

Winter isn’t the season for spotting whales, but you’re still in with a chance of catching something emerging from the waters, especially if you decide to take a stroll around the seawall of Stanley Park.

This is Vancouver’s answer to Central Park in New York, except it’s roughly 20 per cent larger, boasting 1,000 acres of lush green space bang in the centre of a skyscraper city.

A pal had spotted seals here only a few days earlier, but during my morning run, I only spied black squirrels (cool, nonetheless) and a seagull cracking into a crab that it had plucked from the water for breakfast.

Messy but fun

That sight hammered home just how fresh the grub here really is.

With a huge body of water on its doorstep, wild salmon is, unsurprisingly, very popular in Vancouver. It’s also a staple in the diets of the indigenous communities around these parts. Sushi is big, too. In fact, it turns out Vancouver is where the California roll was invented, supposedly by Japanese-Canadian chef Hidekazu Tojo, although there is some debate over this.

One of the best places in the city to sample this is Miku Waterfront, near the cruise port. This restaurant has rightly earned a place in the Michelin guide for its extremely high-quality dishes at prices that won’t break the bank.

I polished off clean plates of oshizushi, a sushi block made from layered rice and slabs of fresh tuna or mackerel, dolloped with a smattering of saffron as well as perfectly-crafted nigiri, which I was instructed not to dip in soy sauce as the seasoning had already been meticulously balanced.

Right they were.

An extremely filling lunchtime Shokai consisting of ten pieces of traditional sushi, rolls and nigiri with appetisers and miso soup, will set you back just under £25, in a swish setting.

Asian influences can be seen throughout a large number of restaurants in Vancouver due to a wave of Cantonese and South Asian communities immigrating to the city over recent years. Anh And Chi at the northern end of Main Street serves immaculately executed Vietnamese classics, including DIY rice paper rolls that you construct at the table. Messy but fun.

During the festive period, however, you can’t go wrong with a slap-up Christmassy meal within a sparkling globe-style dome at H Tasting Lounge.

Order the 24-hour braised beef shank, which is lit on fire tableside, the smoky smell of rosemary and meat engulfing the dome.

Cold plunge pools

If you simply can’t decide what tickles your fancy, book on to a food tour with foodietours.ca around the public markets of Granville Island.

This industrial area has become a hub for arts and food, and more than 50 independent vendors flog their homemade delights to not just tourists and locals, but A-list celebs, too.

Pop star Harry Styles once bought Hobbs Pickles’ entire stock of sweet pickles in one day. I had to resist doing the same after sampling their dill flavour.

Vancouver-born actor Seth Rogen, on the other hand, regularly makes a beeline for Lee’s Donuts, which sells the classic ring-shaped bake in all manner of flavours, from cinnamon to honey-dip.

For more snacking with a festive twist, there are two Christmas markets in the city. The main Vancouver Christmas Market (entry from £3.80), offers a more commercial atmosphere with wooden stalls selling all the classics.

Meanwhile, the Shipyards markets on the North Shore are a little more crafty and free to visit, serving quirkier titbits like pickled spruce tree tips.

They taste like capers, if you’re wondering.

I was also grateful for the city’s emphasis on wellness after gorging one too many poffertjes (mini Dutch pancakes).

Spas have become a large part of the culture here and the two-hour thermal circuit at Circle Wellness will ensure every ounce of stress is extracted from your body through specially designed hot pebble floors, Himalayan salt chambers and cold plunge pools.

From my private shipping container, I watched the steam billow from my cedar tub, clashing with the air’s chill.

Some things are just made for winter. And Vancouver is one of them.

WHEN there’s no snow anywhere else, there’s still a bit of powder in Obertauern.

This tiny Alpine town has more snow than anywhere else in Austria, and its season lasts from November until May.

So it’s no wonder when The Beatles were looking for a snow-sure location to film scenes for their 1965 movie Help! they opted for the once-unknown village 56 miles from Salzburg.

Body doubles were hired to perform the band’s action shots on skis — and Paul McCartney’s stand-in still lives here today.

This year marks the 60th year since the filming took place — transforming a previously quiet mountain village into the centre of pop culture for a few unforgettable days.

The global attention sparked by the Fab Four’s visit marked a turning point for Obertauern.

TOP VISIT

Lesser-known Spanish region named one of the ‘best places to go in 2026’

TAKE OFF

Heathrow Airport reveals new £1.3billion upgrade plans with fewer delayed flights

Beatles fans still make pilgrimages to the village, and scattered throughout the village are three monuments to commemorate the band.

And if, like The Beatles, you aren’t much of a skier, you can still catch a gondola to the peaks to enjoy the restaurants, with deckchairs overlooking the mountains.

But, of course, Obertauern is all about the snow, which reaches a maximum depth of 8½ft.

In the evenings, I’d watch snowfall from the cosy window seat in my room at Kesselspitze Chalet & Hotel, on the edge of town.

It fell so heavily I couldn’t see beyond it — not lights in the windows of nearby buildings, nor the mountains behind. It was everything a winter wonderland should be.

I hadn’t skied for a while, so I booked beginners lessons, and it is true what they say about teachers — the good ones make a massive difference. Mine made it look a doddle.

I may have stuck to safety on the nursery slopes while I practised my turns, but my classmates got the hang of it in no time.

Leg massage

It meant they could graduate to tougher challenges on the blue, red and black routes, including the Gamsleiten 2 — a scary 45- degree ski-run.

Back in town, the Eurobeat was booming in the apres-ski bars.

Still in full gear with skis parked against railings, people downed beers, wine and cocktails while they stomped to the beat.

A pint of beer costs an average of €6 while a glass of good Austrian wine is around €4.30.

If you’re not partying or skiing, there are shops to browse, plus restaurants and cafes to enjoy.

A highlight of the trip for me, however, was the hotel and its facilities.

The 4*+ Kesselspitze is one of three in the town owned by Croatia-based Valamar.

It is everything I expected from an Alpine hotel: Lots of wood, stone and rich colours, with a real fire in the bar, while the decor in my room was luxurious yet homely.

The food, a combination of help-yourself buffet and a la carte, was amazing, and there was so much of it that I always felt well-fuelled before and after hitting the slopes.

I loved the hotel’s Balance Spa. Tired and aching, I recuperated in the sauna, steam room and Finnish sauna (much hotter) and booked in for a leg massage to soothe my throbbing calves.

There’s something spectacular about relaxing in an outdoor Jacuzzi while it is snowing — the heat of the bubbles clashing with the cold, and the mountains right in front of you.

It is the perfect way to soak away any aches and pains, ready for another day on the slopes.

AS a headstrong leading lady in Bridgerton’s ­second series, Simone Ashley’s character Kate Sharma found her happy ever after.

But it seems that in real-life, the actress is still searching for The One after her brief romance with businessman Tim Sykes ended.

The couple had been spotted ­kissing at the US Open tennis tournament in September, and holding hands as they sat courtside during a match at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.

However, Simone has since unfollowed Tim on Instagram.

It’s not quite the fairytale love story her alter ego Kate enjoyed after marrying Anthony Bridgerton in Netflix’s Regency romp.

A source said: “Simone and Tim enjoyed spending time together during the summer.

ALL THE BRAWL-BLES

Most bitter Xmas No1 battles from glam rock clash to Teletubbies upset

SEXY SANTA

Lily Allen wows at star-studded Stringfellows party dressed as sexy Santa

“They have since decided that they want different things, so have ended their romance.”

It comes after Simone revealed she had split from her long-term boyfriend Constantin “Tino” Klein in February.

Chatting on BBC’s Woman’s Hour the following month about her new film, Picture This, she said: “It’s kind of ironic I’m promoting a romcom and, as of January this year, I’ve been entering my single era.”

Simone met former lawyer Constantin at the Grand Prix in Monaco in May 2022.

She later told Vogue magazine there was someone special in her life, but didn’t name him, explaining: “I’m very happy. We haven’t gone public yet.”

They went Instagram official soon after, with Simone sharing a snap of Constantin on his birthday in December 2022, captioned: “The best birthday surprise for the best person.”

Let’s hope she will be lucky in love in 2026.

A MERRY LIL’ XMAS

LILY ALLEN gives her best Mrs Claus impression during her Christmas party.

The West End Girl hitmaker posed in white stockings and suspenders with a red fur gown at London gentlemen’s club, Stringfellows, on Friday.

Lily was joined by model Lottie Moss along with fellow pop stars Olivia Rodrigo, Ella Eyre and Lola Young.

Lewis Capaldi was also spotted at the famous nightspot.

Lily performed Roll The Dice at the party and encouraged a singalong of West End Girl.

LIZZO IN SPIRITED QUEST

POP star Lizzo is swapping showbiz for the drinks biz after necking tequila live on stage.

It comes after the US star appeared at the 2019 Video Music Awards clutching a gem-encrusted bottle of the spirit.

Lizzo called the drink “chaquila”– which means a chug plus tequila.

But now her firm, Lizzo LLC, has applied for a global trademark to use the word Chaquila to sell drinks.

Papers filed with the UK Government’s Intellectual Property Office reveal she wants to use the term to market “alcoholic seltzers; alcoholic carbonated beverages, except beer; alcoholic beverages, except beer”.

The legal documents were lodged just days ago and are yet to be rubber-stamped.

Lizzo has even sung about her favourite tipple on the track Love In Real Life.

She sings: “Tequila, do your job, girl, help me change my mind. How many shots this time? (One, two, three, four).

“Tequila, do your job, girl, give me salt and lime. To help me fix my life (one, two, three, four).” Drink it all in, Lizzo.

GORDON AD IS A BIT ‘MEH’

GORDON RAMSAY already has a couple of Super Bowl adverts under his belt.

Now the telly chef has filmed a YouTube campaign for next year’s event alongside magician David Blaine and former NFL ace Jason Kelce.

The concept is how “Meh” the world would be ­without YouTube, and Ramsay’s role involves serving up a “meh-nu”. Geddit?

An insider tells me: “Gordon and David filmed their roles in London last week and Gordon was incredibly charming.

“David insisted on performing magic tricks for everyone.”

February’s Super Bowl is set to be star-studded with performances from Bad Bunny, and Charlie Puth.

BEYONCE TOUR TOP GROSSING

BEYONCE has spoken of her struggle to be taken seriously as an artist.

Her comments come as the US superstar saw her Cowboy Carter Tour named the No1 highest-grossing tour of 2025, according to US mag Pollstar.

The Texas Hold ’Em hitmaker saw the 32 stadium concerts gross a total of $407,600,113, (around £305million), with an average ticket price of £191.

She told Pollstar: “I’ve been touring since the age of 15, nonstop. I have slowly built my legacy brick by brick.

“This show is a testament to the power of consistency and the dedication put into any craft.”

On believing in herself when some of the industry did not, she continued: “I’ve learned at a young age that nobody invests in you like you invest in ­yourself. I’ve slowly built with every tour.”

Beyonce rose to fame in Destiny’s Child alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle ­Williams.

She added: “The first tour Destiny’s Child did with Wyclef Jean, we toured in a minivan.

“On a later tour in the late ’90s, we did our quick changes in a muddy tent in the rain because we didn’t have proper dressing rooms, designing our own clothes because designers would not.

“A decade of visiting every radio station on Earth, advocating for ourselves. Slowly building into being able to tour with a small band.

“More building until we could tour with dancers.

“Finally, selling out my first arena as a solo artist. The decades of fighting with the promoters, convincing them that an R&B artist could sell out a stadium.

“I continued to invest in myself and stay focused on the vision.

“I’m beyond grateful for my fans that have been a part of my journey.

“It’s important to me that they leave the show reinvigorated and inspired, feeling more in love with themselves, and closer to the people they love.”

I was lucky enough to be at the tour this year and Queen B rules.

TIM RAPS RUMOURS

HOLLYWOOD actor Timothee Chalamet has quashed rumours he is masked rapper Esdeekid – by joining the Liverpudlian in a video for a remix.

Fans speculated the Wonka actor was the mysterious drill artist as they were said to have similar eyes.

But in a 99-second video for EsDeeKid’s track 4 Raws posted online on Friday night, Timothee danced with the balaclava-clad bad boy in a cramped kitchen.

Timothee also referenced his rapper alter-ego Timmy Tim and his make-up mogul girlfriend Kylie Jenner.

The Oscar-nominated actor, right and below in the video, raps: “It’s Timothee Chalamet chillin’, tryna stack a hundred million, girl got a billion.”

While the full remix has yet to be released, the video clip has already received nearly two million likes, along with comments from UK rapper Central Cee and US rap star Rich The Kid.

Timothee is now promoting his upcoming movie Marty Supreme, in which he plays ping-pong prodigy Marty Mauser.

It’s a white laugh for Kyran

Snow White Drag Panto

★★★★☆

FORGET kids’ panto – this adults-only Snow White in London’s West End is packed with innuendo and belly laughs.

Drag Race UK champ Kyran Thrax slays as the venomous Wicked Queen, left, serving glorious­ glamour and killer one-liners, while newly-svelte Kitty Scott-Claus sparkles as the sassy Fairy.

The massive cast at the Emerald ­Theatre delivers outrageous comedy and audience banter, poking fun at everyone from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to Nigel Farage.

It’s pure festive filth – definitely not for snowflakes or prudes.

Grab your tickets quickly before it vanishes on January 4.

A proper cracker.

UNA TO HAM IT UP FOR CRIMBO FEAST

THE SATURDAYS’ beauty Una Healy is shunning traditional ­turkey this Christmas.

The Tipperary star explained: “We’ve got the bird flu in Ireland so we’ll have to have ham.”

It’s not the first time turkey has been off the Crimbo menu.

At last month’s Irish Post Awards she recalled: “My mum came to visit me and she bought the turkey. But it was so bad we had to throw it out. Even the foxes wouldn’t eat it.”

The Ready For Christmas singer says the glamour of life in the girlband – on hiatus since 2014 – is gone and she now drives herself to gigs, adding: “It’s back to basics. I do my own hair and make-up.”

What a trouper . . . 

HAS party season left you craving some one-on-one time?

Book a dreamy couples’ getaway.

The Challoners, East Sussex

Deputy Editor Gayle Schoales, husband Nick and their Jack Russell Dixie cosied up in an idyllic rural retreat.

THE PAD

It’s hard to imagine a more romantic setting than The Challoners: two timber-clad cabins in a lush walled garden festooned with fairy lights, buried deep in the rolling fields of the East Sussex Weald.

Beautifully decorated and stocked with everything you could think of (from torch to telescope), this adults-only, dog-friendly bolt-hole is brimming with rustic-chic charm.

The shepherd’s hut sleeping quarters – with roll-top bath and luxe bedlinen – is more boutique hotel than glamping spot, while the second hut has a fully equipped kitchen, the comfiest of corner sofas and separate shower room.

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

Both huts have underfloor heating to keep you toasty in colder months, plus there’s a firepit in the garden for stargazing.

EXPLORE

You’re in 1066 country – where the Battle of Hastings was fought – so there’s no shortage of history around these parts, and 14th-century Bodiam Castle, three miles away, is well worth a visit.

Climb the battlements and spot medieval graffiti before posing by the moat for the perfect Insta shot.

Adult entry costs £12 (Nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/bodiam-castle).

Eleven miles away, the pretty market town of Tenterden has a tree-lined high street full of independent shops and tea rooms – pick up hand-crafted toffee-cream vodka for £26 in the kitsch Mr Taylor’s Drinks Emporium, and quirky art and beauty bits from local creatives in Ethel Loves Me (Ethelloves.me).

Fancy a ramble?

You’re spoiled for choice, but the stunning Bedgebury National Pinetum And Forest, seven miles away, is hard to beat.

Entry is free (Forestryengland.uk/bedgebury).

REFUEL

Country pub of dreams the Salehurst Halt is a leisurely 25-minute stroll across the fields, with a buzzy atmosphere, live music on weekends and top-notch seasonal grub.

We loved the corn and manchego hash browns, £8, and The Double Buck burger with two venison patties, brie, blackberry hoisin and caramelised onion, £19 (Salehursthalt.co.uk).

Sunday lunch at The Abbey Hotel in the nearby town of Battle is a local institution – and for good reason.

Our thyme-roasted beef with all the trimmings was the stuff of legend, £21, while a Dixie-approved doggy roast is £5 (Abbeyhotelbattle.co.uk).

Afterwards, take a 30-minute drive to Rye’s medieval cobbled lanes to browse the boutiques and customise your dream hot chocolate at Knoops.

The 70% cocoa blend with orange, cinnamon and whipped cream will blow your mind, £6.50 (Knoops.com).

DON’T MISS

Chug your way back in time on the Kent And East Sussex Railway’s lovingly restored steam train, which runs between Tenterden and Bodiam.

Adult tickets cost £29.50 (Kesr.org.uk).

BOOK IT

Stays for two at pet-friendly The Challoners, Robertsbridge, cost from £119 per night (Cottages.com).

The Terrace Rooms & Wine, Ventnor

Assistant Editor Claire Frost and her partner Steve found a foodies’ delight on the Isle of Wight.

THE PAD

Husband and wife team Tom and Ashley have created a sea-view haven that might be even better in the off-season, thanks to its cosy lounge where you can curl up with a book and house pooch Ronnie.

The six individually designed bedrooms all feature a wine fridge and a decor of soft greens, dusty pinks and wood panelling, plus super-king Hypnos beds and La-Eva toiletries.

Every evening, sommelier Tom leads a super-interesting tasting where you can learn about some of the 900-plus bottles lining the walls of the wine room.

Later, sip your fave, along with a cheese and meat platter, £12, in front of the fire.

Come morning, breakfast is a four-course (and super-pretty) affair including poached fruit topped with yoghurt and home-made salted coconut granola, and local MasterChef-worthy egg, bacon, tomato and mushroom.

EXPLORE

With the shingle beach just across the road, you can stroll along the coast on a 20-minute amble to the cute village of Bonchurch and pop into tiny Bonchurch Pottery for a unique mug, £14.95.

Or hire an ebike from Route Fifty 7 through The Terrace for £25 a day, and speed your way up and down the isle’s hills, stopping at the awe-inspiring 22-acre Botanic Gardens.

Entry costs £13.50 (Botanic.co.uk).

Later, reward yourself with a Winter Warmer session at Slo-mo, 30 minutes’ drive away at Tapnell Farm.

Sweat it out in the wood-fired Nordic sauna, before a bracing dip in the lake.

Recover (and warm up again!) in the hot tubs and “floating” sauna.

Hour sessions cost £15 (Slomo.me/slomo-tapnell-winter-warmer).

REFUEL

Pop into London House bakery for pillowy chocolate and strawberry muffins, plus to-die-for sausage rolls, both £3.50.

For dinner, make a beeline for Pan-Asian Smoking Lobster and its insanely good glazed yellowfin tuna, £15, char-siu Iberico pork, £14, and moreish peanut noodles, £6 (Smoking-lobster.co.uk).

Or try Stripped for a Med-inspired menu that includes a huge sharing platter, £54, piled high with chicken skewers, lamb kebabs and garlicky home-made Romanian sausages (Stripped-brasserie.co.uk).

The best thing? All are within easy walking distance of your room.

DON’T MISS

Stop by Harvey Browns farm shop en route to the ferry for delicious Briddlesford Farm cheese and Godshill Orchard chutneys (Harveybrowns.co.uk).

BOOK IT

Double rooms at The Terrace cost from £250 B&B, including wine tasting (Theterraceventnor.co.uk).

Ferry crossings with Wightlink from Portsmouth to Fishbourne cost from £81 per car (Wightlink.co.uk).

LOVE Island star Lucie Donlan is shockin’ around the Christmas tree in a saucy low-cut Ann Summers dress.

The model, 27, helped the raunchy retail chain launch its Styles range, including this red All Wrapped Up festive number with a giant bow.

She has also been seen sleighing it in the company’s Sexy Santa Basque set.

In July Lucie enjoyed a spectacular break in Abu Dhabi which she received free of charge in exchange for an advert to her 1.5m Instagram followers.

In her caption, Lucie wrote: “This week I’ve had the pleasure of staying at @erth.uae.

“A breathtaking and unique Hotel located 15 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi.

JANE ATKINSON

Helen Flanagan is right to call out ex Scott Sinclair – boys need role models

MV-GLEE

Michael van Gerwen cheered on by OnlyFans model then says ‘look at my dates’

“When I first arrived it felt like stepping into nature as the whole hotel has been beautifully designed with sandy warm colours inspired by our planet and aspects of rich cultural Emirati heritage.

Lucie has been in a relationship with her former co-star, Luke Mabbott, 29, with the pair going on to become engaged in 2021.

Back in December the loved-up pair got accused of ‘getting engaged for likes on Instagram’ when they celebrated their proposal on holiday.

Luke shared a snap from their special moment with the caption: “2 year’s engaged…”

Some took to the comments section to share how confused they were by their engagement.

One user commented: “I’ve always said that an engagement isn’t real unless they’ve set a date for a wedding.

They continued: “Otherwise, it’s just like my plan to be a millionaire: it’s it’s vague goal without any realistic “when” or “how”.”

The couple shot to fame on different series of Love Island.

FUELLED by a glass of Moet from the 24-hour champagne bar, I sleepily made my way to the resort’s palm-lined beach club, nibbling on a golden chocolate-covered strawberry as I plodded.  

So far, so Dubai . . .  except I am actually in Turkey at the Cullinan Belek hotel. 

Which means, after a short four-hour flight from the UK, I was swept into the kind of luxury you would expect from one of the 5H properties on The Palm Jumeirah — only without the seven-hour journey, or the jet lag.  

Plus, it meant I was feeling fresh enough to go from the plane to the party in minutes. 

Cullinan Belek’s Galapagos beach bar was pumping as masked dancers beckoned in revellers with their flaming torches and a live DJ played Balearic-style beats. 

Its troupe put on two original shows a night – one more family-friendly piece in the main auditorium and a more progressive, late-night number for the adults, like tonight’s, which took its inspiration from Moroccan belly dancers.  

SHOW OFF

The best family-friendly Christmas show? The great British Panto, of course

RIDE ON

I went to the European theme park named the best in the world with 100 attractions

A waiter served me a freshly-shaken, personalised cocktail from his cart, and before long, I was dancing barefoot on the beach.  

Cullinan Belek won the Luxury All-Inclusive Resort gong at the World Travel Awards in 2024, but if I needed further proof of its prestige, I found it back at our Superior Duplex room. 

There’s a pillow menu, top-of-the-range tech to control lights, curtains and air, plus divine Bvlgari toiletries in the two bathrooms.  

But the real treat is the swim-up infinity pool which lapped my second-floor terrace, overlooking the main resort.  

A quick plunge shook off last night’s cocktails and a trip to the hotel’s C’Espace spa beckoned. 

Somehow the hotel’s gym even managed to make sweating feel refined as it is among the best I’ve ever used — yes, it even beats those in Dubai. 

As well as the usual equipment there is a Pilates reformer stand, yoga room, decent set-up for weight-lifters, plus even an indoor and outdoor Hyrox zone for those seeking an on-trend workout.  

And if you’re after something more relaxed, I’m told the Cullinan’s golf course is the best in Belek, which has become known as the heartland for the sport with the hotel offering special packages for enthusiasts.

There are 14 sections to browse for breakfast, ranging from your standard pastries and fry-ups to Indian cuisine, Mexican breakfast burritos and a juice bar.  

Instead, I signed up to play sport-of-the-moment padel — as made popular by the Princess of Wales — and was immediately hooked, as it had all the fun of tennis without as much running.  

That felt like more than enough activity for one day, but it turns out another challenge lay ahead.  

The Mare main restaurant is an epic buffet set-up, larger than any I’ve seen before — yes, even larger than those in Dubai.  

There are 14 sections to browse for breakfast, ranging from your standard pastries and fry-ups to Indian cuisine, Mexican breakfast burritos and a juice bar.  

Variety might be the spice of life, but at that hour of the day, the choice was sometimes overwhelming and the crowds and queues tricky to navigate.  

Away from the throng of the buffet, though, is where the Cullinan Belek really excelled. 

The resort has two Italian restaurants as well Greek, Asian, teppanyaki and a steakhouse plus a number of snack bistros, a patisserie and an in-house chocolatier. So I got to work.  

In the evening, some of these carry an additional charge on top of the all-inclusive package but each time it felt worth it. 

Great value 

I particularly enjoyed the beef in hot sauce from Nori Asian, which, for an extra €25 per person, allows you to dine to the sounds of live music as you sit among the petal design of the Azure pool.  

Meanwhile The Beef Grill puts its succulent steaks at the centre of the action, with the cuts displayed in a huge chiller spanning the length of the restaurant, and an open kitchen grill.  

The real jewel in the hotel’s crown, however, is the huge water park which offers an oasis for families, alongside a football pitch, splash pool and tons of beach games…

The €55-per-person surcharge felt great value when the signature starters of Meat Sushi and Onion Blossom were prepared at our table by an intrepid server with a blow torch.  

The real jewel in the hotel’s crown, however, is the huge water park which offers an oasis for families, alongside a football pitch, splash pool and tons of beach games as well as indoor bowling alley and games consoles. 

The offering for children is impressive — but all the more so because these facilities somehow nestle unobtrusively alongside the chic, laidback aspects, just like at the super hotels in Dubai. 

Which was ideal for me, lazing by the adults-only pool as I awaited my next cocktail from the roller-skating waitress. 

If Cullinan Belek is a Dubai dupe, then honestly, who needs the real thing? 

SNOW-DUSTED fir trees line the streets, shiny red baubles dangle over shopfronts and enormous Nutcrackers stand to attention by the doors of cafes.

The city of Vilnius in Lithuania has been named this year’s Christmas Capital of Europe — and I couldn’t wait to unwrap it.

There’s festive fodder in every direction I turn and, unlike many European cities at Christmas, there are no obnoxiously loud rides or tacky grottos.

Instead, the capital of Lithuania celebrates the festive period with pure charm, transforming into a glittery wonderland as soon as it is acceptable to do so (generally in late-November).

Vilnius’s main attraction, an enormous decked-out Christmas tree, stands tall in Cathedral Square, accompanied by a traditional carousel and market stalls dishing out warm apple punch and pots of doughnuts drizzled in chocolate.

This tree has some competition, though. In early November each year, The Senator’s Passage, just up the road from Cathedral Square, receives its own grand tree.

SUPER-COOL CITY BREAK

Find beautiful architecture on weekend in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius

Baltics all the boxes

A Vilnius vacation is perfect getaway for mixing history and culture

The owner tells me with a grin that it usually takes around 15 workers to drag the tree through the narrow passageway and dress it for the season.

It seemed worth the hassle though, with seven metres of green branches dripping in twinkling lights.

If you plan your travel dates well, you can visit for “Christmas Before Christmas”, where seasonal events take place throughout the city prior to the main event.

This year, the festivities took place on December 13 with performances from carol singers, festive tours and even a holiday-themed train and bus.

Your euros won’t be accepted on this day, though.

Christmas Before Christmas relies on a special currency — a red pine cone which visitors can swap for a warming cherry tea or a sweet treat.

There’s so much to keep you entertained during the day, from ice skating to strolls through wintry gardens, but the magic of Vilnius doesn’t truly comes to life until the sun goes down.

This is especially true for Konstantinas Sirvydas Square, which this year has an impressive 144 Christmas trees.

Delicious grub

Or, for a truly epic festive display, a must-see is the Poniuų Laimė in the Old Town’s Jewish Quarter.

The cafe selling delicate cakes and cookies decorates its front for each season, and this December it became the Orient Express, embellished with huge red velvet bows and suitcases.

If you’re looking for something a little different, however, you may want to swing by the Lukiskiu Kalejimas Christmas market set up in a former prison.

Eagle-eyed Stranger Things fans will recognise this as the filming location of the Russian prison where Hopper was held in the fourth series.

It looks a little different at this time of year, though, with locally-made drinks, teas and gifts being flogged from a once gloomy building that housed prisoners until as recently as 2019.

Of course, a festive getaway isn’t complete with some delicious grub.

I had never considered Lithuania to be a place for foodies — but in fact, Vilnius has four Michelin-star restaurants.

It was one simple snack that took the biscuit for me — kepta duona, which is essentially fried bread in garlic.

The crunchy, delicious treat is a bit like a meat-free pork scratching, but much tastier.

If you’re a fan of bagels, then stop by Baleboste, where I felt more like I was being welcomed into someone’s dining room than a Jewish cafe.

Here, the ring-shaped bread is served warm with just the right amount of sweetness and a sprinkling of poppy seeds.

I had mine with a pulled beef filling which comes with mustard and plenty of pickles.

This isn’t something locals will be enjoying at this time of year as traditionally in Lithuania, it’s common to fast in the run-up to December 24, and most families don’t eat meat in this period — even on Christmas Eve.

Instead, they get together for a 12-course evening dinner called Kucios where they feast on beetroot, dumplings, lots of fish, berries and nuts.

You can enjoy a taster of this feast at Ertlio Namas, a Michelin-Guide restaurant in the Old Town.

After that delicious spread, I practically rolled back to the Hotel Pacai which has spacious rooms with enormous bathtubs for when you need to warm up after wandering around the chilly city.

If you’re lucky, like I was, there might even be a sprinkling of snow outside the window come morning.

THERE’S a special kind of contentment that washes over you as you sink into a cushy lounge chair at Celebrity Xcel’s Sunset bar. 

A very dry martini in hand, I exhale and drink in the endless blue of the ocean, glittering as the sun slips slowly down beneath the horizon.

The warm Caribbean breeze envelops me as the sky turns vivid pink, orange and red — I’m as relaxed as I have ever been. 

There’s a chic beach club vibe to this al-fresco bar right at the back of the ship, and after just a few days onboard, it’s my favourite spot for a sundowner. 

Mind you, it’s got plenty of competition. 

Around every corner of this sparkling new £764million, 15-deck beauty — the latest in Celebrity’s Edge series — there is something to delight or amaze. 

XCEL-LENT

I went behind-the-scenes of the new cruise ship launching in Europe next year

LIKE A PRINCESS

Euro cruise is ‘ultimate girls trip’ with speakeasy, prosecco walls & pools

And sometimes they come in the most surprising of places. 

I loved the new Country & Western show in The Club — brilliant vocalists and musicians bringing some barnstorming classics to life.

However, hiding in a dark corner of the hip venue, I spy a little photo booth.  

We sit down for our selfie and smile but just as the photos are delivered, a secret door slides open. 

Following the corridor of sparkling lights, we discover a fabulous 1920s-inspired speakeasy.

Flapper girls and gangsters welcome you into the low-lit, smoky joint where the bartenders mix up killer cocktails and live jazz fills the air. 

You’ll get just an hour to enjoy the illicit fun before you’re asked to depart — before the police raid the joint! 

It’s just one of the seven new spaces you’ll only find on Celebrity Xcel and the premium cruise line knew just who to turn to when designing the new ship — their loyal customers.

More than 650,000 votes were cast by regular cruisers to decide on everything from the entertainment (that Country & Western show got the thumbs-up) to the food and cocktails. 

There are two new speciality restaurants onboard. Bora sits alongside the Rooftop Garden on deck 15 and features upscale Mediterranean seafood.  

By day, there’s a decadent brunch in the beautifully decorated al-fresco space featuring shakshuka, steak and eggs, fried chicken with waffles and more. 

Don’t miss the Bloody Mary Bar where you can personalise your cocktail with over- the-top garnishes, premium spirits and spicy mixes. 

As night falls, the space transforms with live music and some stand-out dishes including plump carabinero prawns, razor clams and lamb tagine. Brunch costs £27pp and dinner £49pp. 

When it sails the Mediterranean next summer, all will be transformed to reflect the European ports of call.

Mosaic, the second new speciality restaurant, sits in the transformed Eden area at the back of the ship.

Now dubbed the Bazaar, this spectacular space aims to blur the line between ship and shore — highlighting the destinations Xcel cruises to. 

With an inaugural winter season in the Caribbean, this means interactive cooking classes, craft workshops, entertainment and live music direct from the tropical islands. 

The entrance to the new area — complete with a mind-bending LED tunnel — is a treat for shopaholics, with jewellery, clothes and food from local artists and producers.

When it sails the Mediterranean next summer, all will be transformed to reflect the European ports of call. 

There’s also local flavours to enjoy at casual dining venue Spice — included in the price.

But for a real treat, Mosaic offers even more upscale dining alongside triple-height glass windows looking out over the ocean. 

At £70pp, it’s one for a special occasion but you can expect the best — from a delicious lobster casserole to filet mignon steak and Celebrity cruise fan favourite, spiced lamb loin. 

Towers of seafood 

What did surprise me, though, was the standard of food throughout the included restaurants onboard.

Towers of seafood, superb French cheeses and spectacular roasts were on offer in the Oceanview Cafe buffet restaurant. 

The main dining is not one big restaurant but four beautifully decorated separate spaces, each with their own theme, from French fine dining to Italian classics. 

Even the slices of pizza and burgers on the top deck were a step above your normal poolside snacks. 

The Spa has also had some upgrades, including a first-ever outdoor ‘Vitamin D’ deck for sunbathing spa fun, a new hydrotherapy pool and a ‘Bubbles Bar’, where you can enjoy a glass of sparkling wine while having your nails done. 

Celebrity’s Edge-class ships have become known for their quirky poolside animal sculptures but Xcel takes it to another level. 

Entertainment onboard again is taken to another level in The Theatre with Broadway-style shows in a high-tech venue featuring an eye-popping 110ft curved LED backdrop.

Presiding over the new pool deck is a sparkling 14ft-tall silver sculpture of a monkey and its baby — and this latest Edge ship has upped the ante poolside, too.  

The pool concierge proffers everything from sunscreen and cold towels to board games.

When not in port, this beach club turns into ‘The Poolest Day Ever’, with live music, DJ sets, pop-up shows and after dark, the Shine The Night pool party.

And the entertainment onboard again is taken to another level in The Theatre with Broadway-style shows in a high-tech venue featuring an eye-popping 110ft curved LED backdrop. 

I loved The Attic at The Club — a mezzanine level where morning, noon and night you can challenge your partner and pals to everything from pool and golf to retro arcade games. 

For me, this felt like the ultimate adult cruise liner. Fabulous food, thoughtfully- designed sophisticated spaces, energetic entertainment and just the right amount of laid-back fun. 

Just get me back to that Sunset bar . . .  

PLODDING down the steep cobbled ramp, I was already starting to believe that I was stepping into a fairytale.

The boat, bobbing on the water, was the start of my journey to another world.

And, as I drew closer to my destination — a small, mist-shrouded island that was the inspiration for Neverland in JM Barrie’s Peter Pan stories — the storybook setting felt even more real.

Eilean Shona is a rugged tidal island in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides.

“Hidden gem” is an apt description of the place, with visitors having to drive down a long and winding road on the mainland before they even reach the boat taxi that will ferry them to the island.

Boats aren’t on a regular schedule either — the island, and its manor house, Eilean Shona House, is privately owned by Sir Richard Branson’s sister Vanessa, who transformed the destination into a luxury eco-friendly retreat in the 1990s.

BLUE SKYE THINKING

Explore the scenic wonderland of the Hebrides on a personalised cruise

PEX APPEAL

Escape the crowds and take a dip in basement pool of Edinburgh’s Apex Hotel

I really did feel like Wendy when I spotted Neverland for the first time, hidden beneath the clouds.

Just like JM Barrie’s mythical land, the island is covered in thick green woodland.

But this is far from your typical island retreat. Don’t expect speedy wifi, shops and roads, because Eilean Shona is completely car-free, has no shops and only nine people live here.

Instead, you can expect whimsical walks, white sand beaches and a cosy Scottish atmosphere.

The best way to get your bearings is with a refreshing walk to the summit of the island, 265 metres above sea level, which boasts spectacular views over Loch Moidart and the small isles of Rum and Eigg, as well as the Isle of Skye.

You can reward your hiking efforts with a slurp of vodka, because while whisky is the spirit more typically associated with Scotland, this island is where the premium spirits brand Sapling began.

Sat on a bench near the water’s edge in 2018, the brand’s founders, Ed Faulkner and Ivo Devereux, came up with the idea for a climate-positive spirit.

Sapling vodka and gin was formed — spirits that didn’t mess with the environment. In fact the firm gives back to it, by planting a tree each time a bottle is sold.

It was the perfect tipple to accompany me as I sat back and took in the calm of the starlit sky overhead, after retreating back to the manor house where I was staying.

Roaring fireplaces

There are a number of smaller cabins and cottages for those who are travelling solo or in a smaller group, but the manor house offers a more grand experience.

It’s a bit like a miniature version of The Traitors castle, with roaring fireplaces, ornate bathtubs, high ceilings and a grand staircase.

The 19th-century property was originally owned by Captain Swinburne, a Royal Navy seafarer, and it started out as a hunting lodge.

Swinburne went on to develop a great love for the pine trees that he saw on his travels and ended up transforming the landscape of Eilean Shona into one of the most diverse pine collections in Europe.

However these spectacular trees are only part of what makes the island’s surrounding so breathtaking.

My mornings consisted of refreshing plunges off the manor’s pontoon into chilly water, followed by dashes into the sauna afterwards.

You can follow it up with a hike or kayaking, or head to the other end of the island to see a gorgeous beach, which is like nowhere else in the UK, where soft, sugar-like sand meets serenely calm waters.

Eilean Shona House is the island’s main accommodation, sleeping up to 18 people, with a dining room that can host up to 20.

There is a library as well, with a full-sized billiards table, dartboard and a large collection of board games, while in the drawing room sits a grand piano, a cosy seated alcove and views of the loch.

The house can be booked either self-catering or fully catered, with a minimum stay of three nights.

Other options include the Shepherd’s Cottage, which sleeps two people, and the Old Schoolhouse, which sleeps four.

On Eilean Shona I could exchange the real world for Captain Hook’s imaginary version — and for a short time, I didn’t need to worry about growing up.