The Isle of Man has some unique ways of celebrating the festive season which mixes up pagan and Christian traditions.

To outsiders, some of the annual events may appear baffling but Manx people would not have it any other way.

Now the dates and places have been published by Culture Vannin for the White Boys plays, Hunt the Wren and Cammag.

A key part of the Christmas period on the island is the White Boys play (Ny Guillyn Baney).

This traditional Manx 'mumming' play, named for their unusual costumes, is not performed to any stable script but it always includes a few key elements.

The staple aspects include saints, a fight, a death, a resurrection thanks to 'the Doctor' and a happy ending.

This play has been seen on the streets of Manx towns and villages all over the Island during the Christmas period in the 19th Century.

There is also a special White Boys' carol and the play concludes with a sword-dance finished with the distinctive holding aloft of the swords interlocked into a hexagon.

The Peel White Boys will perform on Saturday, December 21 in Ramsey, outside the Courthouse, at 11am; Kirk Michael, outside Cannan Court at noon; Michael Street in Peel at 2.30pm Black Dog Oven on East Quay at 5pm.

The Southern Whiteboys will also be out on Saturday, December 21. Precise locations and times are yet to be confirmed, but the performances will take place in Port St Mary, Port Erin, Castletown an Peel between 10am-1pm.

Hun the Wren takes place on St Stephen's Day, more commonly known as Boxing Day and sees communities come together across the Isle of Man to dance and sing around the streets.

The practice, dating back to pre-Christian times, is centred on a wren, ‘the king of all birds’, which is hunted and then danced through the streets on a special pole. Of course, to day the bird is just a replica.

Hunt the Wren will take place on December 26 at Scoill Phurt-le-Moirrey car park in Port St Mary at 10am; outside the Woodbourne Hotel in Douglas at 10.30am; outside St Paul’s Church in Ramsey at 10.30am; at the Arboretum car park in St John’s at 10.30am; Willaston School car park, opposite the Manor Pub at 10.45am; outside the Mitre pub in Kirk Michael (going on to Ballaugh) at 11am; outside The Raven at Ballaugh at 11.20am (going on to Sulby) and reaching Sulby at the Sulby Glen Pub at 11.40am.

Meanwhile, Cammag is the traditional sport of the Isle of Man, closely related to hurling or shinty in neighbouring Celtic nations.

Records go back hundreds of years, showing the sport's dominance on the island until only around 100 years ago when football came to Manx shores.

The annual Cammag match will take place at the Tynwald Fairfield at 2pm which will see the north pitted against the south. It will be followed by a Manx music session in the Tynwald Inn

All are welcome and you can take along a stick found in the hedgerows if you're able, or ask John Dog if there are spares in his van when you get there.