After this year where it seems we've experienced a decade's worth of news, we thought we'd look back at our some of our headlines in 2010.

And we were pleasantly surprised to see that not much has changed. 

Take a global pandemic out of the picture, and locally the same stories and issues are the ones being celebrated and tackled and campaigned against, largely.

Here's a selection of our stories from Christmas week in 2010

We'll start with a cheery one. Christmas Day babies. You can be the most cynical of people, but who doesn't enjoy a lovely story about a family welcoming a new member at Christmas time?

Bournemouth Echo: NEW ARRIVAL: Ethan John Holder with parents Claire and Tom

In 2010, nine tiny bundles of joy were born at Poole Hospital, with baby Ethan John Holder pictured with parents Claire and Tom. 

And in scenes unlikely to be repeated this year, we also reported on the queues and crowds in Bournemouth and at Castlepoint shopping centre. Next was open at 5am and Marks and Spencer at 8am meaning the car park at Castlepoint was full by 9am. 

Bournemouth Echo: Sales underway in Bournemouth

One of the biggest stories over Christmastime in 2010 was James Bond himself choosing Dorset for a romantic festive break with new love (at the time) Rachel Weisz.

We also reported how it had been 70 years since the radar system was placed at Sopley on Christmas Day 70 years ago.

The system played a major role in fighting Hitler's Luftwaffe and saving lives after it was put in place in 1940. 

During the course of the war Starlight went from being a mobile station with about two dozen staff to a permanent facility with 150 housed in the "Happidrome".

Read more about it here

And in sport, Eddie Howe was urging the Dean Court faithful to give a warm welcome to former Cherries skipper Carl Fletcher on his return with Plymouth Argyle.

At the time, Howe said: "I think he deserves a good reception because he was a great player while he was here.”

Bournemouth Echo: CHERRIES BOSS: Eddie Howe at Sixfields

And, no it's not groundhog day, we also had some big news about the Winter Gardens site. 

Reporting that contracts had been exchanged between Bournemouth council and a private pension fund, our report said the project could create up to 1,300 new jobs.

Proposals for the ambitious £100 million scheme included at least one hotel, a multiplex cinema, quality grocery store, around 240 apartments and a public piazza with big screens showing sports event and concerts.

There were also plans for 26,000 square feet of restaurants or possibly shops, a Rock and Bowl American sports diner with bowling alley, outdoor winter ice rink and 550 parking spaces.

Bournemouth Echo: VISION OF THE FUTURE? Bold scheme to transform Richmond Gardens in Bournemouth

And lastly, because it's a local news classic - especially at Christmas - we also had a story about angry residents in Poole STILL waiting for their bins to be collected.

The issue arose after snow hit the area and Borough of Poole (before BCP Council existed) cancelled bin collections four days in a row.