Renowned as one of the UK’s most popular tours and now in its 21st year, these shows are not to be missed and will this year feature special guests The Selecter’s Pauline Black and Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson.

Visit  www.thsh.co.uk

‘The Kardashians Made Me Do It’ is a searing and urgent exploration of life, love and Jihadi brides. A great opportunity to see last month’s cover girl performing live in her home town.

Visit www.oldreptheatre.co.uk

A cracking cast, lavish costumes, awesome songs and plenty of audience participation all adds up to seasonal family fun. Starring Sam Attwater and Bad Girl’s Nicole Farady.

Visit www.redditchpalacetheatre.co.uk

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice is calling for participants to join in with the festivities in its annual Christmas fun run. Sprinting into its third year, the Jingle Bell Jog returns to Kings Heath park in December. All joggers will receive a free Santa suit and bushy white beard to don while they complete the 2km route. At the finish line, runners will be given a medal as well as a festive mince pie. There’ll also be a special appearance from the Grinch and the big man himself.

Last year was the most successful Jingle Bell Jog to date with more than 400 Santa’s taking on the challenge, raising more than £12,000 for the Hospice. Christmas is a vital fundraising period for the organisation that provides a range of free services at its base in Selly Oak, as well as people’s homes and in the local community across Birmingham and Sandwell.

The jog kicks off the Hospice’s annual ‘Care at Christmas’ campaign, a jam-packed range of activities set to drive support for the hospice during the Christmas period.

Hamish Shilliday, Head of Fundraising at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice, said: “The Jingle Bell Jog provides the perfect opportunity for people in the community to show their support for the Hospice at this festive time. Your generosity paired with the dedication of our excellent staff and volunteers helps us to continue to provide the well-needed care for individuals and their families all year round. It’s also a really fun event so sign up and get involved and I can’t wait to see you cross the finish line!”

Registration opens at 9.30am and the run will start at 11am.

For more details and to register visit www.careatchristmas.org

Seek out an unusual Christmas pressie at the largest vetted art, antiques and interiors fair in the UK with more than 240 exhibitors and a huge range of antiques to suit every budget.

Visit www.antiquesforeveryone.co.uk

A permanent exhibition devoted to the history of staging Shakespeare’s plays with rarely-seen treasures on show and a chance step inside the mind of a director and generate your own Shakespearean plot.

Visit: www.rsc.org.uk

No sooner have the kids gone back to school and the pre-Christmas planning begins. Really no point in fighting it and there’s no better way to embrace the festive season than with this stunning ballet that delights young and old alike.

Visit www.brb.org.uk

A thrilling, swashbuckling voyage that will transport you to a far away, tropical island. This breath-taking, modern adaptation by Bryony Lavery retains all the adventure and excitement of Robert Louis Stevenson’s timeless classic.

Visit www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

Don’t miss a weekend of festive fun and the chance to meet Santa in his Christmas tree grotto and his live reindeer.

Visitors to the grotto can experience the Midlands’ largest Christmas tree – complete with over 1200 individual baubles and 2000 lights!

Keep the little ones entertained with appearances from a magician, scallywags soft play, face painting, colouring competitions, a golden ticket treasure hunt and a chance to meet a host of popular characters throughout the store. Enjoy festive music from singer Sarah Duce and tasty seasonal treats including mulled wine, mince pies and candy floss.

Visits to Santa’s Christmas tree grotto can be booked in advance in store with all profits donated to the nominated store charity, Help for Heroes.

For further information on Leekes visit www.leekes.co.uk.

The Jewellery Quarter is welcoming in the festive period with its annual Christmas lights switch on. Bespoke lights inspired by the Quarter’s rich heritage will light up the Quarter ready for Christmas.

Organised and funded by the JQBID, the big switch on will be taking place on Golden Square where there will be a show-stopping 30ft Christmas tree. Visitors can enjoy food from Birmingham favourite, Esmies’ Caribbean & Seafood, and for those with a sweet tooth, Platinum Pancakes will be on hand to serve up some Nutella goodness.

The Glamophones will be performing some festive and feel good covers, followed by local jazz band, Real Breeze, which ‘yule’ be sure to love and don’t miss a dazzling firework display against the backdrop of The Big Peg at 6pm.

For more information visit the Jewellery Quarter website at http://jewelleryquarter.net/kick-start-the-festivities-at-the-jq-light-switch-on/