A Northern Christmas 

Visitors travel from all over to feast their eyes upon the annual Fenwick's window. Fenwick’s unveiling their Christmas window display in Newcastle is seen as a pivotal moment in the North East's Christmas festivities, it is said to be the marking of the season beginning.

Visitors are eager every year to see what the different theme is. Themes from previous years include Alice in Wonderland, the Nightmare before Christmas and A Christmas Carol. This years' theme is a classic tale of Paddington Bear.

Dotted across the North East are a number of Santa's Grottos, a traditional Christmas place for children to meet Santa and tell him their Christmas lists, as well as potentially receiving an early Christmas present from the man himself.

Joe Kinsey, soon to be father of two, said: "My son has been talking about Christmas and Santa since October and been getting more and more excited so actually meeting him put a massive smile on his face. Plus, the fact he got a couple of small gifts to put under the tree made it a bit more special for him.

"I thought he would be a bit shy when meeting Santa but surprisingly he happily sat there and talked about all the things he wanted for Christmas, it was an all-round pleasant experience."

Beamish is famous for their annual Christmas festivities, where visitors can experience what Christmas was like in the North East during the 1800s, 1900s and 1940s.

Paul Foster, Beamish's Historic Events Officer, said: "Christmas at Beamish is a magical time of year, our festivities range from Georgian Twelfth Night at Pockerley Old Hall, through Edwardian merrymaking in The Town and Pit Village to Second World War celebrations at the 1940s Farm. 

"Added to this are Father Christmas and his magnificent reindeer, ice skating and bands and choirs performing carols and seasonal tunes. Beamish really is a taste of Christmas past."

There's nothing like a good Northern Christmas Market to get visitors into the Christmas spirit. 

There are a variety of markets available across the region which boast all the Christmas knick-knacks and mulled wine with roasted chestnuts that you may feast upon to your heart's content!

Christmas markets are usually free to enter into initially, and they are almost always the best places to pick up those little thoughtful gifts for family and friends, as well as gorge on the delicacies.

The world's oldest railway offers a North Pole experience in the form of a train ride aboard the North Pole Express. The experience consists of a four-mile train ride along the winter countryside, with the destination being a visit to Santa's Grotto.

David Watchman, Tanfield Railway Commercial Director said, "The North Pole Express at the Tanfield Railway is a magical train ride onboard Victorian railway carriages hauled by a real steam engine!

"Operated by enthusiastic volunteers every weekend from late November to Christmas Eve, the Tanfield Railway transports excited children and their families on a journey from East Tanfield station to visit Father Christmas in his specially built Grotto at the North Pole."