1. A Christmas Carol

The Company of Ten is taking audiences back to Dickensian London this December to visit miserly old Ebenezer Scrooge. He’s too penny-pinching to put on the heating, too mean-spirited to give to charity and way too anti-social to want to wish anyone a merry anything.

But this is Christmas and something has to be done about him. Cue a fun-filled adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and an amazing cast of characters who together try to find the good, kind man they know must still be somewhere deep inside ghastly old Scrooge.

“A Christmas Carol is a timeless tale of forgiveness and redemption,” says Philip Reardon. “As co-director, my motivation in producing our version of this wonderful story was to bring out the humour from the original book. I don’t believe in change for change’s sake but looking closely at the story and delving deep into Dickens’ text, I realised that many of the situations that the brilliantly-drawn characters find themselves in are very funny indeed. So come and experience a thick Yuletide slice of Victorian life in a sometimes moving, sometimes amusing, truly heart-warming classic Christmas tale.”

Performances take place at the Abbey Theatre from December 15 to 29, at 2.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm. To book tickets go to abbeytheatre.org.uk or call 01727 857861.

2. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

It may be getting colder outside, but things are hotting up inside the Harpenden Public Halls. With just days to go until the opening night, rehearsals are in full swing and this really does promise to be Harpenden Public Halls’ biggest and most spectacular pantomime yet.

Starring TV heart throb Jeremy Edwards (Hollyoaks, Holby City and CBBC’s Millie Inbetween) as Prince Charming and, back by popular demand, Harpenden’s favourite panto dame, Steve Shappelle as the hilarious Nurse Nelly, expect fantastic songs and dancing, dazzling costumes, hilarious comedy, amazing special effects and plenty of audience participation

The charming fairy tale story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will captivate audiences of all ages and is the perfect festive treat for the whole family.

Taking place at Harpenden Public Halls from December 8 to 30. Visit harpendenpublichalls.co.uk or call 01582 767525.

3. Christmas Concert

Harpenden Choral Society will be performing its annual Christmas Carol Concert on December 18 at 7.30pm in the High Street Methodist Church, Harpenden. Conducted by John Andrews and accompanied on the organ by Roger Carter, the concert will feature many traditional favourites for both choir and audience, as well as specially chosen readings to mark the 1918 Armistice. Please join us in celebrating this centenary Christmas celebration in the heart of our town. Seasonal refreshments, which are included in the ticket price, will be served in the hall immediately after the concert.

This year’s appeal and retiring collection will be in aid of Youth Talk, a local charity providing counselling support for young people aged 13 – 25 who live, work or are being educated in the Harpenden and St Albans District. Youth Talk was founded by a local GP in 1997 after she realised there was a need for a safe place where young people could come for counselling and support. Since then over 2700 young people have used the service, offering more than 60 counselling sessions each week.

Book online at ticketsource.co.uk.harpendenchoralsociety.org