SANTA'S elves - check. Sparkling costumes - check. A little bit of festive magic - check. It can only be the Christmas Spectacular.

This fabulous annual show, staged by Christchurch-based The Glad Rag Production Company, is back at the Regent Centre for its 12th brilliant year, more dazzling and entertaining than ever.

Follow Santa's daughter Joy and her trusty sidekick, the ever popular, ever silly Squash the elf, as they race against time to bring back Santa, and save Christmas, after a new time machine invention goes awry.

If you're not yet full of Christmas spirit, this show will soon have you singing along and jingling your bells.

Billed as "a treat for the senses", the production features a host of festive classics, as well as some other well-known hits with a Christmas twist. It's upbeat and fun from start to finish, with dazzling dance routines from the adult ensemble, a cute cast of children and stacks upon stacks of sequined costumes - Strictly, eat your heart out.

And, of course, it wouldn't be the Christmas Spectacular without a rendition of the hugely popular If I Were Not On Santa's Team - this year with a new, time-travelling theme.

There are some super talented performers among the cast. Bella Kane showcased impressive vocals as Joy, while Edward Brennan made for a lovable Squash and Georgie Macaskill's string of character roles showed off her brilliant comedic skills.

But Santa is, of course, the star of the show, and it's always a magical moment when he closes the performance with White Christmas, complete with a sprinkling of snow.

Whether you're a Scrooge or a Christmas fairy, the Christmas Spectacular is guaranteed to get you feeling fabulously festive.

* The Christmas Spectacular is at the Regent Centre, Christchurch, until December 24.