Meet Father Christmas - himself! - for a Holiday photo memento at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rosemary Guglielmelli

Applaud the high kicks and saucy frillies of the Can-Can Bijou at Mad Sal's Dockside Ale House, at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Enjoy hand-made sweets and savory treats from near and far at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Raise a toast to the Yuletide Season at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party! Photo credit: Rich Yee

Laugh and cheer a lively classic Christmas pantomime at the The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Robin Fadtke

Take in a rousing performance of Gilbert & Sullivan's "Trial By Jury" at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rosemary Guglielmelli

Be confounded at Professor Flockmocker's workshop by curious inventions, dubious facts, and unconventional science, at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Laugh and applaud the antics of Baron Munschausen, Mopsa the Fairy and friends in an adventurous Christmas pantomime at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Robin Fadtke

The young - and young at heart alike - are captivated by family-friendly entertainments at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Robin Fadtke

Glimpse the illustrious author Charles Dickens as he presides over a holiday feast in his family parlour at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Behold thrilling jugglery with the Trickish Matters of Jeremiah Johnston, on the Pennygaff Stage at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party! Photo credit: Rich Yee

Meet Father Christmas - himself! - and share your holiday wishes with him at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party! Photo credit: Rich Yee

Cheer Queen Victoria herself as she progresses through the streets of "London in San Francisco" at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Robin Fadtke

Prince Albert presides over Queen Victoria's brilliantly attired court at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Robin Fadtke

Have your hair beautifully braided and decorated with sparkling adornments at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Yuletide revelers celebrate the Season as they explore the vibrant Grand Concourse of The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

See the spectacular Adventure Carousel and take a ride on your favorite wild animal, at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party! Photo credit: Rich Yee

Over 100 beautifully decorated shops offer one-of-a-kind artisan treasures at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Wet your whistle at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party, with five authentic pubs serving ales, wines, bubbly, hot buttered rum and more! Photo credit: Rich Yee

Make your own Fairy House and other unique handcrafts for very special gifts for those you love at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Charles Dickens - himself! - enthralls his audience with evocative readings from his famous 'Christmas Carol' story at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Sing along with a brassy bevy of corset-clad Ladies at Mad Sal's Dockside Ale House, at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Who's going to the hoosegow? Enjoy rollicking clownery and pratfalls in a lively Christmas pantomime at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Robin Fadtke

Fancy a waltz or a jig? Learn how at Fezziwig's Dance Party, with a live brass band, at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party! Photo credit: Rich Yee

Join in a bawdy sing-along with the legendary Mad Sal herself at the guffaw-inducing Mad Sal's Music Hall, dockside at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Seek the true spirit of Christmas with Ebenezer Scrooge and the Ghost of Jacob Marley, at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Fresh-baked cookies warm from the oven served with cold milk are just one of the many treats available at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Even grouchy miser Ebenezer Scrooge discovers the true spirit of Christmas at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party! Photo credit: Rich Yee

The dashing proprietors of B&P Confectionary & Toy Shoppe, just one of a hundred Victorian shops offering unique holiday treasures at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Meet Father Christmas, the illustrious author Charles Dickens, and Victorian characters real and imagined at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Beppe Sabatini

Announcing the opening of the Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party! Photo credit: MarkEYE

Meet the young Queen Victoria, her royal consort Prince Albert, and all her family at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. Photo credit: MarkEYE

Sounds of raucous merriment draw the adventuresome soul to sing along with bawdy favorites at Mad Sal's Music Hall Revue. Photo credit: MarkEYE

Get a jump on the Yuletide season with rousing entertainments, feasting, shopping & celebrating at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair! Photo credit: MarkEYE

Meet characters from Dickens' famous novel Oliver Twist, including Bet, the Artful Dodger, and young Oliver himself! Photo credit: MarkEYE

Participatory theater and variety acts are just some of the endless amusements at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. Photo credit: Robin Fadtke

The Spirit of Christmas Present brings Yuletide cheer to one and all - including Ebenezer Scrooge - at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party! Photo credit: Robin Fadtke

Rooty toot tuit, that's the way you do it! Meet Mr. Punch and his lovely wife Judy at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. Photo credit: Rich Yee

100 beautifully decorated shops offer one-of-a-kind unique artisan treasures for perfect Christmas gifting. Photo credit: Rich Yee

At the Great Dickens Christmas Fair, you can send a telegram to anyone in all of London ~ telegraph girls or boys will run from one end of the city to the other to hand-deliver your message! Photo credit: Rich Yee

Victorian chimneysweeps come to life at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair with a host of other colorful characters from the novels and times of Charles Dickens. Photo credit: Rich Yee

More raffish patrons may enjoy the "high life" to be found at Mad Sal's Dockside Ale House, at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. Photo credit: Rich Yee

True love triumphs over dastardly deeds in a rousing melodrama at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Raise a toast with Champagne Charlie & the girls at Mad Sal's Dockside Ale House! Photo credit: Rich Yee

Manly men vie for audience applause in the infamous Broadside Music Hall Revue. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Four authentic English pubs ~ and the Bohemian Absinthe Bar ~ serve up hearty Christmas cheer at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Treat yourself at Mr. Brown's Fine Coffee and Tea, one of many eateries offering delectable savories and sweets at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. Photo credit: Rich Yee

A group of dashing gentlemen clad in proper Victorian attire at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

The illustrious author Charles Dickens gives spellbinding readings from his novels each day of the Fair at the Dickens Family Parlour. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Young painters may decorate their very own Christmas ornaments at the Children's Painting Garden, one of many engaging activities at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party. Photo credit: Rich Yee

The Mad Hatter's in charge at 'Teatime with Alice & Friends', daily on the Father Christmas Stage at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. Photo credit: Rich Yee

Make way for the Queen! Smartly uniformed soldiers lead young Queen Victoria and her Royal Consort Prince Albert through the streets of the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. Photo credit: Rich Yee

What's your fancy guv'ner? Visit one of the 5 traditional pubs at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair to enjoy draft ales, wine, and champagne, or wrap your hands around a Hot Buttered Rum, Irish coffee, or Hot Toddy. Photo credit: Laura Hamburg-Cirolia

Music and dance from around the world grace the Silk Road Stage at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair, where you might hear caroling one moment, and see lively Irish, Middle Eastern, or Morris dancing the next. Photo credit: Laura Hamburg-Cirolia

At the Great Dickens Christmas Fair, young wizards-in-training receive a lesson on proper wand comportment from Gary Hall, proprietor of Whirlwind Magic Wands. Photo credit: Amy Hart

Bring your appetite when you visit the Great Dickens Christmas Fair - there is ever so much to eat and drink, including delicious HMS Fish 'N Chips. Photo credit: Amy Hart

It's always teatime at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair! Enjoy a nice pot of tea, scones, tea sandwiches, and delightful desserts at Cuthbert's Tea Shoppe. Reservations for 4 p.m. High Tea are recommended, and may be made directly at the Tea Shoppe, or online before visiting the Fair. Photo credit: Amy Hart

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair's over 100 shops are nearly all hosted by the artisans themselves, including Fiddles 'N Such, where Steve Joynes demonstrates his craft. Photo credit: Amy Hart

Lodema the Potter demonstrates her craft to curious youngsters at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. The Fair's unique shops are nearly all presided over by the artisans themselves, who can answer any questions about their handcrafted wares. Photo credit: Amy Hart

Bring your appetite when you visit the Great Dickens Christmas Fair! There is ever so much to eat and drink, including hot roasted chestnuts served straight from the oven in a traditional paper cone. Photo credit: Amy Hart

Fairies and urchins cavort at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair, where a daily fairy parade flits through the streets, delighting passersby and sweeping them up in the holiday spirit. Photo credit: Amy Hart