Stunning photos reveal how people around the world get ready for the holidays as the countdown to Christmas Day begins In Sydney, St Mary's cathedral is being lit with stunning light projections of religious images The crew of the Royal Navy's ice patrol shop HMS Protector had an Christmas lunch in Antarctica At home, Londoners took in the sights and lights of Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park Beamish Open Air Museum got a festive makeover that included fairy lights for its vintage vehicles Pastry chefs in Ham, a village in Picardie, attempted to make the world's longest festive log From a snowy Christmas lunch in Antarctica to the spectacular light projections currently brightening the facade of Sydney's St Mary's cathedral, the world is gearing up for Christmas in style. But for festive fun, little compares to London's very own Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, which, as these stunning images reveal, comes with lashings of Christmas cheer. Also enjoying a spot of festive cheer were the crew of HMS Protector, a Royal Navy ice patrol ship, who stopped for an early Christmas lunch on an Antarctic ice floe. Festive fun: The crew of HMS Protector, an ice patrol ship, tuck into an early Christmas lunch while sitting on an Antarctic ice floe. Lunch was followed by a football match Working holiday: The crew were forced to have their celebrations early because the ship will be at sea on Christmas Day which means there will be no time to celebrate Record attempt: Chefs in Ham, a village in France's Picardie region attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the planet's longest Yule Log Although the ship will be at sea on Wednesday - leaving no time for Christmas fun - Captain Rhett Hatcher allowed his crew time off for a roast turkey dinner in a real-life winter wonderland and a game of football. Captain Hatcher said: 'Spending Christmas in the coldest, windiest and driest place on earth comes with a number of challenges but it is a truly unique privilege.' Closer to home, a group of intrepid French pastry chefs attempted to break the record for world's longest Christmas log in the northern French commune of Ham in the French Picardie region. Equally tasty were the offerings of traders at the Winter Wonderland in London's Hyde Park, who enjoyed a bumper day as shoppers ventured out in search of the perfect present. The temporary, festive theme park runs for over six weeks and features an ice rink, several large rides and numerous food and gift stalls. Tasty: The chefs have to beat the Shanghai Pudong Shangri-La, which in 2011, created a new Guinness World Record with a 1068-metre long Yule log Festive: A trader serves up a selection of beautifully decorated gingerbread hearts at Winter Wonderland in London's Hyde Park Sparkling: The historic park has been transformed into a festive paradise complete with a neon ferris wheel, an ice rink and a miniature train set Tasty treat: A warmly wrapped up couple inspect the colourful penny sweets on display at one large stand at Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland Spectacular: Winter Wonderland has become an annual tradition and continues until January 5th 2014, although it is closed on Christmas Day Further north, Bradford residents were enjoying the 18 Christmas-themed ice sculptures which were installed at City Park, Bradford, by artist Jamie Wardley earlier this month. Among them are characters from Wardley's own story, The Children of the Snow and the Boy with the Little Idea, and a life-sized sleigh complete with elves. In Country Durham, the Beamish Open Air Museum got a festive makeover, complete with lights for its collection of vintage trams and buses. A working steam carousel turned under the cover of darkness, while Santa Claus answered children's wishes in his fireside grotto. But perhaps most spectacular of all were the light images that appeared on the side of St Mary's cathedral in Sydney. Entitled Lights of Christmas, the light show includes projections of stunningly detailed biblical scenes, a portrait of Mary and baby Jesus and a gorgeous starry night. Magical: A local inspects three of the 18 ice sculptures on display in Bradford's City Park. The pieces are the work of children's author and artist Jamie Wardley Old-fashioned: The Beamish Open Air Museum in Country Durham has had a festive makeover, complete with vintage lights and traditional Christmas trees Edwardian: The Beamish Open Air Museum in County Durham includes trams, buses and shop fronts from 100 years ago, including this tram with original ale adverts What'll it be this year? A colourfully-dressed Father Christmas greets Libby Cooper, nine, and her sister Grace, eight, at the Beamish museum's vintage grotto Tradition: A woman making a Christmas cake at the Beamish museum. The fruitcake's origins date back centuries to when dried fruit and spices were a delicacy Engineering: The attractions included an original steam carousel, left, and a working early 1900s tram, right, at the Beamish Open Air Museum in County Durham Christmas spirit: An Edwardian musical duo played traditional folk songs on the cobbles of the replica town at the Beamish museum in County Durham Lego: Mike Addis and Catherine Weightman spent 10 weeks making a 10ft gingerbread house out of 125,000 Lego bricks at their home in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire Barmy: The house is the latest in a long line of giant lego decorations which the couple have made for their children Tom, 21, Holly, 18, and Christopher, 15 Biblical: Scenes projected onto the walls of St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney include the Annunciation and Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem (right) Tradition: The spectacular yearly light show has become a popular part of Christmas for Australians living in Sydney Tribute: A series of differing portraits featuring the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus are projected onto the walls of the Sydney cathedral Festive: A vast Christmas fir tree and a beautiful scene featuring a magical starry night complete the light show at Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral