Christmas events this weekend
- Jupiter Artland Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm. More information here.
- reunion canal boats have a family craft cruise on the Lochrin Belle on Saturday 7 December and again on 21 December. More information here.
- Summerhall Christmas Market takes place on Saturday (and there is a ceilidh there this evening) loads to see and take part in. More information here.
- The Christmas tree festival is taking place at Morningside Parish Church opening on Saturday.at 10am until noon. More information here.
Cards for good causes at St John’s Episcopal Church on Lothian Road/Princes Street. A pop up shop. Time is running out to make your Christmas shopping count for more this festive season. Cards For Good Causes’ pop-up shop in Edinburgh is in its final days at St John’s Church, offering a unique opportunity to support charities and local communities with every card or gift you purchase. - Step into a world of festive magic while you still can and explore an enchanting selection of greeting cards, advent calendars, and gifts that ignite the holiday spirit. Don’t miss the chance to browse stunning gift wrap, decorations, stationery, and homeware – all available until the shop closes for the season.
- Every purchase makes a meaningful impact, supporting both national charities and the local community. Over the past decade, Cards For Good Causes has raised over £22.5 million for more than 100 charities, including NSPCC, RSPCA, WaterAid, Shelter, Carers UK, and The Ramblers. Additionally, more than £2.7 million has been contributed to local churches, libraries, and community projects. Shop now at: https://www.cardsforcharity.co.uk.
- Christmas family cruise on the Maid of the Forth South Queensferry More information here
- Our big list of what you can do each day in December is here. Read it now for your weekend inspiration.
Restaurant businesses closing and opening
Two restaurants have closed this week and a bakery. The restaurants are the Lookout on Calton Hill and The Gardener’s Cottage in London Road.
The bakery where increased prices have forced business owners to close the doors is Cuckoo’s Bakery with a branch on Dundas Street and one in Morningside.
A new European style Café-Bar & Brasserie and cocktail lounge is now open.
Liberté Café-Bar & Brasserie and Bar 1819, has opened at Apex Waterloo Place Hotel at the east end.
The restaurant is designed to be a refined, yet relaxing place to gather, eat or drink with a menu celebrating the best of Scottish produce. The venue is the centrepiece of a £2 million ground floor renovation of Apex Waterloo Place, owned by Norman Springford’s Apex Hotels.
Subscribe to our monthly newspaper
Our new paper is out.
You can read it here – but it is not too late to add it to your Christmas list and buy a subscription for yourself or someone else as a gift
At the National Library of Scotland on Saturday
Get into the holiday spirit with a festive family day. Take the whole family to enjoy a magical day filled with seasonal cheer and activities.
20% Discount in the Library Shop – Find the perfect holiday gifts for loved ones or treat yourself
Festive Shadow Puppets and Stories (11:00am to 12:30pm) – Sold out.
Christmas Carols with Simmerdim (1:30pm to 2:00pm) – Delight in the sounds of Simmerdim, an Edinburgh-based a cappella trio named after the long summer twilight in northern Scotland. Enjoy their unique arrangements of both traditional and contemporary songs.
This is a drop-in event.
Christmas Storytelling with Beverley Casebow and Anne Hunter (2:30pm to 3:30 pm) – Settle in for some cozy storytelling as Beverley and Anne bring classic Christmas tales to life for all ages.
This is a drop-in event.
Book Jools Holland at EJBF 2025 now
Jools Holland’s Jazz & Blues Festival party is not to be missed! The 20-piece band love playing Edinburgh and always deliver an exhilarating live show. Featuring guest vocalists Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall and Sumudu Jayatilaka, the line up is completed by Jools’ Squeeze bandmate Chris Difford. Don’t miss this spectacular evening’s entertainment when it comes to the Usher Hall next year as part of Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival 2025 (EJBF25).
https://www.usherhall.co.uk/whats-on/jools-holland-and-his-rhythm-blues-orchestra
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
