Tim Hughes looks forward to a brace of wonderful - yet very different - musical Christmas extravaganzas

It’s that most wonderful time of the year: party time!

For imaginative nights out, December comes second only to festival season. And this week sees a pair of crackers.

Tonight sees fans of avant garde, electronic and psychedelic soundscapes don Santa hats for PinDrop’s MidWinter Drone Fest. The night at Modern Art Oxford features Petrels, Paddox, After The Thought and sound artist Lee Riley plus guests.

Billed as “an evening of sonic proliferation and mantric rumination,” it offers a contrast to the usual festive fare, with Wizard, Slade and the tosh churned out by X Factor this year replaced by post-rock and ambient drone.

Petrels features ex-Bleeding Heart Narrative frontman Oli Barrett and merges cello, electronica and chant-like vocals. Paddox purvey more pulsating drone-rock while After The Thought smash dance beats with post-rock guitar.

Tickets are £7/ £5. Visit modernartoxford.org.uk

For something more festive, stick on a Santa beard (ladies) and angel wings (gentlemen), and join the Irregular Folk Christmas Party on Saturday.

The now-annual feast of acoustic loveliness sees East Oxford Community Centre switch to winter wonderland at the hands of Snow Queen of Irregular Folk, Vez Hoper.

Singer-songwriter Jordan Hunt (of The Irrepressibles and Hidden Cameras), Jamie Doe’s solo project Magic Lantern and cosmic drone-folk merchants The Flights of Helios, featuring the talents of Oxford Times columnist Sebastian Reynolds also star.

7.30pm-12.30am. Tickets £10 advance wegottickets.com or Truck Store or £12 on the door (but buy ahead; you may even secure a beautiful handmade ticket by Vez).