As well as many tourists from Britain, the Canary Islands are also popular with Scandinavian visitors, who probably also value the region's mild winter weather as means of escape from their naturally cold climate at home. Take the Swedish for example who have a shorter working week than anywhere else in Europe and, according to a 2008 study, take an average 33 days annual leave each year, much higher than the European average of 25.2 days. The Danes and Germans are both calculated to have 30 days annual leave, while in the UK, workers have to make do with a meagre 24.7 days, ranking them only 13th in Europe. Estonia and Cyprus come bottom with only 20 days per year.

So expect plenty of Danes, Swedes and Norwegians in the Canary islands towards the end of the year on their winter sun holidays and in mid December Scandinavian and Canarian traditions come together for the celebration of St Lucia Day on 13th December.

The festival, which has been held every year since 1967, marks the passing away of the martyr Santa Lucia and the role she played in assisting the original Christian settlers on the island. Parties in the street, with everyone enjoying the music and dancing can be found in the town of Santa Lucia de Tirajana in the centre of the island, 15 miles from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Children play a big part in the celebrations, with a Swedish girl and a Canarian girl leading a procession through the town, after which offerings of fruit and sweets are made to the Santa Lucia statue. Even if it were not to experience the festival, a visit to Santa Lucia de Tirajana would be well worthwhile, as the area of mountains and valleys is very pretty.