IT’S a magical family institution which took me on a nostalgia trip right back to my childhood.

When I was a little girl, it was all about The Snowman. The movie was a Christmas staple, as it remains, Harrods was transformed into a winter wonderland for a Snowman themed festive grotto and the much-loved musical score was on TV every five minutes in the Toys R Us advert.

The ballet version of this timeless tale has returned to Southampton and provokes just as much childlike awe in members of the audience, young and old.

Mum, Dad and boy live in a suburban semi, but life is about to become anything but dull as the youngster nods off on a white Christmas Eve and his Snowman comes to life before our very eyes. After a quick tour around the house, involving a dancing pet cat, a pineapple from the fridge, fish fingers from the freezer and a pink fairy who jumps down from a music box, the pair take flight as the curtain comes down on the first act.

It’s part magical flight, part motorbike and sidecar journey which take the friends to the North Pole to visit the Snowman’s eclectic family, made up of snowmen and women from around the world, plus a couple of penguins, Father Christmas and Jack Frost.

It’s a gloriously joyful celebration of the snow with dancers in white gorilla suits managing to entertain as effortlessly as if they were wearing tutus.

Before we come back down to earth, there’s a huge full-scale Tango and the Snowman is soon just a pile of slush with a scarf on top.

A flurry of snow from the roof of the auditorium proved great fun for Southern children most likely denied the pleasure this past Christmas.

I loved The Snowman so much, I’m taking my three year old back for today’s matinee. Even I can’t sit through a show twice in less than 24 hours unless it’s utterly fabulous.

No doubt I’ll revel in seeing my little one enjoy it and I’ll feel like a child all over again.

The Snowman runs until Sunday.

Tickets: 023 8071 1811 or mayflower.org.uk