Every year, the faces of thousands of children light up when they get to see Santa and tell him what they want for Christmas.
To remind you of great grottos in years gone by, we have these photos from the Sunderland Echo, Shields Gazette and Hartlepool Mail archives.
Take a look and re-live some festive memories.
Take a look and re-live some festive memories.
![Santa was pictured in his grotto in 2005 beneath the old Town Hall in the Market Place. Did you see him?](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmI3ZGQ2Y2RmLTc4OWQtNGM2ZS1iODQ4LTM1YzM5MWIxY2I0ZTpkMjFmNTM4Ny0zZTQ3LTRmMmYtYTgzMy1mYzAxOWNjZWNhODI=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
5. Santa takes up his new home in South Shields Market Place
Santa was pictured in his grotto in 2005 beneath the old Town Hall in the Market Place. Did you see him? Photo: TR
![Father Christmas and his helper Amy Callaghan with 5-year-old Ava Davison who was one of the first visitors to Santa's Grotto in The Place in the Park four years ago.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjBjZjRkOTlhLWEzMjQtNGY3Yy04MTZkLTVkYjRhNmRiMjBiNzpkMDMwNTkzNS1lMGY4LTRlZDUtOWRlZS0zYWNmNDgwZTNlZmE=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
6. A festive 2016 scene
Father Christmas and his helper Amy Callaghan with 5-year-old Ava Davison who was one of the first visitors to Santa's Grotto in The Place in the Park four years ago. Photo: Kevin Brady
![Santa in his grotto at Liberty Brown on the Hylton Retail Park. Remember this from eight years ago?](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjJkYjk3MzZjLTMyOTUtNGUwZi05ZTI1LWE0NGY4ZDYwODFiZDo5OTgyYjEyMC1jOTNiLTQ4YWQtOGJmYi1mMTM3OThmZTBlOGE=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
7. 2012 memories in Sunderland
Santa in his grotto at Liberty Brown on the Hylton Retail Park. Remember this from eight years ago? Photo: Picture by Kevin Brady
![Did you go along to Santa's grotto at the Viking Centre in Jarrow in 2008?](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjBjYmY4ODljLTlmZDItNDcxYi05MWZkLTJmZDBhNWUzN2FjNTo5NTY2NjI1MC0xZTQ0LTQzYjEtOGQ5YS0zZWZkOTU0YzMzZDk=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
8. Santa was ready for visitors in Jarrow
Did you go along to Santa's grotto at the Viking Centre in Jarrow in 2008? Photo: SN