A bit of a homecoming welcome is due on Thursday 12 December, as TTNG – formerly This Town Needs Guns – play The Cellar in Oxford after spending a good couple of years touring the world. They’ll be joined by Victor Villarreal, who once played in Cap’n Jazz and Owls (themselves quite an influence on TTNG) and Oxford’s Bright Works, who release their EP Explorers during this week.

Christmas business is certainly kicking off on Friday 13 December. There’s the Christmas edition of All Tamara’s Parties – Noel Tamara’s Parties – at Somerville College in Oxford, with Candy Says, Count Drachma, Ben Walker and more; and there’s day one of Gappy Tooth Industries’ Winter Warmer festival at The Wheatsheaf, Oxford, with Flights Of Helios, The Mighty Redox, Lewis Newcombe and more…

…and that fun continues into Saturday 14 December! Day two of the Winter Warmer, also at the Wheatsheaf, Oxford, has The Empty Vessels, Peerless Pirates, Bethany Weimers and more. On the same day, there’s Irregular Folk’s Christmas Special at The Cellar in Oxford, which offers Jess Hall, Salvation Bill and more. (Oh, and if you’re wanting a gig but want none of this festival-style celebration of the season, get over to the O2 Academy 2, Oxford, for the latest Upstairs in association with BBC Introducing in Oxford gig, featuring Gunning For Tamar, We Aeronauts, Dallas Don’t, Traps and Maiians. Yowza!)

Want more Christmas? Okay, okay, then, on Sunday 15 December get to the Wheatsheaf in Oxford for the Buried In Smoke Christmas all-dayer – a parade of heaviness including Desert Storm, Komrad, Mother Corona and a lot more. Phew. Pass the mulled Jägerbombs.

More celebratory giggage on Thursday 19 December with art/music collective Bear On A Bicycle’s Christmas party at The Cellar in Oxford. It’ll include DJing and live music from Nvoy, Salvation Bill and more.

The goodwill spreads to Witney on Sunday 22 December – the third Witney Winter Festival takes place at Fat Lil’s, Witney, with a fantastic line-up including Deer Chicago, The Scholars, Black Hats, Nudybronque, Player 2, Children Of The Sun and Samuel Zasada. All for just three quid!

The Witney fun vies for your attention, though, with two good gigs in Oxford on Sunday 22 December. Exhibit A: Flights Of Helios, The August List, Sier Pin Sky, Ben Walker and Joshua Gilbert at Port Mahon, Oxford. Exhibit B: Beta Blocker And The Body Clock, Jack Goldstein (of Fixers) and Oscar Molineux at The Cellar, Oxford. You must decide!

Full details of these and loads more gigs can be found in the events calendar.