Ferret Unlocked: don't miss out on all the latest in Lifestyle

The Stray Ferret's lifestyle team is always hard at work, shining a spotlight on what's happening in the Harrogate district, especially during the festive season.

Don't forget to check out our regular round-up of activities to find out what's happening in your area - it's published every Wednesday, to provide some inspiration for the weekend. From Ripon's Illuminated Winter Wonderland to festive pizza making, there's plenty to do between December 13 - 15.

Looking back to last week, the team has continued to produce a number of photo galleries from festive events across the district, taken by a professional photographer - check out our images from Horticap, the Great Knaresborough Tree Festival and Henshaws choir performing Carols by Candlelight at Ripon Cathedral.

Nicely on theme, our food writer Yemi tackled some of those Christmas dinner stresses in her step-by-step guide to whipping up the perfect meal, regardless of your budget. 

Keeping things food-related, we also spoke to Nick Copland from Homage2Fromage to get his tips on how to create the best festive cheeseboard for your Boxing Day buffet table. 

On a slightly different - but just as wholesome - topic, we also spoke to animal rescue centres in the district to highlight some of the pets that are still looking for a home before the year is out.

Turning our attention to this week and the weekend, we've just published our review of Harrogate Theatre's  panto Beauty and the Beast (spoiler alert: we loved the smashing plate skit).

For many, Christmas is for spending quality time together at home as a family. At Saint Michael's Hospice, the festive period might look a little different - but that doesn't mean it won't be just as special. 

Look out for our feature on the staff who work tirelessly to ensure that Christmas for the patients and families in their care is as magical as possible.

We were also lucky enough to attend Killinghall Primary School's Nativity dress rehearsal earlier in the week, and we've tried to capture the whole experience in our article, due to be published on Sunday.

Finally, by subscribing to the Stray Ferret, readers can enjoy a range of fantastic exclusive offers, discounts and giveaways from local businesses, which we regularly update. From treatments, experiences and dining out find out what you could save money on this Christmas time.

Get started with a subscription to the Stray Ferret today and stay informed with what’s happening in your local area. Or give the gift of local news to a loved one this Christmas time.