Everyone knows that Christmas comes this time of year, but it's also when popular Pembrokeshire theme park Oakwood undergoes its annual Yuletide transformation to Magical Christmasland.
Fast becoming as traditional as tinsel, turkey and Only Fools and Horses on the TV, this is the seventh successive year that the theme park has effected its festive transformation and it's as fabulous as ever.
From the moment you arrive at the Narberth fun park, fairylights twinkle and festive music fills the air to welcome you to a winter wonderland of traditional Yuletide merriment.
Oakwood's Magical Christmasland sees the attraction's popular KidzWorld transformed into a festive fairytale world to delight young and old in the run-up to Christmas - and once again all the major attractions are undercover with a 400 square metre marquee erected over all the rides to ensure festive fun despite whatever the winter can throw at you.
A short journey on the Santa Express takes you into the park where children can enjoy all the fun of the fair, with merry-go-rounds, ferris wheels, aeroplanes and truck rides.
You can even take a rollercoaster ride in Santa's sleigh, complete with Rudolph leading the way!
The fun does not stop there, however, with other attractions including all the educational excitement of Techniquest, the chance to explore the wonders of the Lost Kingdom, and all the fun of Oakwood's Arctic themed adventure playground, The North Pole.
You cane take a trip through the Enchanted Forest and even have a snowball fight whatever the weather, with The Wacky Factory metamorphosing into The Snow Blaster, a chiller thriller indoor adventure land equipped with thousands of soft 'snowballs' which can be shot, dropped, dumped, bagged and blasted - or even just thrown around like real snowballs!
You can try your hand at candle-making, chance your arm on sideshow attractions, have your face painted, and even take a trip to see Santa himself in his Grotto.
Using their own special magic, Oakwood have once again been able to transport Santa's North Pole hideaway into the heart of West Wales where you can meet the great man himself and watch his elves busy at work building, painting and packing presents ready to load onto the sleigh for Christmas Eve.
The beauty of Christmasland is that you only pay once. All the rides are free - although there is an additional charge for some of the games and other activities.
Magical Christmasland is open all day, but when dusk gathers, the park takes on an even more magical feel, with thousands of twinkling fairylights bringing a warm glow to the wintry evenings.
You can choose to just enjoy the delights of Christmasland, but once again, Oakwood has the additional attraction of a specially written professional pantomime.
This year it's Robinson Crusoe, so after a few hours cramming in all the the attractions, and a quick pit stop for some tempting festive fare, including a scrumptious Christmas dinner in a roll, and donut dippers washed down with a whipped cream-topped hot chocolate, it was time to head off to Oakwood's purpose-built 400-seater theatre for the main event.
Robinson Crusoe is the seventh annual pantomime staged at Oakwood since the first, Cinderella, in 1995, and it's every bit as good as its predecessors.
Written and directed once again by Adam Daye, this was British festive fun at its traditional best with all the usual pantomime paraphernalia on display.
If you think you hear a faint whirring sound, don't worry, it's just Daniel Defoe spinning in his grave, because this is Robinson Crusoe by way of Treasure Island, Mutiny on the Bounty and a host of other pirate tales, and it's every bit as exciting.
Crusoe and his friends embark on Captain Cockle's (Paul Hurstfield's) good ship Saucy Nancy intent on adventure on the high seas.
Unbeknown to them, however, is the fact that One-Eyed Pew, the ship's navigator, is really none other than cut-throat pirate Bluebeard, who is intent on stealing the ship and sailing in search of the treasure island shown on a map owned by the Spirit of the Northern Star (Yvonne Lloyd).
Amid all the usual pantomime staples, colourful costumes, energetic dance routines, hissable villains, sing-a-long songs, top-drawer performances, corny jokes, knockabout humour and seaside postcard sauciness, Robinson and Co. find themselves cast adrift, helped by King Neptune and deposited on the treasure island.
There they are helped by Shakespeare-quoting Man Friday (Jonathan Sheldon), leading to treasure being found, villains being vanquished and happy endings all round.
A bright and bouncy blend of high camp and low farce, with foot-tapping music and fabulous choreography by Mark Short - the sailors' hornpipe being a particular stand out - Robinson Crusoe also benefited from some first-rate performances.
Notwithstanding those already mentioned, taking centre stage was singer/songwriter Gary Rawlings, who made for an effectivly heroic Robinson, while Jody Peach, as the love of his life, Polly, charmed one and all with her singing talent.
Director Daye, usually more familiar as Oakwood's Dame, demonstrated his versatility by swapping sides to become the booable baddie Bluebeard (my son Wesley gave him the thumbs up as being 'cool'), with his oversized high heels being ably filled this time around by Martin Ramsdin, as Robinson's mum.
However, top honours must go to up-and-coming young comedian Paul Eastwood, as Robinson's brother Billy, who cheekily charmed the audience with his quick-witted (and obviously unscripted) asides and effervescent personality.
He and the rest of the cast were obviously enjoying themselves every bit as much as the audience, who revelled in all the usual 'behind yous' and 'oh yes he dids'.
Special mention must also go to the dancers, Paul Dyke, Hayley Carver, Gemma Facinelli, Jessica Tilli, Laura Tilli and Jose Manuel De Sa, not only for the aforementioned hornpipe, but also for the energy and vitality they brought to all the chorus numbers.
Also thrown into the melting pot were some superb scenery and some of the most glitzy costumes yet, although there was a slight problem with gremlins in the sound system which made it difficult to hear the singers over the music on the evening I attended with my family.
That said, the show was first-rate entertainment which delighted young and old alike.
When asked what she felt was the best bit of the day, daughter Scarlett simply answered: "Everything" - sentiments that I must admit I was feeling myself.
That is the beauty of the Magical Christmasland experience, it appeals to children and the child in all of us, even the stoniest-hearted Scrooge will be enchanted by its spell.
Magical Christmasland and Robinson Crusoe opened last Saturday and run until December 31.
For further information and bookings contact (0845) 3455667.
ANDREW DAVIES