CHRISTMAS celebrations are coming to town and Galashiels is ready to mark the occasion.

Residents and visitors can get into the festive spirit with plenty of events to enjoy.

Celebrations will kick off with the Galashiels Amateur Operatic Society (GAOS) Christmas Fair on Saturday, November 25 in the Volunteer Hall.

Running from 2-5pm the fair will be £2 per person to enter and will see more than 30 stalls take part.

There will also be tea, coffee, hot chocolate and Prosecco to enjoy as you browse.

Then on Thursday, November 30, Father Christmas joins Galashiels Rotary Club to make his first Galashiels area visit to Tweedbank.

A weekend of Christmas markets will then mark the start of December.

On Saturday, December 2 the Heartland Market returns for day one of its two-day event with more than 20 stalls taking to the space at the Great Tapestry of Scotland building.

It will welcome local and visiting businesses who will be selling a range of products, from fashion to sweet treats.

The Heartland Market will be joined by the Rotary Club’s Christmas market and entertainment provided by Galashiels Community Council.

From 10am to 4pm on December 2, Park Street and Channel Street will be closed to vehicles to make way for the town’s Christmas event.

The Rotary Club market will welcome 15 stallholders to the event, and the community council has arranged a day of storytellers, musical entertainment, face painting, children’s games and activities for families to enjoy.

And Santa and his sleigh will again join forces with the Rotary Club and meet youngsters at the market.

Sunday, December 3 will mark the second day of the Heartland Market.

Father Christmas will continue with his visits around Galashiels with the Rotary Club on Monday, December 4 in Balmoral, and then in the Langlee and Melrose Gait areas on Wednesday, December 6.

Details on the stops Santa will make on his visits can be found on the Galashiels Rotary Club Facebook page.

And the festive fun doesn’t end there!

From Tuesday, December 5 until Saturday, December 9, the Right Angle Theatre Company will return to the Volunteer Hall stage with this year’s Christmas pantomime Mother Goose.

Then at 7.30pm on Friday, December 15 Galashiels Town Band will take to the stage at MacArts for their Christmas concert.

Tickets are £10 for adults, £8 concession, and children who are in primary school are free.