new to this

hi we are a couple and have decided to book our first ski holiday in December 19/20 2015. We are complete beginners so would like to know where to go at this time and best for beginners, had a look at a few but keep getting such conflicting answers we are on a budget too. Where do you recommend we should start that will have snow at the time (hopefully) thanks in advance any advice would be helpful, oh we are going to have a few lessons on dry slope to before we go.

You need somewhere snow sure - so fairly high.
Do you have a preference for language?
French, German, Italian, Spanish, Scandinavian??
You won't need anywhere big as beginners but easy peasy access to the nursery slopes is a big plus - carrying your kit a long way and on and off buses can be a trial until you get the hang of it.
Let us know a bit more and you will get lots of advice (no comment on the helpfullness of this though :) )
:thumbup:

not fussed as am hoping english speaking instructors at least was looking at France or Italy if had to choose

If your budget conscious, you might find lower priced holidays in France, but prices off the slopes for food and drink are a lot higher. Italy and Austria usually the cheapest. Going as early as mid December could be a risk with the snow as winter has been starting late this past few seasons.
I would suggest you take a look at packages through the usual operators - Crystal, Inghams, Neilson. They all offer learn to ski packages at good prices.

Somewhere like Les Arcs in France, La Thuile in Italy or Obergurgl in Austria might tick your boxes.

thanks for all info, will have a look at each place and decide

I would wait and book late. Gives you more time to check snow levels, that may open up better options for beginners. If Andorra gets a good start it's a great place to learn with excellent instruction as is Ober/Hochgurgl. I would definitely wait and see.

Don't bother with the dry slope. You'll fall over and hurt yourself and you'll be put off skiing or won't be able to go on holiday. You'll learn more on your first day of snow school than from multiple visits to a dry slope.

That being said, it could save you some time and get you familiar with the equipment by doing an intro at an indoor centre such as the snow dome. However, it's probably a very expensive option compared with an additional day of snow school when you're on holiday.

Val Thorens is a safe bet at that time of year and you can access the rest of the 3 Valleys if the snow is good. I'm not sure I'd recommend it as a place to learn though. It will be very busy as Christmas approaches.

Consider Le Tour near Chamonix as a good place to learn.

Of course I would suggest Western Canada as the best place to learn, but the cost of the package could be a deal breaker. The plus is that food is generally a lot cheaper and the dollar is very cheap at the moment. Ski pass prices are much higher in Canada than in Europe. However, many resorts have now started to offer packages that include passes to beginner lifts only with lessons and equipment hire included for about the same price as a regular lift ticket. This represents very good value. At that time of year, Sunshine Village / Banff is very snow sure.

Contrary to what the above poster says, the dry slope lessons are a good idea. You'll get used to using the equipment, you'll learn some of the basics in a benign environment without the hustle, bustle, nervousness and excitement of the first day in the resort. The quality of instruction at UK slopes is generally very high.