As much as I love Edmonton, my mind seems to naturally drift to warmer climes when the mercury drops. How easy is it to get lost in a daydream just looking at the photos below?

The sky that never ends…

Can I have the bottle please?

And as luck would have it, I have a gift basket from the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) in British Columbia to give away – just in time for Christmas! The basket is worth over $750, and includes: 

• One nights’ accommodation for two from Accent Inns
• A Red and White Vinotherapy spa lotion and 20 “Spa Dollars” from Beyond Wrapture Spa
• One nights’ accommodation for two from Best Western Kelowna
• Two lift tickets for Big White
• An Okanagan Wine Cheese Plate made from recycled VQA Wine bottles
• One bottle of Okanagan-Similkameen Wine from the  Okanagan Wine Festivals Society: 
• A complementary upgrade to one bedroom executive suite for two people from Sandman Group Kelowna
• A$25 gift certificate from Chop Restaurant
• One body butter cream sample from Smudge
• A $10 coupon towards a wine purchase at their Wine Shop and a tasting and tour gift certificate for Summerhill Pyramid Winery
• A Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association 2010 Vacation Guide
• One nights’ accommodation in a complementary suite and a $50 credit at the Wine Bar from the Watermark Beach Resort
• A copy of the Fall/Winter 2010 Wineries Refined Magazine

Though I’ve been through the Okanagan region before, it was many, many years ago, and I was too young to appreciate the full bounty of our neighbour to the west (well that, and being a child, the wineries were off limits). I do, however, remember seeing more fruit on trees than I ever had before. Cherry picking our way through one orchard, my youngest sister gorged herself to the point of inevitable illness.

Since then, I’ve only explored the area vicariously through a few of my fellow local bloggers – Jennifer Cockrall-King, who organizes the annual Okanagan Food & Wine Writers Workshop, FoodieSuz, and Liane Faulder – a read through their experiences is to believe that paradise is only a half day away. The winner of this basket will no doubt have an amazing time getting acquainted with the area firsthand!

Food, glorious food

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment below with your favourite memory of the Okanagan. Or, if you’ve never visited the area before, what do you most look forward to enjoying in the Okanagan? The contest closes at 5 p.m. on December 3, 2010. I will contact the winner by e-mail.

To learn more about the Thompson Okanagan region, check out their website, Facebook page, or follow them on Twitter. Good luck!

Edit on December 6, 2010: Congratulations to George Wenzel for winning the basket. Enjoy your trip, George!