www.list.co.uk/aroundtown AroundTown
the moment, Burke and Hare. Booking essential. Christmas on the Closes Fri & Sat 18 Dec, 6–9pm. Sun 19 Dec, 3–5pm. £12.50 (£11.50; children £6.50). The Real Mary King’s Close, 2 Warriston’s Close, High Street, 0845 070 6244. Find out what a traditional Christmas would have been like on the Edinburgh closes from the 1500s-1800s on the festive version of the spooky underground tour. There’s a mug of mulled wine or (non alcoholic) hot apple cider and a mince pie to calm your nerves afterwards. Tours depart every 20 minutes during the given times. FREE Remembered Remedies Sat 18 Dec, 10am–noon. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2979. We all know dock leaves take the nip out of a nettle sting, but how else do we use plants as remedies? Ethnomedica want to know your secrets, and all those bits of herbal medicine lore your granny told you. Theatre Tour Sat 18 Dec, 10.30am. £9.50 (£6.50). Playhouse, 18–22 Greenside Place, 0844 847 1660. See behind the scenes at the country’s largest purpose-built theatre. FREE Christmas Bells Sun 19 Dec, 12.45pm, 1.45pm & 2.45pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 225 7534. Join the Parish of Dunkeld Handbell Ringers as they chime in the festive season. No Christmas Here Mon 20 Dec–Fri 24 Dec, 11am–3pm. Included in admission: £13 (£10.40; under 16s £7; under 5s free). Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, 225 9846. See caption. Traverse Theatre A&E Quiz Mon 20 Dec, 8pm. £1. Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. Know your MoMA from your GoMA and your Toy Story from your West Side Story? If not, you’ve probably not got a chance at the Trav’s A&E quiz nights (that’s Arts & Entertainment, nothing to do with broken limbs and strange rashes). Perfect for artsy types who always struggle with the sports round. Proceeds go to the Edinburgh Maggie’s Centre. Taffy Thomas: Christmas Tales Tue 21 Dec, 2.30pm. £6 (£4). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. The UK’s storytelling laureate offers up some tales fit for this time of year. Suitable for all ages. The Daft Days Mon 27 Dec–Fri 31 Dec, 10.30am–4pm. Included in admission: £13 (£10.40; under 16s £7; under 5s free). Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, 225 9846. The days between Christmas and the New Year were traditionally known as the ‘Daft Days’, not just because everyone had eaten themselves silly over Christmas itself, but because a spirit of revelry was rife as people prepared for Hogmanay. Meet Mary, Queen of Scots and her lady in waiting, and find out how they got in the mood for the games and entertainment. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Carnival Mon 27 Dec–Tue 4 Jan, 11am–11pm. Prices vary. Market Street, www.edinburghshogmanay.com. All the fun of the fair on Market Street, with rides, candy floss, and bright lights aplenty. The Daft Days Thu 30 Dec, 2.30pm. £4 (£3; family ticket £12 for four people). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Silly stories for the holidays with storytellers Fergus McNicol and Ron Fairweather. Ages 6+.
✽✽ FREE Torchlight Procession Thu 30 Dec, 6.30pm. Parliament
Square, High Street, 0844 894 2011. Kicking off this year’s Hogmanay celebrations is the fiery spectacle of the Torchlight Procession, which leaves from Parliament Square at 6.30pm, and culminates in a Son et Lumière and firework display on Calton Hill. If you wish to purchase a torch to carry in the parade (all proceeds go to charity), apply online at www.edinburghshogmanay.com. Torches are £6 in advance, £7 on the night, and it’s free to watch.
✽✽ Hogmanay Hoots Fri 31 Dec, 2.30pm. £4 (£3). Scottish
No Christmas Here Calling all Scroogey types! Edinburgh Castle have a great programme of festive-themed historic talks, but this one seems particularly suited for anyone whose black little heart shrivels a little more at the first fall of snow: come get a taste of the grim years when that old party pooper Cromwell and his Parliament banned the celebration of Christmas. Then you’ll be sorry, eh? ■ Edinburgh Castle, Mon 20–Fri 24 Dec, 11am–3pm.
Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Spend the last afternoon of the year having fun with some festive family games, New Year guises, stories and songs, courtesy of Mac-a-Story.
✽✽ The Guid Crack Club: Hogmanay Fri 31 Dec, 7.30–10pm.
By donation (suggested £3). Waverley Bar, 1 St Mary’s Street, 557 1050. A special edition of the storytelling club for Hogmanay. See out the old year with tales and plenty of the eponymous merriment from Jack Martin and friends. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party Fri 31 Dec, 9pm. £15. Edinburgh City Centre, 0844 894 2011. Famed as one of the best New Year celebrations in the world, thousands of revellers bring in the New Year in the centre of Edinburgh. A heady mix of live DJ sets (from Kaiser Chiefs, Booka Shade, Goldie Lookin’ Chain and Grum), live music (The Coral, Treacherous Orchestra, Michelle McManus and ‘Hog the Stage’ winners Kitty The Lion), entertainment and, of course, the spectacular fireworks at midnight. Part of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. Happy Old Year Sat 1 & Sun 2 Jan, 11am–3pm. Included in admission. Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, 225 9846. Forget the future, the past’s where it’s at: learn about the food, make-up and weaponry involved in celebrating a 16th- century new year.
✽✽ One O’Clock Run Sat 1 Jan, 11am. £8. Edinburgh Castle, Royal
Mile, 0844 894 2011. Take a nice New Year’s jog from the Castle to the Palace. It’s downhill all the way, so no excuses. Get a voucher from Hogmanay ticket outlets to exchange for a flashy souvenir T-shirt on the way (how else will your friends believe you were there?). Check in from 11am, warm-up and briefing at 12.30pm. Exhibitions FREE Mikhail Lomonosov Exhibition Until Thu 23 Dec, Tue–Fri 11am–4pm; Sat 1.30–4pm. Scotland- Russia Institute, 9 South College St, www.scotlandrussiaforum.org. An exhibition of unique documents connected to the great 18th-century Russian scholar and scientist Mikhail Lomonosov.
FREE Festive Feast Thu 23 Dec, Mon–Fri only 10am–4.30pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row, 248 2909. Take some time out from the pre- Christmas madness to browse the Gardens’ selection of books and images from the Library and Archives, all of which have a festive edge. FREE Rebels with a Cause: The Jacobites and the Global Imagination Until Sat 8 Jan. Tue–Thu 9am–6.30pm; Mon & Fri 10am–4pm; Sat 11am–5.30pm. The Scottish Parliament, Holyrood, 0800 092 7500. A fascinating display of materials and historical artefacts intended to foreground the international aspect of the Jacobite movement’s legacy. Fairs Arts Market Sat 18 Dec, 11am–5pm. 80p. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. A chance to buy original art by local artists, including painting, jewellery, hats, prints, fabric art and collectibles as well as books, accessories, clothing, curios, records and more. V for Vintage Christmas Fayre Sat 18 Dec, noon–4pm. £3. Teviot Debating Hall, Bristo Square, 650 4673. Christmas shopping with a retro soundtrack. An array of stalls selling fab vintage and vintage- style clothing, kitsch jewellery and bric-a- brac, with a fashion show at 2pm showing off some of the best pieces.
Sport New Year’s Day Meeting Sat 1 Jan, 10.45am. £20 (under 16s free). Musselburgh Racecourse, Linkfield Road, Musselburgh, 665 2859. Historic Hogmanay event combining athletics and horseracing. Come along and join in or watch from the side. Gates open at 10.45am, first race at 12.10pm. Edinburgh Rugby v Glasgow Warriors Sun 2 Jan, 5.35pm. from £10. Murrayfield Stadium, Roseburn Street, Murrayfield, 346 5180. The two sides compete in the 1872 Challenge Cup. Talks FREE Christmas Lecture Thu 16 Dec, 5.30pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2979. The culmination of the Botanical Society of
Scotland’s autumn lecture programme is entitled ‘Endless Forms Most Beautiful: The Evolution of Begonia Diversity in Mexico’. FREE Edinburgh Skeptics Thu 16 Dec, 8pm. The Bongo Club, Moray House, 37 Holyrood Road, 558 7604. Opportunity for rational thinkers to meet and discuss all things sceptical. This time, the Skeptics give their take on the Christmas Nativity. The Night Sky in January Mon 20 Dec, 7.30–8.30pm. £3 (£1.50; season tickets £10 for children and £20 for adults). Royal Observatory Visitor Centre, Blackford Hill, 668 8404. This month see beautiful ringed planet Saturn at its closest and brightest this year, as well as meteors and a comet. With Russell Eberst. Stuart Monro: Life on the Rocks Thu 6 Jan, 7.30pm. £8 (under 18s/students/RSGS members free). Appleton Tower, University Of Edinburgh, Crichton Street, 650 8445. Prominent Scottish geologist and the current Scientific Director of Our Dynamic Earth Stuart Monro explores the evidence from various parts of the world for what we call plate tectonics. Workshops Homespun Christmas Wreaths Thu 16 Dec, 10.30am–3pm. £15. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 336 2060. Use country fabrics to make your own festive wreath. Ages 16+. Booking essential. Green Wreaths Fri 17 Dec, 10am–12.30pm & 1.30–4pm. £15. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 336 2060. Use greenery from the castle gardens to make a natural wreath. Ages 16+. Booking essential. FREE Christmas Spices Sat 18 & Sun 19 Dec, 12.30–3.30pm. Royal Botanic Garden (John Hope Gateway), 20a Inverleith Row, 552 7171. Ginger specialist Axel Poulson leads lessons and hands-on activities all about Christmas spices. Fresh Wreaths Sun 19 Dec, 10am–12.30pm & 1.30–4pm. £15. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 336 2060. Make a large Christmas wreath with holly, ivy and yew. Ages 16+. Booking essential.
16 Dec 2010 – 6 Jan 2011 THE LIST 47