Christmas is getting closer and if you're little ones want to meet Santa before the big day, he'll be popping up in various locations all over Dorset.

Here's our round-up of where to meet Father Christmas and other festive events happening this weekend.

If you've got a Christmas event you'd like us to include, email digital@bournemouthecho.co.uk

Please note: we appreciate some of these events are more expensive than others but we've tried to cater for all budgets. 

Enjoy breakfast with Santa and meet him in his magical grotto at John Browns Garden Centre, near Wimborne, on weekends during December. Tickets are priced at £7 for breakfast with Santa before meeting him in his grotto for an additional charge. All profits will be going to Dorset disability charity Diverse Abilities.

Families are invited to meet Father Christmas at the RSPB's Radipole Lake nature reserve in Weymouth on Saturday, December 12 from 1pm to 3pm. Booking is not required.

Little ones can meet Santa in Stewarts Garden Centre's Winter Wonderland in Christchurch and Wimborne until Christmas Eve. Costs £7.95 for children aged seven months to 14-years-old and includes a gift from Santa.

Children can meet Santa during Southbourne's Christmas on the Green event on Saturday, December 12 between 10am-4pm, at a cost of £5 per child. There will also be carols and festive treats.

Father Christmas will be taking to the Christmas Stage in the Square to meet children and hand out sweets every day at 5pm until Christmas Eve.

Children and their families can meet Santa and enjoy some festive carols at Farmer Palmers on Sunday, December 13. The event takes place at 3pm. Tickets to see Santa are £5.50 in addition to normal admission. Advanced booking is not necessary. For more information, call Farmer Palmers on 01202 622022.

£10 and over

The Upton Country Park Christmas Grotto is open until December 24. Children can feed the reindeer, turkeys and piglets before entering the grotto to meet Father Christmas and his elves. They will also receive a gift and photo. Costs £12.95 per child, £7.95 for under 2s and £2.95 per adult.

Swanage Railway's Santa Specials will be running on December 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24. They leave Swanage Station at 10.30am, 12.05pm, 1.40pm and 3.15pm. For £15, children will get a present from Father Christmas, soft drink and biscuit as well as an hour-long train ride and entertainment, while adults will get a mince pie and festive drink for £15.

Set sail with Santa and enjoy an hour long cruise from Poole Quay. There will also be an onboard show from Dr Balloonman or Izzy Wizzy. Costs £13.50 for adults and children aged 3 to 17 when booked online. Runs December 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24. http://www.citycruisespoole.com/christmas-santa-poole-bournemouth

Paddle to meet Father Christmas at the New Forest Activities Centre, Beaulieu on Saturday, December 12 from 11am to 12.30pm. The Christmas Paddle adventure includes a 90-minute canoe trip on the Beaulieu River, meeting Father Christmas, a gift for anyone under 16 , hot drinks and mince pies on arrival. To book contact the New Forest Activities Booking Centre in Beaulieu on 01590 612377. Costs £22 for adults and £17 for children

Festive events this weekend 

Verwood's Christmas Extravaganza takes place between 5pm and 8pm on Saturday, December 12. Taking place on Ferrett’s Green there will be a chance for the kids to meet Father Christmas before he switches on the lights with the mayor.

Wareham's Christmas lights switch on and parade takes place on Sunday, December 13, with Santa making his traditional climb down the chimney of the Red Lion pub at 4pm. Refreshments follow at the town hall.

Runton Road's Christmas lights are switched on between 5 and 6pm on Saturday, December 12. The event will raise money for Forest Holme Hospice, Julia's House, seven-year-old Mason White who has EB and Olly Reid who has cerebral palsy. The lights will be switched on every night until January 6.

The principal band of Verwood Concert Brass is to perform a Christmas concert in the Minster church on Saturday, December 12 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £10 each.

Enjoy some traditional Christmas carols at St Mary's Church in West Moors on Sunday, December 13. The concert will be taking place at the church in Station Road, opposite the Memorial Hall, from 6pm.

A Christmas celebration concert will be held at St Aldhelm’s Church on Saturday, December 12 at 7.30pm. It will feature vocal harmony group Salvacosta with Darren Barlett, the Woodfalls Brass Band and the Dynamix Youth Choir. The money raised will help support Brendoncare's clubs for older people, which aim to tackle loneliness and isolation. Tickets cost £8.50 (unreserved) and are available on 01202 571485.

There will be music and carols with The Flute Group and the Wind Quintet at the Milford Village Community Centre from 3pm on Saturday, December 12. There will be a retiring collection for the Mental Health Foundation.

The choir of Moordown St John’s Primary School is performing a carol concert on Saturday, December 12. They will be singing Christmas favourites outside Obscura Cafe in the Square between 11am and 2pm. Santa will also be making an appearance.
The concert is in aid of the Mayor’s charity appeal fund, which benefits Julia’s House, Macmillan Caring Locally and The Bournemouth Leukaemia Fund, among others.

The Christmas Dorset gallery Art and Craft Show will be held at Wareham town hall on Saturday, December 12. A selection of locally-produced crafts will be available including jewellery and textiles, as well as photography and fine and contemporary art. Visitors can watch a number of arts and crafts being created on-location from the likes of award-winning contemporary artist Esme James.

A Christmas Fayre takes place at St Francis of Assisi Church, Charminster Road, on Friday, December 11 from 6pm-9pm and Saturday from 10am-1pm. There will be many stalls, including gifts, raffles, tombola, toys, books, CDs and DVDs, as well as Frankies Fashions with clothes and accessories. Refreshments will be available and admission is free.

There will be a Christmas handicraft fair at the Milford-on-Sea guide hut from 10am until midday on Saturday, December 12, in aid of the guide hut roof appeal and Arnewood district Guides and Brownies.

Glenmoor and Winton Academies are holding a Christmas Gala on Friday, December 10. The Christmas Fayre is from 6pm and a concert involving 200 pupils starts at 7.15pm. Adult tickets are £3 and concessions are £2 from the school.

A Christmas Tree Festival and Craft Fayre takes place at St James' Church in the old town until Wednesday 16. Trees will be decorated on Friday, December 11 from 10am to 4pm and judging will take place at the cheese and wine evening from 7pm. There will also be live music. Tickets cost £10 from the church office. The craft fayre takes place on the Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

The seventh annual Great Santa Fun Run at Badbury Rings takes place on Sunday, December 13. The run begins at 11am, and a warm-up session will take place at 10.30am. Participants can run or walk a course of either two of four miles to raise money for a charity of their choice. Dogs are also welcome to take part. The entry is is £10 or £6 for children aged eight to 14, to include a Santa suit to keep and a donation to Ferndown-based organisation, the John Thornton Young Achievers' Foundation. For information or to enter, email info@santawimbornerotary.org.uk

Join Hattie Miles for a festive guided walk in Westbourne on December Saturday, December 12. Come along and you will find that Westbourne’s history has many parallels with the development of our traditional Christmas celebrations. You will also discover some of the areas hidden secrets and find out about famous people connected to the area (all with a Christmassy slant!). Meet at the Seamoor Road entrance of the Arcade before 10.45 am. The walk for an hour-and-a-half. This is a moderate and mostly level walk. Please be aware of the weather and wear appropriate clothes and footwear. walkingtalks.wordpress.com

A Christmas walk around Brownsea Island takes place on Saturday, December 12 from 10.30am to 3pm. The boat leaves from Sandbanks. Tickets £12. Booking essential call 01202 707744.

Little ones can make their own personalised snowmen at Boscombe Library on Saturday, December 12 from 10.30am.

Westbourne Library will be hosting Christmas drop-in craft-making session for children aged four and over every Saturday throughout December.

There will be free frosty fun at Charminster Library on Saturday, December 12, between 10am and 12pm with snowmen activities and games for little ones.

Children can make a gold-coloured reindeer hat at Hengistbury Head, on Broadway, on Saturday, December 12. It is suitable for ages four and over organised by the RSPB running from 11am to 3pm at a cost of £3.50 per hat.Call Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre on 01202 420909.

The Purbeck Christmas Tree Festival will celebrate advent with around 50 sponsored trees adorned with unique decorations on Friday, December 11. The event, which takes place at the Emmanuel Baptist Church and Centre on Victoria Avenue, will involve a variety of festive activities and musical performances.

The Belvedere Singers will perform A Christmas Tapestry at St Mary's Church, Swanage, on Saturday at 7.30pm, December 12. This concert, in aid of Friends of Swanage Hospital. It starts at 7.30pm and costs £10 on the doorCall 01929 423729 for further information.

Three festive films a day are being shown in Santa's Cinema in the Dolphin Shopping Centre in the run-up to Christmas. Films are being screened at 11am, 1pm and 3pm each day until Wednesday, December 23. On Saturday, December 12, you can see Kung Fu Panda's Winter Wonderland, The Snowman And The Snowdog and Arthur Christmas. Then on Sunday, December 13, you can watch Merry Madagascar, Shrek The Halls and Arthur Christmas. For full schedule, visit dolphinshoppingcentre.co.uk/events/santa-s-cinema.html

Families are invited to follow Santa’s Christmas Adventure Trail at Avon Tyrrell Outdoor Activity Centre this Saturday, December 12. The event runs from 10am to 2pm and it is estimated that it will take around two hours to complete the trail which involves completing challenges and solving clues. Cost is £3 per child and parents or carers go free of charge. For more information, go to Visit Avontyrrell.org.uk or call 01425 672347.

There will be music and festive fun from 11am until 10pm every day until January 2 (apart from Christmas Day) on the Christmas Stage in the Square.