It may seem a strange idea to leave your home over the festive period, but in case you needed persuading we’ve put together our top three reasons to book a holiday home for Christmas. As well as using up that last bit of annual leave you’ve been hanging on to, this is also a fab opportunity to book a nice central base and have a big reunion with all the family you don’t see enough of the rest of the year!

Break the tradition and leave the house this Christmas! You never know… everyone may love it so much it might just turn into an annual tradition.

Christmas, Easter and the summer months are undoubtedly the most popular months for a holiday. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the best time for a break – higher prices and crowded attractions are major drawbacks for a start. Booking an off-season holiday on the other hand comes with lots of advantages and with some careful research has the makings of a holiday to remember.

For a lot of people the Edinburgh Festival means comedy. A budding funny man can go from unknown to household name in a matter of weeks, given the right routine and the right reviews. But what else is on offer in this beautiful city during August? We’ve put together our top pick of the festivals to keep an eye out for.

The 145th Open Championship is in full swing and this year Royal Troon is hosting – excited? We are.

The 2015 event, hosted at St Andrews near Fife, made headlines when defending champion Rory McIlroy had to withdraw after he injured his ankle playing football. American Zach Johnson went on to take the victory after a four-hole play-off with Australia’s Marc Leishman and South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen.

But what story will unfold at this year’s championship?

It’s one of the Highland’s best-known resorts, and once you’ve seen the dramatic setting of Fort William you’ll easily understand why.

With just over 10,000 inhabitants, the town swells as thousands visit the region every year to enjoy the skiing, walking and scenery.

Here are just a few of the best things to do in Fort William that will have you adding a new destination to your bucket list quicker than you can say “wow”.

In today’s interconnected world you can travel almost anywhere and do almost anything you fancy. Swimming with dolphins, skydiving in the Grand Canyon, going to a masquerade ball for the Venice carnival… who doesn’t have a travel bucket list? Unfortunately, to tick your way through the list of must-dos and must-sees you usually need plenty of time and money.

Cooking for large groups on holiday can be a challenge – do you cook what you normally do but double the quantities? Or maybe you just bake a few regular dishes and give people a small portion of each…?

Take the holiday personality quiz to discover which Mr Men character you are most like on holiday – this information could make your next group holiday a whole lot easier….

When it comes to travelling and holidaying as a dog owner, holiday houses your pet will love are typically a major factor in the decision process.We’re a nation of animal lovers. Around 46% of households in the UK have pets, which is a lot of people having to ask friends and family to dog-sit when they go on holiday… and who wants to leave their dog at home anyway?Can you relate to this?

Going on holiday is about recharging your batteries, relaxing, catching up with friends and family and spending your days doing what you enjoy.