From traditional Christmas markets and winter wonderland ice rinks, to haggis hurling and one of the world’s greatest New Year celebrations, Scotland is planning its best ever Christmas and New Year celebrations as the ultimate finale to 2014 – a year that Scotland has welcomed the world with an impressive line-up of Brilliant Moments including the Commonwealth Games, The Ryder Cup and almost 970 Homecoming events.
Festive activities will be kicking off across the country from November, bringing Christmas cheer to families, shoppers and revellers alike.
Here are just some of this year’s highlights to look out for…
Edinburgh’s Christmas
Edinburgh provides a magical backdrop for Christmas shopping, nights out and exceptional winter events.
Light Night: Sunday, 23 November, 2.30pm – 5pm, George Street, Free
Light Night will launch Edinburgh’s Christmas with 1,250 performers taking part in an all-singing, all-dancing Christmas song extravaganza over several stages. The night will climax with the city’s Christmas lights being switched on followed by live music and a spectacular fireworks display to kick off the festive season – not to be missed!
Edinburgh Christmas markets: 21 November – 4 January, 10am – 10pm, various locations, Free
Christmas markets bring festive cheer to Edinburgh, grown-ups can enjoy mulled wine and mince pies while the kids get excited about toys and treats. This year three markets are set to get everyone into the festive spirit. The European market is a traditional and romantic market, located in the picturesque setting of The Mound, where shoppers will find crafts, art, gift shops and gastronomic surprises. There’s also the Scottish market in the heart of St Andrew’s Square, where traditional and modern Scottish gifts, foods and drinks will be on offer. While the adults are indulging in some locally produced culinary delicacies, kids can enjoy a dedicated children’s market where specialist stall holders will be selling toys and goodies.
Edinburgh Christmas Ice Rinks: 21 November – 4 January, 10am – 10pm, tickets: from £5
St Andrew Square
Brand new for 2014, get your skates on and glide all the way round the Melville Monument in St Andrew Square on a circular ice rink.
Princes Street Gardens
Take a turn around the glittering ice rink on East Princes Street Gardens Terrace, beneath the Big Wheel and with Edinburgh’s famous skyline as an unrivalled backdrop.
Scotch and Soda: 21 November – 21 December, 7.30pm, Spiegeltent, St Andrew’s Square, tickets: £11
The circus is back in town with a whisky-soaked evening of raucous circus, dance and music. Following last year’s smash-hit LIMBO, Scotch and Soda is an incredible Christmas cocktail with a real kick, featuring live music from The Crusty Suitcase Band, and sensational, gravity-defying circus from some of Australia’s finest acrobats.
Hot Dub Time Machine: Selected dates from 10 – 17 December, 9.30pm, tickets: £17.50
Hot Dub Time Machine,the world’s first time-travelling dance party, returns to Edinburgh after sell-out runs all over the world, from Adelaide to the Edinburgh Fringe. Travel back in time to 1954, then boogie back to 2013, with a song for each year powered by the audience’s dancing!
24 Doors of Advent, 1 – 24 December, various locations, free
A building around Edinburgh that’s usually closed to the public will open its doors to create a real-life advent calendar.
Rides & attractions: 10am – 10pm, The Mound, ticket prices vary
The StarFlyer at 60 meters high is truly breathtaking. Take your seat and view Edinburgh like you’ve never seen it before – at 360 degrees over the rooftops, and maybe with your eyes firmly shut! There’s also a Big Wheel with 36 enclosed, weather-proof pods, each seating six people and giving you unrivalled views of Edinburgh.
Children will feel like an arctic explorer when they scale Santa Land’s wall of ice! Can you make it all way to the top? And let the little ones wind their way round the North Pole with the fun and twisty North Pole slide. Explore the Christmas Tree Maze and prepare to get lost in a magical land! If you do find the centre, Santa’s elves will be waiting for you with a present. Also a treat for the little ones, all aboard the Santa Train! Take an exciting ride around the maze and get fantastic views of all of Edinburgh’s sights, with a jolly fellow in red driving the train.
A Royal Christmas at the Palace of Holyroodhouse: 5 December – 6 January, ticket prices vary
For the first time, the Palace of Holyroodhouse will be transformed both inside and out for the festive season. The Palace’s historic State Apartments, courtyard and ornamental fountains, will be adorned with lights, decorations, and rich foliage, turning the Palace into the ideal place to visit to get into the Christmas spirit. A programme of family activities will include ‘Carols around the Christmas Tree’ from 7pm on Wednesday 10 December, Christmas shopping opportunities and the chance to enjoy seasonal food and drink at Café at the Palace.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay: 30 December – 1 January, various locations, tcket prices vary
The Year of Homecoming will come to a spectacular end when Edinburgh entertains 130 000 revellers from over 60 countries during three days of incredible free and ticketed events featuring headlineconcerts, theatre, music, dance and Street Partyextravaganzas. It is for this reason that Edinburgh is known globally as the ‘home of Hogmanay’ and was the only festival recently listed in the Discovery Channel’s ‘Top 25 World Travel Experiences’.
Glasgow Loves Christmas
Families, shoppers and those seeking some festive fun are set to travel from far and wide to soak up the magical atmosphere in Glasgow this Christmas. The city offers a jam-packed programme of festive events, stylish shopping and great places to eat and drink, all against a glittering city centre backdrop.
Glasgow on Ice: From 27 November, George Square, tickets from £4.50
Wrap up warm, get your skates on and soak up the festive atmosphere at Glasgow on Ice, Glasgow’s open-air ice rink in George Square. Open from Thursday 27 November until Wednesday 31 December, you can skate in the open air under the Christmas lights. Wear your festive jumper, don your winter woollies and get your skates on for a session that is out of this world. The unique double-deck cabin will give you fantastic views over the ice rink while you sit back, relax with a drink and watch the world skate by.
Christmas market: 15 November – 21 December, Argyle Street, free
Glasgow’s Christmas market has moved to a new home in Argyle Street this year. A variety of colourful stalls will offer a selection of gifts, artisan products and global cuisine set in a festive village of rustic cabins and stalls. This truly seasonal experience for all the family has something for everyone, from scarves, jewellery, hats and purses, to chutneys, cheeses and waffles. Open from 10am – 8pm Monday – Wednesday, 10am – 9pm Thursday – Saturday and 10am – 6pm on Sundays.
Browse round the stalls and fill your senses with the smells and sounds of Christmas as you sip Gluhweine or a warming hot chocolate. You’ll be tempted by the fresh food on offer day and night including gourmet burgers, hog roast and traditional French crepes, come and enjoy the Christmas market – it’s the perfect way to get into the festive spirit.
Christmas shows, ticket prices vary
Glasgow’s theatres come alive with some of the UK’s best Christmas entertainment in November and December. Greg McHugh, star of Fresh Meat, and Still game’s Gavin Mitchell star alongside Capital FM presenter Des Clarke in Peter Pan at the King’s Theatre. At the SECC, Hollywood star, John Barrowman stars in Cinderella with the much loved Krankies and Glasgow’s own X-factor star Melanie Masson. Treasure Island, starring former Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus is also on at Glasgow’s Pavillion Theatre.
Christmas Shopping: the Style Mile, free
Glasgow is the biggest shopping destination outside of London’s West End. With more than 1,500 shops including all the major high street stores and quirky boutiques, Christmas shopping will be a joy. Many of the city’s retailers have also just extended their opening hours to 7pm throughout the week and will open even longer over the festive period, meaning longer to shop!
Aberdeen Winter Festival
Whether you want to see the new Christmas lights along Union Street, flex your vocal chords at the carol concerts, take in a show or dance the night away at a ceilidh, Aberdeen’s Winter Festival has something for everyone.
Fireworks Spectacular: 5 November, 6:30pm Aberdeen Beach, free
The Winter Festival starts off its seasonal calendar on the 5th November with a spectacular Fireworks display at Aberdeen Beach, full of noise and set to music. Watch a firewalker and fire jugglers from 6.30pm and the display starts at 7.30pm.
Carol concert: 20 December, 11am and 2pm, Duthie Park Winter Gardens, free
Come along and join in singing all your favourite carols to the accompaniment of the Bon Accord Silver Band and singers. Look out for a visit by a man in a red suit!
Perthshire
Miracle on 34th Street: 28 November – 21 December, various times, Pitlochry, tickets: from £15.00
The feel-good Christmas film Miracle of 34th Street is being performed as a musical on stage at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, from 28 November to 21 December. Be transported to 1950s New York where Susan is dreaming of having a father and a brother while her mother Doris plans the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade – one of the biggest events in the New York. A joyous, heart-warming show, this will be the perfect entertainment for the whole family this Christmas!
Perth
Chocolate festival: 22 – 24 November, free
In a first for Scotland, the mighty cocoa bean takes centre stage at the outdoor Chocolate Festival. Enjoy market stalls selling everything from mouth-watering confectionary and chocolate-scented candles to soaps and more.
Argyll
Oban winter festival: 21 – 30 November 2014, various locations, ticket prices vary
New for 2014, the Scottish Haggis Festival will feature seven butchers and haggis makers from across Argyll going head to head – try haggis hurling and join the Tartan Dash! The festival will also feature a Scottish food and craft market in the old distillery.
The Islands
Ceilidh Festival: 31 December 2014 – 2 January 2015, An Lanntair, Lewis and Harris, ticket prices vary
An Lanntair’s Hogmanay Festival will once again feature a special event celebrating and showcasing local artists, featuring a family ceilidh with popular Scottish band Manran. Throughout December, An Lanntair will also be undertaking a series of ceilidh dance workshops in the communities of Lewis and Harris to support the main event.
Fife
Christmas Fair at Blairadam Forest, Fife, free
Blairadam Christmas Fair will create the perfect Christmas atmosphere with a storyteller telling a yarn or two and opportunities to taste some local venison, try Christmas crafts and buy a real Christmas tree. Don’t forget to take a special Christmas trail to explore the forest.
The post Scotland’s top line-up continues with Christmas and Hogmanay 2014 appeared first on Travelandtourworld.com.