Family Christmas holidays: It's time to write to Santa for those festive travel plans

Offering spacious accommodation and festive menus, Chalet Hotel Le Savoie in Val d'Isère is new from Esprit Ski (01483 345 612; espritski.com). A week's package costs from £1,615 per adult and £1,130 per child, including flights from eight UK airports on 20 December, transfers and catering.

This season, new family friendly properties from Alpine Elements (020 3411 0698; alpineelements.co.uk) include Chalet La Grange in Méribel. It costs from £632pp, with return flights from Gatwick, transfers and catered accommodation for a week from 20 December.

If skiing doesn't appeal, Discover the World (01737 214 291; discover-the-world.co.uk) has a Christmas departure to Swedish Lapland's Icehotel where there's a new Winter Survival excursion – from £1,138 per adult and £590 per child aged eight to 11, including direct flights from Heathrow to Kiruna, four nights' B&B and a meeting with Santa.

Santa's Lapland (01483 345 584; santaslapland.com) also offers visits with Father Christmas, along with the chance to meet Rudolf and friends, ride reindeer sleighs, mush huskies and search for the Northern Lights. Three- or four-day breaks start at £799 per adult, children free subject to availability, including flights from 14 UK airports, transfers, half-board and some activities.

For a family city break,try Nuremberg. It has a Children's Christmas Market where youngsters can make candles, and decorate gingerbread. Ingham's (01483 345743; inghams.co.uk) will get you there from £440pp, including flights, transfers, three nights' B&B in a central hotel, a free excursion and city transport.

Family Twist (020 3130 4853; family-twist.com) offers a special two-night pre-Christmas break in Paris, featuring a chauffeur-driven tour, private treasure hunt in the Louvre, Christmas photo workshop and a lesson in baking festive patisserie. From €2,990 (£2,217) for two adults and two children. International travel not included.

For those who want to stay close to home, the newly renovated Mountain View farmhouse on Anglesey is perfect for a festive family break. With six bedrooms, a wood burner and bracing country walks right on your doorstep, the farmhouse costs £1,999 for a week from 22 December through Syke's Cottages (01244 356695; sykescottages.co.uk).

William Gray is the editor of 101familyholidays.co.uk