This Christmassy getaway is everything we want this winter

Brought to you by Dungarvan Aglow. 

 We are massive fans of Christmas and this has us all excited.

We love everything about Christmas - the magic of it, the family time, buying presents, getting presents, dressing up in warm, wooly clothes, and donning our Christmas jumpers - the uglier the better. There's just something so wonderful about that time of year and we always want to make the most of it. One of the ways we do that is by welcoming the season in with a Christmas lights ceremony. It's perfect for kicking off the Christmas countdown and getting everyone in the mood for the holiday season. It's always a struggle to keep our Christmas celebrations in check until an acceptable date, and for us the Christmas lights are our cue to start singing those Xmas tunes nonstop. This year, we're heading down to the Dungarvan Aglow festival in Waterford on November 18th because their lights festival is the stuff of dreams. They turn on the Christmas lights all over town and it looks BEAUTIFUL. They have Christmas lighting all over the streets as well as a 25-foot majestic stag, giant light-up snowmen, reindeer, Santa's sleigh, and a giant bauble you can crawl inside. There's even a light-up swan in the middle of the pond and a trail of Christmas trees dotted along the pontoon to the middle of the Quay, glistening in the water. The atmosphere is going to be amazing. Every year the entire event feels so festive and Christmassy. And the festival isn't just about the lights. It runs from the 18 November to 31 December and there's something to interest everyone. There's entertainment, in-house events, a Christmas Elf Garden, a Panto, vintage coach tours, live music, dancing, a cycle with Santa, and so much more to get you into the Christmas spirit. It's a town-wide event so it's basically Christmas Land for the month. It's super if you've got little ones - Santa will be making a visit, there are sing-a-long carols, there is a snow machine that you can go INSIDE, and everyone is encouraged to dress up (with prizes for the best outfits!). If you haven't moved into that family life yet, though, this is also the perfect romantic getaway for you and your SO. There are two fab hotels in Dungarvan town, Lawlors Hotel and The Park Hotel, that are offering specials rates for the duration of the Aglow festival. Treat yourself and your partner to a little romantic escape from just €109 a night - including breakfast AND a four course meal. Yes please. Take a romantic stroll through the illuminated scenery, soak in that Christmassy feel, follow it by dinner in your hotel or one of Dungarvan's award-winning restaurants, choose from a variety of evening entertainment from one of the many pubs, and discover plenty of exciting things happening around Dungarvan. Then cosy up in your hotel room and flick on a Christmas movie. Sure, it's time. Or, for an extra €25, you can make that stroll a drive around town in a vintage Bentley car. So classy. Now all you need is a bit of mistletoe and it's the perfect Christmas date. Brought to you by Dungarvan Aglow.