There are now only two weeks to go until Christmas and, thanks to the big thaw and airports re-opening, a last-minute festive getaway is now a real possibility.

For those who wish to indulge their festive spirit and sample the ultimate in Christmas breaks, flights comparison site Skyscanner reveals where to find the world’s mosticonic Christmas getaways.

Winter Markets –Germany
Germany’s picturesque winter markets, famous the world over for their wooden stalls, pretty white lights and traditional music, and are now recreated across many towns and cities in the UK. For the original and best experience though, look for flights to Germany and head straight to Cologne for an authentic German Christmas market experience, enjoy a warming mug of gluhwein and pick up some Christmas gifts along the way.

Ice Skating - New York
Thanks to movies such as Home Alone II and Elf, thousands of visitors jump on flights to New York each year to sample the Christmas magic across the Big Apple. As well as Christmas shopping at Bloomingdales and the customary photograph in front of the giant Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, the city’s huge Central Park has two ice rinks tochoose from, with both enjoying picturesque views of the Manhattan skyline.

Building a Snowman – Japan
While many of us in the UK enjoy building a snowman when we have enough snow, the Japanese taking the art of building snowmen very seriously indeed. Thousands of visitors flock to the Sapporo Snow Festival each Februaryto see hundreds of snow sculptures,ranging from the classic snowman to more elaborate creations, some of which can reach an amazing 25 metres tall!

Santa Claus – Lapland
You can’t get more festive than a trip to Santa’s home, and a visit to Lapland is a trulymagical trip of a lifetime. After arriving in Finland, Santa hunters will be transported to Lapland by a combination of snowmobiles, husky dog and of course reindeer sleighs before finally arriving at Santa’s grotto.

Ice Hotel –Sweden
The world’s original and largesthotel made of ice and snow can be found in the freezing cold town of Jukkasjärvi, northern SwedenThe hotel is specially built each year and is only open from mid-December to mid-April, offering rooms made of ice equipped with thermal sleeping bags and reindeer skinsto keep guests warm as thetemperature doesn’t rise aboveminus5C–although this is quite snug really considering it can drop to -37C outside!