1-9 Oslo Great Annual Christmas Fair

Held at the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, this is the largest Christmas fair in Oslo. There’s a market in the old town with more than 100 stalls, and festivities will include concerts and dances. Don’t miss Santa’s Workshop while you’re here.

www.norskfolkemuseum.no

1-9 Toulouse Short Film Festival

Toulouse’s festival, also known as Séquence Court Métrage, attracts 300 entrants each year. Films must be fictional and run for 30 minutes or less, but other than that anything goes. This year’s festival also features the event’s first ever online award.

www.sequence-court.com

1-30 Copenhagen Oliver!

Lionel Bart’s much-loved adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel is being staged at Tivoli Concert Hall, directed by Mikael Melbye. The musical got 23 curtain calls on its opening night in 1960, which Bart missed because he was too nervous to watch the performance.

www.tivoli.dk

1-31 (until 5 January 2008) Athens El Greco & his workshop

This show at the Museum of Cycladic Art includes 58 paintings from many of Spain’s major museums and deals exclusively with the artist’s Spanish period. There are several paintings by El Greco himself, as well as work by his son, pupils and the workshop.

www.cycladic.gr

1-31 Munich Tollwood Winter Festival 2007

A ribald celebration of all things Germanic, Munich’s Tollwood Winter Festival attracts stars from across Bavaria and Austria. This year’s event will feature cabaret, circus events and variety shows, as well as a Christmas market and literary readings.

www.tollwood.de

14 Verbier Coco Club

The newly refurbished Coco Club opens its doors in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier. Its sleek interior, extensive cocktail list and rota of international DJs are in stark contrast to the usual après-ski spots and the opening night promises to be an opulent affair.

www.ococlub.ch

15-21 Gothenburg Christmas Concert

It doesn’t get much more festive than Gothenburg Opera House’s annual Christmas concert. Seasonal songs from the children’s choir and Gothenburg Opera Chorus are supplemented with glögg, gingerbread – and a visit from Father Christmas, of course.

www.opera.se

23 (until 8 January 2008) London The Tales of Beatrix Potter

Based on the film choreographed by Frederick Ashton, this ballet at the Royal Opera House is a must for anyone who loves Beatrix Potter’s timeless tales. See Mrs TiggyWinkle, Jeremy Fisher and Squirrel Nutkin all brought to life with astonishing costumes.

www.royaloperahouse.org

24 Rome Christmas Eve Vigil

Held in the shadow of the world’s most famous church and broadcast to more than 40 different countries, the St Peter’s Square midnight mass is a spectacular event. Even if the religious resonance is lost on you, the square and its Christmas tree are worth seeing.

www.aptroma.com

31 Brussels New Year’s Eve Fireworks

The annual Iris firework display is held on Mont des Arts, the historic square between downtown Brussels and its uptown quarters. There are few better places in the city to see in 2008.

www.bruxelles-tourisme.be