It's that time of year again: the time when you realise that Christmas is just 77 short days away but you haven't actually managed to take all of your annual holiday allowance. Something must be done (hint: that's where we come in).

We Brits remain stubbornly resistant to taking our full holiday allowance, with sources saying a third of us fail to make the most of our allocated days off, and by an average of four days every year. And with this year's extended heatwave meaning many of us chose not to travel abroad, this year's days off deficit could be worse than ever. The double whammy is that we get already get fewer days off than most of our Euro-chums, so we're giving you an ultimatum: Use it or Lose it. And if you do use it, we've very handily come up with some destination inspiration…

One day left

• For an alternative Christmas shopping experience, head to Stockholm's Gamla Stan (Old Town) for mulled wine, pastries and the chicest Christmas gifts around. With plenty of Thursday evening flights, this short haul journey is perfect for a long-weekend of shopping 'til you dropping. From £1,150 per person.
• If you prefer shopping in warmer climes, enjoy a long weekend exploring the exotic souqs of Marrakech with a local shopping aficionado, before learning how to make authentic tagine during a private Moroccan cooking class – perfect winter comfort food to impress your friends back home. From £1,210 per person.

Two days left

• Why not eat (and drink) your way from San Sebastian to Rioja? In San Sebastian, tour the best pintxos (Basque tapas) spots with an expert guide, gorge on Michelin-starred food and learn the ways of Basque cuisine with a private chef as a tutor for two days. Then head inland and sample the best wines in Spain to finish off your long gastronomic weekend away. Don't worry, you'll be back in time to hit the gym on Monday. From £2,160 per person.
• Embark on a Greek getaway. Santorini plays host to the best sunsets in the region during autumn and the island, which can feel much like Piccadilly Circus in summer, suddenly becomes a lot quieter when the summer crowds have melted away. Don't fret, though – it's still gloriously sunny and let's be honest, feta is wonderful at any time of year. From £2,445 per person.

Three days left

• Lapland isn't just for children - there's plenty of grown-up fun to be had as well. Spend five days mushing adorable huskies on an overnight dog-sledding safari, spotting the Northern Lights (hopefully) and snowmobiling around this winter wonderland. From £1,785 per person.
• Start your five-day holiday at Oman's Six Senses Zighy Bay, just two hours' drive from Dubai in Oman's Musandam Peninsula, by paragliding down to the hotel. Then put your feet up and indulge in some fabulously understated luxury in the warm winter sun. From £3,120 per person.

Five days

• Explore the Moorish architecture and history around still-sunny Andalucia. A seven-day trip, starting in Grenada and making your way through Cordoba and Seville, as well as the Andalusian countryside, is a wonderful way to top up on Vitamin D before the winter months kick in. From £2,305 per person.
• Spend a week (including five of annual leave) Stateside in the great outdoors. Wrangle cattle, fish in wild rivers and learn the art of skeet (clay pigeon) shooting before retiring to your exceedingly glamourous tent for a pre-dinner open air bath and sundowners with an epic view. From £5,495 per person.
• Hit the road to drive the iconic, and very newly re-opened, Highway 1 from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Head from San Fran to the City of Angels via Carmel (former Mayor: the king of Cool Clint Eastwood) to Santa Barbara, before a couple of days soaking up the sun in LA. From £2,750 per person.
• Take advantage of Tanzania's mini peak season this winter and hop between two luxury camps in the Tarangire National Park. Wake up to the majesty of Kilimanjaro before experiencing two different types of safari – spotting big and plains game at one camp, and taking it slow by the lakeside and meeting the local Maasai tribesmen at the next. From £4,500 per person.
• With one-week away, you have time to hit the highlights of Honshu (Japan's main island, and home to most of the major cities and cultural sites) on an activity heavy holiday that'll see you sushi-making in Tokyo, enjoying views of Mount Fuji in Hakone and meeting a maiko (apprentice geisha) in Kyoto. From £7,850 per person.

All prices include flights, accommodation and transfers

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Original Travel is one of the UK's fastest growing bespoke travel companies, offering tailor-made holidays to 77 countries worldwide. Since its launch in 2003, the multi-award winning company has firmly established itself as 'one to watch' in the travel industry, experiencing uninterrupted growth since 2003. The Original Travel team have created just over 50,000 itineraries for their extremely discerning clientele.

Unlike many companies in the sector, Original Travel also has a bespoke inbound division welcoming clients from all over the world to the UK, and its own specialist dive division – Original Diving – staffed by dive masters and marine biologists who pride themselves on their unparalleled dive expertise and knowledge of the best dive destinations across the globe.

For more information contact Helen Mulhern or Clare Jackson:

press@originaltravel.co.uk

020 3582 4990