Crikey. Here are some dates for Christmas events

Before you know it, it’ll be New Year’s Eve and the preceding Christmas season will be a hazy memory. So while there’s chance here are some dates of forthcoming festive events.

* The traditional Christmas tree light-up will take place this Friday, 27 November, at 4.30pm on George Green. The Salvation Army will be there to make it properly festive. (But slapped wrist to @skyellis666 for this tweet… tut tut. Nice composition, though.)

@Wansteadium Spoiler alert! The Christmas tree lights are working. pic.twitter.com/Ise0ANclTD

— Slamin140 (@skyellis666) November 25, 2015

* School Christmas bazaars this weekend…

• On Saturday 28 November, Wanstead Church School from 11.30am until 2pm (more details here)
• On the same date, Our Lady of Lourdes Primary school from noon

* Still on Saturday 28 November, The Duke Christmas Street Party will start at 2pm, with food, live music and stalls. Plus an Apres Ski themed outside bar. Also a sleigh photo booth. Click/tap this image for more details.

* On 5 December there will be another Wanstead Makers’ Market at which local crafty folk will be selling their creations, almost as if knowing that people might be in need of presents to buy. It’s from 10am until 4pm and there are more details here, very stylishly illustrated.

* Advance notice of a Santa’s Grotto which will be visiting the Nightingale pub on 12 December from noon until 4pm. It costs £10 per child and entry is by timed ticket – which you can get here. It’s all in aid of the Wanstead Playground Association… which is, in a separate development, hoping people who go to Starbucks will back it in their Red Cup Challenge and help it raise a further chunk of money. More details about that here.

* Wanstead Shops and restaurants are again running a loyalty card this Christmas, with anyone who gets 10 stamps on their card being eligible to enter a draw. More details to come.

* There are also disturbing noises about Wanstead people being encouraged to wear Christmas jumpers on the High Street on 18 December.

• All year round the Wanstead Social Calendar is faithfully maintained by Stephanie Pettigrew, our social secretary. Thanks as ever go to her – if you’re organising an event, or if we’ve missed one you think we should include, you can let her know about it on this page.