That time of the year is fast approaching and as shop windows transform into illuminated worlds of dreams and wishes, our inner child comes to life with renewed zest.

Along with our plans for the Christmas meal, the brightly wrapped gifts for our loved ones, social events and the rest of merriment, a good number of us will be looking forward to travelling abroad.

Whether it’s meeting family living elsewhere, stimulating your senses at the romantic Christmas markets, bonding with your loved ones or getting away from the sensory overload and the forced chitchat, your experience will be smoother with easy and secure payments.

And to add to the bonanza and Christmas joy, this year we’re giving €1,000 cash prize to three lucky winners. To participate in the draw, scan the QR code on one of the BOV adverts at the MIA departures lounge, input your basic details, add your BOV Visa card to your digital wallet and while abroad, pay with your BOV card through your mobile phone or other device.

I still recall the days when we used to withdraw all our spending money beforehand and split the lot between us, just in case we lost our purse or got pickpocketed. Then, for every purchase we used to dig deep into our pocket, carefully sliding out the notes, making sure we are not being observed.

Those days are long gone. Card payments have long been the preferred way for online purchases and in stores, because unlike cash, they are (i) traceable (ii) more secure and (iii) convenient – no need to carry cash.

Your experience will be smoother with easy and secure payments

Furthermore, the premium cards offer additional benefits such as purchase protection insurance and loyalty points.

Paying with mobile phones, watches and other wearables is now the preferred way for consumers across the globe and for good reason.

1. Highly secure: when tapping your phone or wearable with the merchant POS, the authentication is done via a token, hiding your card details from the vendor.

2. Convenient: your wallet can stay safely stored while you pay through your watch or mobile.

3. Easier tracing of transactions: mobile wallets are very easy to use applications, available on all smartphones.

Make the best of this opportunity, enjoy your holidays in a safe and convenient way and who knows, some Christmas magic might come your way and make the festive season even more memorable.

Daniel Magrin is head of marketing and product lifecycle management at Bank of Valletta plc.

All BOV Visa Cards can be added to the major digital wallets and are eligible for the Christmas draw. Keep your PIN safe and separate from your phone or card, the NFC turned off when not in use and never give personal card details over the phone, through SMS or e-mail.

For extra protection, you are cordially requested to inform the bank of the dates when you will be travelling so that payments made during your holiday will not be flagged as suspicious.