WITH the Island starting to light up with colour, Newport's Day of Christmas a successful start to the festive season, and your favourite jingles on the radio, it can only mean one thing... Christmas is just around the corner.

With this season's festivities already underway, the question on everyone's lips is, where can I next meet Santa on the Isle of Wight?

As you can imagine, Father Christmas is extremely busy at this time of year, however the County Press has compiled a list of four top locations where he can be spotted in the run-up to Christmas, if you didn't catch him in Newport this weekend!

Isle of Wight Steam Railway

This December, Father Christmas will be at Isle of Wight's Steam Railway on select dates.

In an official statement online, Father Christmas wrote: "My friends at the Steam Railway have been busy helping me get everything ready for the big day; they’ve even given me an extra special space to meet everyone, inside one of their beautiful Victorian carriages. I look forward to hearing all your Christmas wishes and if you’ve been good I will have a special gift for each and every child who visits me."

He will be at the Steam Railway Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 December, as well as 11, 12, 18, 19, 22 and 24. Departures vary depending on the day.

Wildheart Animal Sanctuary

This year, Father Christmas will be launching his wonderland grotto with carols, festive food and mulled wine for all guests to enjoy, along with the company of some special animals.

Although Father Christmas is busy, he will be at the animal sanctuary every weekend on the run up to Christmas. The cafe will also be serving festive treats throughout the season.

Wildheart Animal Sanctuary is the former Isle of Wight Zoo, located in Yaverland, Sandown.

Isle of Wight County Press:

Father Christmas inside Newport Minster yesterday! Picture by Pamela Parker, County Press merchandiser.

Tapnell Farm

Tapnell Farm welcomes Father Christmas for another year of festivities, bringing along new characters and adventures.

Starting with at home with a letter from Smudge The Naughty Elf, who is writing to children, inviting them to come and help him, before eventually meeting Santa.

The journey then continues with a 45-minute experience lead by a team of highly trained elves who will be storytelling and solving puzzles.

Santa will spreading Christmas cheer on the farm from: Friday 3, Sunday 5, Thursday 9, Sunday 12, Thursday 16, Saturday 18, Tuesday 21 and Thursday 23 December, with a host of activities for the little ones and adults throughout the whole of December.

Due to Covid restrictions, minimum group sizes are three and maximum is six, with the experience being a 'group participation' .

Robin Hill

This year at Robin Hill, POLAR continues throughout select evenings, bringing the magic of the Walk of Wonder, the Big Red Express, Jungle Heights, and the Decoration Workshop all through the month of December, from 4 to 23.

Festive treats, drinks and live carols can be heard as you join life-like polar bears, Pippa and Pop in their magical woodland Hollow, before meeting special guests along the way, from Dodos, Fairy Queen from Blackgang Chine.

You will also have the chance to meet Father Christmas on the Big Red Express as he takes you on a magical tractor journey through the unexplored tracks of Robin Hill's Woodland Valley.

There will also be decoration workshops, festive rides, illuminated woodland to walk through, a walk of wonder and a treetop snowball fight.

*Other venues are available of course, but there's no Father Christmas at The Needles: Landmark Attraction, or Busy Bee Garden Centre, this year.