Get set up for the festive season with a variety of Christmas events across Gwent

But have you decided where to go and what to do on the lead up to the big day?

Well, we’ve picked out some of the best Christmas events such as fairs, parties, markets and food festivals happening over the next few weeks for you to choose from.

NEWPORT

WHERE: High Cross Primary School

WHEN: Saturday, December 3

TIME: 12pm – 4pm

ENTRY: Free

In Newport today, High Cross Primary School is holding its annual fundraising winter fair.

Visitors can choose from a wide range of stalls selling a variety of Christmas gifts, and Father Christmas is at the fair to greet everyone from 12pm to 4pm.

WHERE: Ringland Library

WHEN: Monday, December 5

TIME: 11am – 12pm

ENTRY: Free

Do you have a favourite Christmas recipe? Well, why not go and share it with others next week and find out some new recipes for yourself in Ringland Library on Monday, December 5.

From 11am to 12pm, visitors will be able to share their recipes with each other as well as any craft ideas at the Christmas Coffee and Chat event.

WHERE: St Cadoc’s Church

WHEN: Monday, December 5

TIME: 8pm

ENTRY: £15 per person

If you’re looking for something a little different that incorporates both the festive season and art, why not go to the Caerleon Arts Festival’s Belshazzar's Feast on Monday night.

The event will start at 8pm at St Cadoc’s Church with traditional folk music as well as a bit of classical and jazz and there will also be festive music by the two Pauls.

Tickets are available on the Caerleon Arts Festival website or from Caerleon Post Office and the Diverse Record shop in Newport.

They cost £15 each and there is an extra £1.43 cost if they are booked online.

WHERE: National Roman Legion Museum

WHEN: Saturday, December 10

TIME: 11am – 4pm

ENTRY: Free

For another different take on Christmas, why not visit the National Roman Legion Museum in Caerleon to take a look at Saturnalia, the Roman winter festival.

The event will have special food on offer and visitors can take part in Christmas activities.

WHERE: Lysaght Institute

WHEN: Friday, December 16

TIME: 7pm – 12am

ENTRY: £35 per person

The Lysaght Institute will be celebrating a little early this year, and all visitors can enjoy limited mulled wine before the institute’s Christmas dinner.

The dinner, which is served at 8pm, is a seasonal menu of cream of vegetable and rosemary soup, warm bread rolls, a carvery buffet with a variety of meat and vegetables.

Tickets are £35 per person.

TORFAEN

WHERE: Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway

WHEN: December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18 and 21

TIME: All day until 3.30pm – 4.30pm

ENTRY: £10

For those who enjoy travelling, there will be Santa special train rides at the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway on most weekends throughout December.

Visitors can enjoy a longer train ride to Blaenavon High Level, where they can meet Santa in the station grotto.

The train will then return to Furnace Sidings following a non-stop run to Whistle Inn.

The buffet carriage will also be transformed into a festive waiting room along the platform so people can stay warm while waiting for the steam train to return.

For children, there will be an age appropriate gift given, and for adults there will be sherry and a mince pie.

To book online or for more details on times and dates go to pontypool-and-blaenavon.co.uk or call 01495 707448.

WHERE: Abertillery town centre

WHEN: Tuesday, December 6.

TIME: 5.30pm onwards

ENTRY: Free

The official Abertillery Christmas Lights Switch-on will take place in the town centre from 5.30pm.

The lights will be officially turned on at 6pm, but at 5.30pm there will be a lantern parade from Queen Street School.

WHAT: Christmas grotto

WHEN: December 17 – December 23

TIME: Varied

ENTRY: £14.50

Festive fun will descend on Torfaen over the festive period as it opens its Christmas grotto.

The Once Upon a Christmas grotto, hosted at Llanyrafon Manor, will open until December 23, inviting families to visit Santa’s secret Cwmbran snug and meet the man himself.

Against the backdrop of a roaring log fire, snuggly cushions and Christmas wonder, Santa will read Christmas stories, share the secrets of the North Pole and invite children to have a sing song.

Each child will be presented with a special gift box and letter from Santa and afterwards, families can look around the Manor House, visit the elf and fairy tea rooms or pick up Christmas gifts.

The sessions take one hour, five minutes, including 35 minutes with Santa.

Tickets are priced at £14.50 and parents must also provide their child’s gender, name and age range when booking.

To book, call 01633 648562.

WHAT: Winter Art Selling Exhibition

WHEN: December 1 – December 21

TIME: Tuesdays to Thursdays 10am – 4pm, Saturdays 1pm – 4pm

ENTRY: Small charge

The annual winter art selling exhibition will take place in the Oriel Barker Gallery at Pontypool Museum.

A selection of work in a variety of mediums and prices are available to buy. There is also a 50/50 exhibition in the museum’s coffee shop.

For more information, call 01495 752036 or email pontypoolmuseum@hotmail.com

MONMOUTHSHIRE

WHAT: A visit from Father Christmas

WHEN: Sunday, December 4 to Wednesday, December 21

TIME: Varied

ENTRY: Free

FATHER Christmas will start paying his annual visit to Chepstow and Monmouthshire across the next few weeks to bring festive cheer to local children.

He will also be visiting Chepstow and District Round Table to help them visit children in the local villages as well as bringing them presents.

He will be helped by friendly elves from Round Table who will be rattling buckets to help raise money for good causes and to help keep the kids safe.

The times, dates and places for the sleigh run are listed below:

Sunday, December 4 – First stop 4.30pm

Caldicot - Longfellow Road, Station Road, Firs Road, Church Road.

Wednesday, December 7 – First Stop 6.30pm

St. Arvans, Mathern

Friday, December 9– First stop 6.30pm

Garden City, St. Lawrence Park, The Danes.

Sunday, December 11– First stop 4.30pm

Tutshill - Elm Road, Wintour Gate.

Sedbury - Buttington Road, Mercian Way, King Alfred’s Road.

Wednesday, December 14– First stop 6.30pm

Caerwent: Ash Tree Road/Merton Green, Coach & Horses, Caerwent Village Hall/Highfield, Cannon Lane.

Friday, December 16 – First stop 6pm

Tintern (Abbey Area), Llandogo (Brown’s Shop).

Sunday, December 18 – First stop 4.30pm

Bulwark - Channel View, Mathern Way, Burnt Barn Road, Western Avenue, Somerset Way, Marten Road, Strongbow Road.

Thornwell - Lord Eldon Drive, Tesco Express, Thornwell Community Centre, Denbigh Drive, Bluebell Drive.

Wednesday, December 21 – First stop 6.30pm.

The Bayfields, Piercefield Avenue.

WHAT: Abergavenny Food Festival

WHEN: Sunday, December 11

TIME: 10am to 5pm

ENTRY: £5 per adult and free for children

Abergavenny Food Festival will return for the festive season this year with a Sunday event.

The festival is perfect for foodie gifts, and will include seasonal produce as well as extra events in the evening.

There will be more than 85 stallholders as well as cocktail mixologist Dom Jacobs holding his Master of Mixology event at Homes of Elegance on Mill Street from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

Other chef demonstrations include Matthew Dawkins from The Castle Inn, Usk cooking seabass and making lemon panna cotta, and the Abergavenny Baker Rachael Watson showing the public how to make a miniature German stollen recipe.

There will also be many workshops for children, including gift bag and card making sessions, fabric Christmas tree decoration sessions and a painting your own gingerbread session.

The Borough Brass band will be holding a marching parade with carol singing in the afternoon, so visitors are advised to wrap up warm and get their singing voices ready.

Wristbands for the event cost £5 for adults and free for children.

To buy the wristbands, visit abergavennyfoodfestival.com

CAERPHILLY COUNTY BOROUGH

WHAT: Blackwood Christmas Market

WHEN: Today (December 3) and tomorrow (December 4)

TIME: Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm

ENTRY: Free

Blackwood will be having a Christmas market and Santa’s Grotto in the town centre this weekend.

The market will feature a variety of festive gifts and food, as well as including funfair rides and face painting.

Visitors can reward themselves with an early Christmas treat and will be able to find a unique gift for someone special.

For further information call Caerphilly Visitor Centre on 029 2088 0011.