Carry on the festive cheer in Madrid

For us work-stressed Brits, the festive season ends abruptly as soon as the New Year's hangover has disappeared.

From the second day of January, it's business as usual and no time off until Easter which, when coupled with dreary weather and just a few hours of daylight every day, does not make for a happy workforce.

However, over in Spain, they do things a bit differently around the Christmas and New Year period.

Rather than getting it all over and done with in just a couple of days, Christmas Day and Boxing Day are duly recognised across Spain, though the real celebrations take place on January 6th.

Known as Los Reyes Magos, or the Three Kings' Day, the nation-wide celebrations mark the day when the kings finally made it to see Jesus in Bethlehem after being held up by some dodgy directions.

While many of the traditions are quite private, such as the way the children put food and water outside their homes for the kings and their camels or families attend mass together, the good news for curious tourists is that Madrid hosts a boisterous parade which brings the city's residents together in the Plaza Real for a day-long party.

However, for those too old to be fighting the children over the sweets thrown from the floats making up the parade, the Santa Ana area just south of the Puerta del Sol – a district said to have more bars than the whole of Belgium – comes alive once everyone's got their family commitments out of the way.

As with every other night in the Spanish capital, things really get going around midnight, before which it's best to stick to the Irish pubs and tapas bars if you want a drink before then.

Once the early hours come round, however, it's all too easy to see why the city deserves its reputation as the party-capital of Europe.

From salsa and flamenco to contemporary dance, it's easy to find a bar or club boasting every type of music on the planet in the space of just a couple of blocks, while the prices look ridiculously cheap in comparison to some other European capitals.

Despite the opportunity to dance until the sun comes up the next morning, the savvy locals know when to call it a night and head home in preparation for the post Los Reyes sales.

Unlike in the UK, where shops put down prices before Christmas itself, in Madrid, the January sales are just that, with all the major retailers along the Gran Via offering fantastic discounts for those brave enough to take on the crowds.

With cheap flights to the Spanish capital all too easy to get hold of these days, there's need to put up with the post-Christmas blues, so pack your bags and sort out the travel insurance and stretch out the holiday period for a little bit longer.