Asking the impossible - xmas sun without spending thousands?

[naturelover]

I am finding this winter so long and cold and grey. Thinking ahead to next winter, is there anywhere reasonably affordable at xmas to get some heat and sun?

Any tips most welcome. We have school age DCs which I realise will make it pretty expensive as we can't go in term-time.

Alternatively, Feb half-term? Is it any cheaper or just as bad?

How far do you have to fly to get 20+ degrees when it's the depths of winter in the UK?

Please share your experiences. Thanks in advance.

We have been to florida a fair few times around dec and Jan. average temps are around low to mid 20's so this is the sort distance/far south that you will be looking to get what you want. We have school age dc's and take them out the week before christmas hols when not much happening at school and flights are cheaper. all school hols are expensive and the accommodation in your destination will be so too. so either have to wait and take v last minute or be flexible and go out of school hols for at least one half of the flight. have a look at the accuweather website, type in some possible destinations and you can find the temps in Jan and feb easily.

I find Feb half term is a bit cheaper than Christmas. It will definitely cost you thousands to get sunshine so I suppose it depends how many thousands your budget is. Caribbean would be warm, you could check out cheaper islands such as Dominican Republic. Kenya or Egypt are other possibilities but you would definitely need a heated pool in Egypt. Canaries is a more risky suggestion weatherise.
A couple of Feb half terms ago I took DC to Cape Town and although flights are quite expensive it's good value when you are there and no jet lag. Weather was perfect, about 25.

Ive also been looking at Mexico for xmas but its really expensive.

if your kids are young then the cost will be lots cheaper than my quotes and remember that Virgin Holidays will price match.
i got £800 off my last holiday to florida by doing a bit of research then asking virgin to match.

i also wouldnt go to egypt even though its cheap.

Morocco for sure! The flight is about 3.5hrs from the UK so inexpensive and the weather is gorgeous at that time of year. It's very sunny and rarely rains, the temperature's around 23 degrees so not stiflingly hot. The riads, small hotels set around pretty courtyards that typically look like this, are really great and often very cheap. We spend most Christmas and New Year periods there in Marrakech and Essaouira.

I second Morocco! I love Tangiers

Canary Islands are great at Xmas time.

Definitely Mrocco but not Tabgiers at that time of year.
Head south (marrakesh & ouarzazate/desert oasis). You could be lucky in Agadir if you want to be seaside but its the Atlantic and will be chilly!

Canary Islands is a sure bet.

Cyprus, but the Paphos side. We stayed in Larnaca a few Christmases ago, was warmish in the day, but we had a trip to Coral Bay and it was hot, my girls were in the sea on the 27th December. Then you can go up the Troodos mountains and it is thick snow, and about -5. I don't understand how one side of an island the size of Cyprus can have such a difference in temperature.