This Christmas there are many events unfolding locally and across Brisbane with something for the whole family.

The festive season will kick off locally with  community carols and twilight market events as well as two very special Baby's First Christmas events at Forest Lake and Calamvale this weekend.

Brisbane is anything but short of entertainment this Christmas with enough to keep the whole family occupied. Read on about how you and your loved ones can celebrate.

The holiday season can also be a time when crime spikes. Please pass the following onto anyone you know who lives in Algester, Calamvale, Parkinson, Stretton or Drewvale. If you see the following stolen vehicles: 2009 silver camry rego 686LVO; 2009 white mondeo rego JLD58 or; red holden rodeo ute ego 206SHZ, please call 000 immediately and advise police communications it is a stolen vehicle and is suspected of being involved in burglaries in the area. As a community we need to be vigilant and watch out for our neighbourhood to give the police the best chance of catching offenders.

From my family to yours, I wish you a Merry Christmas and many happy returns for a prosperous New Year in 2013.

Cr Angela Owen-Taylor
Councillor for Parkinson Ward

Tonight mark's the annual launch of the festive season in Brisbane with the lighting of the Brisbane City Christmas Tree in King George Square.

Join Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, Santa and a host of special quests, including Damien Leith, as they bring to life Australia's largest solar-powered Christmas Tree.

From 6:45pm enjoy fun, family entertainment including all your favourite Christmas carols, culminating in the lighting of the tree at approximately 7.30pm.

The fun doesn't end there, the tree will shine its bright lights every night until Christmas Eve, so make sure you pop by to catch a glimpse and get a family snap with Australia's largest solar-powered Christmas tree!

Saturday, 1 December - Calamvale

Sunday, 2 December - Forest Lake

Christmas is just around the corner and so too is the return of Baby’s first Christmas, a special event hosted by Brisbane City Councillor Angela Owen-Taylor and Australian Breastfeeding Association welcoming and celebrating your special child’s first Christmas.

Residents of Parkinson Ward will once again have the opportunity to assist new parents in the community celebrate their Baby’s first Christmas at two events across the Ward.

•  Calamvale 1 December 2012, 9am, Calamvale District Park meeting at the Large Outdoor Shelter off Ormskirk Street carpark, Calamvale.
•  Forest Lake 2 December 2012, 4pm, Sails Stage off Forest Lake Boulevard, Forest Lake (prior to community christmas carols).

All pre-registered babies receive a specially cast medallion, a photo of the presentation and a certificate signed by the Lord Mayor and Cr Angela Owen-Taylor.

The Baby’s First Christmas event allows new parents an opportunity to join with friends and family to celebrate this special time and also helps to provide a welcome  from a community perspective. It is a pleasure to promote events such as these as they enhance inclusion and community connectivity.

Come join as we celebrate this very special milestone with the smallest member's of our growing community.

Experience the magic of Christmas as the city comes to life with Christmas Songbook, Street Corner Carollers and the always popular Christmas Parade and Pantomime from today until Christmas Eve.

From Swing Central, to the Australian Girls’ Choir and The Andrews Sisters Tribute Band, enjoy free festive entertainment in the heart of the city.

Share a magical Christmas moment from the 14th of December with more than 200 performers in the city’s all singing, all dancing Christmas pantomime, set to delight audiences young and old.

Christmas in the City is a FREE event operating in Queen Street Mall and surrounds.

For more information click here.

I invite you to enjoy a community Christmas event on Friday 7 December at Festival Place in Calamvale District Park.

With something for everyone in the family, Christmas Carols and Twilight Stalls will run from 5pm to 9pm.

Come along wander through the stalls as Santa arrives at 5pm. Carols and entertainment begin at 6pm.

Enjoy a sausage sizzle, dabble in face painting or find the perfect Christmas gift at one of many stalls.

This event is being hosted by the SES South Western Group and is supported by the Councillor for Parkinson ward and Lord Mayor’ s Suburban Initiative Fund.

Brisbane’ s seniors are invited to celebrate the festive season with a free variety concert held in their honour.

The Lord Mayor’s Seniors’ Christmas Parties are Council’ s way of thanking our seniors for their contribution to the city and welcoming the festive season.

Enjoy seasonal refreshments followed by an outstanding variety concert that will raise the enjoyment stakes to new heights.

Two shows daily, 9.45am or 12.15pm. Bookings are essential, call qtix on 136 246.

To those who've already secured their tickets, I wish you the best for what is guaranteed to be a memorable outing for all.

Grand Avenue State School P&C invite you to come along to their community twilight markets on Saturday 8 December from 5pm to 9pm.

With over 100 stalls, food and drinks, children's entertainment, fruit and vegetables and a wide range of gifts from local craft makers, there's something for everyone.

Grand Avenue State School is located on the corner of Centennial Way and Grand Avenue at Forest Lake.

To note on your calendar, the P&C will be running Sunday markets in 2013 on every second Sunday of the month, commencing in February.

Brisbane residents are invited to enjoy the sparkle of Christmas in the suburbs with Council's Christmas Lights bus tours running nightly from 17 to 21 December, visiting winning entries from the annual 4KQ Christmas Lights competition.

Tours run for about three hours, with buses departing at 6:45pm from the following bus stops:

• Ann Street, City Anzac Square - buses available for northern, southern, and western suburbs
• Carindale Shopping Centre - eastern suburbs only
• Garden City Shopping Centre - southern suburbs only
• Indooroopilly Shopping Centre - western suburbs only
• Chermside Shopping Centre - northern suburbs only

Tickets must be pre-purchased through Ticketek and cannot be bought at the ‘bus door’.

The tour cost is $22 for adults, $11 for pensioners and children, $11 for full-time students and $50 for families with two adults and two children, plus transaction fees.

Please note:

• Patrons must have ticket in hand to board bus
• Toilet and refreshment stops will be available
• Addresses/routes of the houses that will be visited on the tour will not be distributed
• Food/drink can be taken on board for consumption outside of the bus when stopped but must be in plastic containers and all rubbish must be removed from the bus
• Singing of Christmas carols is mandatory

For further information on Christmas festivities phone Council on 3403 8888. To book tickets log on to www.ticketek.com.au or phone Ticketek on 132 849.

Bring the family into the City to marvel at the magical Myer Brisbane City Christmas windows, Myer's gift to The City every year and in 2012 celebrating its 57th year.

On display right through until 6 January, the theme of the windows each year is a tightly guarded secret, making it even more exciting!

Check out the windows and then head upstairs and experience Santaland - a fun interactive playground where kids can ride a locomotive train, visit Santa, have their photo taken and send a letter to the North Pole.