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Around Town
Christmas capers Niki Boyle runs down the festive activities guaranteed to take your mind off stuffing the bird and boost your Christmas cheer
H owever much we treasure the December traditions, it’s always good to take a break from the high stress of Christmas shopping. Well-
earned festive respite, right here.
In Glasgow, Pollock House hosts its comprehensive Christmas celebrations until the Sun 3 Jan. Each room is decorated in a different style, the Pollock Teddy Bears are in attendance, and a nice Christmassy lunch is available at the Edwardian Kitchen Restaurant.
George Square hosts its own Christmas Eve celebrations, with carol singers, food and screenings of festive films, while over at Trongate 103 you can take a gander at the contemporary Christmas tree, designed by Nadfly and Baxendale and loaded with thousands of handmade decorations. Both events are free, but Trongate 103 closes at noon on Christmas Eve, so get there early. Over on the east coast, Edinburgh’s Red Bus tours are a great alternative to trudging around the streets. On Thu 17 Dec, the Winter Wonderland evening trip (£5; £3 concessions) escorts you to the Princes St Gardens’ Christmas village with live fiddling from Roland Fraser; the evening trip up to the castle (available until 19 Dec. £6; £4 concessions) also features Roland on the fiddle, and adds in some tasty hot punch as you take in marvellous views of the city’s Christmas lights. If you fancy a bit of a natter try some Christmas- related stories at (where else?) the Scottish
Storytelling Centre on the Royal Mile, complete with music and mulled wine (£10; £8 concessions). For chat of a more academic nature, the National Museum of Scotland hosts a Christmas Lecture: Building Intercultural Bridges Between East and West, by Dr Ulrike Al-Khamis, co-director of The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation. Mulled wine and mince pies are available, tickets cost £5 (£4; free for members), and you must book in advance. Edinburgh and Lauriston Castles offer events for folks at either end of the jolliness spectrum: Edinburgh hosts their Cromwellian Christmas (£11; £8 concessions; £6 kids), offering an experience of those miserable years when Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas. Lauriston are decidedly more cheery, inviting you to create your own Christmas wreath from the castle woodlands (£15. Booking essential).
Or, if you want something totally out of the hustle and bustle of the major cities, head out to New Lanark’s Christmas Experience (www.newlanark.org) for all the yuletide activities you could want in one place: panto, Santa, a screening of The Snowman and The Spirit of Christmas Sparkling Ride! Tickets cost £8.50 or £30 for the family, and it runs 11am–5pm until Christmas Eve.
See listings for more details.
www.list.co.uk/aroundtown Hitlist FESTIVE FROLICKING *
✽✽ Nadfly and Baxendale Tree Come and check out the original designs on the tree in the Trongate 103 lobby. In fact, check out the original design of the tree. Trongate 103, Glasgow, until Tue 5 Jan. ✽✽ Doctor Who Exhibition Your last chance to catch Kelivingrove’s most exciting exhibition, right before David Tennant’s tenth Doctor gets EX- TER-MIN-ATE-d. Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, until Mon 4 Jan. ✽✽ Irn-Bru Carnival Bright colours, flashing lights, vertigo and e-numbers. That’s what Christmas is all about, right? Glasgow’s favourite carnival celebrates 89 years in the business with aplomb. See you on the waltzers. SECC, Glasgow, Fri 18 Dec–Thu 7 Jan. ✽✽ Torchlight Procession and Son et Lumiere One of the loveliest traditions to evolve out of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay clamjamfray, the Torchlight Procession makes its way through the Old Town to Calton Hill to help escort the old year out. Wrap up warm. Parliament Square, Edinburgh, Tue 29 Dec, 6.30pm. ✽✽ Night Afore: Legendary Light Keep your jumpers on tonight for outdoor performances and storytelling to get you in the celebratory mood. Edinburgh Castle, Wed 30 Dec, 6.30pm. 17 Dec 2009–7 Jan 2010 THE LIST 39