Day: December 28, 2025

We’ll collecting your Christmas tree when you’re finished with it, for free.

If it’s over 6 foot, please cut it in half before you put it out.

Check when we’re collecting from your street at:

http://edinburgh.gov.uk/festivedates

HEALTH ADVICE FROM NHS LOTHIAN

Scotland’s flagship whisky experience continues to dominate as must-visit Edinburgh attraction

The Johnnie Walker Experience on Princes Street, Edinburgh, has once again been named both Europe’s Leading Spirit Tourism Experience and the World’s Leading Spirit Tourism Experience at the 2025 World Travel Awards (WTA), reinforcing its status as a must-visit experience.

These honours mark the venue’s fifth and sixth WTA wins since 2023, awarded by the body which celebrates excellence in global travel, tourism, and hospitality. After taking home both the world and Europe titles in 2023 and 2024, this most recent double-win further underscores the Experience’s commitment to pushing boundaries in storytelling, innovation, and excellence.

Home of the world’s number one Scotch, The Johnnie Walker Experience is an eight-floor sensory destination that has become a cornerstone of Edinburgh’s visitor scene since opening in 2021. Over its four and a half years, it has welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors from 141 countries, guiding guests through an immersive journey into the 200-year heritage of Johnnie Walker while offering world-class creative cocktails at its celebrated 1820 Rooftop Bar.

Judges praised the Experience’s diverse offering, which delivers something for everyone – from seasoned whisky enthusiasts to curious first-time explorers. A seamless blend of interactive technology, showmanship, creativity, and deep knowledge and insight into the 200 year history of Johnnie Walker, has set the venue apart as a must-do for anyone visiting Scotland’s capital.

Erin Ramsay, Head of Johnnie Walker Experience, said: “We are incredibly proud of this latest recognition. We’re committed to providing the best possible experience for everyone – from visitors from around the world to our neighbours here in Edinburgh.

“This award shows that the hard work is paying off, so a big thank you to our team who have made this possible.”

The Edinburgh experience venue has expanded its growing collection of awards, with the Johnnie Walker Autumn/Winter Blend (Bottle Your Own), available exclusively in its retail area, winning Gold in the Blended Limited Release category at the 2026 World Whiskies Awards, Scotland.

To book The World’s Leading Spirit Tourism Experience 2025, visit JohnnieWalkerExperience.com

In 2025, one of the Scottish Government’s key priorities was growing the economy. Here ares some of their achievements so far:

From beautifully laid out Christmas dinner banquets, to the perfectly decorated tree, smiles, enthusiasm and a day of fun and festivities, Christmas day is often imagined as an idyllic family get together, but does it always go to plan?

New research from greetings card marketplace thortful has found that 79% of Brits claim their Christmas day goes wrong. The picturesque, M&S advert vision isn’t always achieved, however 20% say they always laugh off the issues which brings further joy to the day.

Celebrating the perfect imperfections of the big day, thortful asked Brits what normally goes wrong for them, and how they feel about it. From food disasters to family feuds, hangovers, unwanted gifts, people turning down proposals and much more.

Issues in the kitchen take the lead as the biggest Christmas issue, in fact, almost a quarter (24%) claim their food is often over or undercooked, 19% say the food is never on time and 16% forget to defrost ingredients – no turkey!

Relationships are also tested over the festive season, with family feuds erupting across the country. 17% of Brits argue with their family at Christmas, and it’s not just over playing Monopoly. 5% have ended relationships on the 25^th December and 3% of people have even had a proposal declined.

See the full list below:

What goes wrong for Brits at Christmas?	Percentage
Overcooked or undercooked food	24%
Food is late / not on time	19%
Family arguments	17%
Forget to defrost food items	16%
Being hungover from Christmas eve drinks	15%
Receive duplicate gifts	13%
Eat / drink too much so fall asleep before games	12%
Oven / alternative appliance stops working	11%
Forgotten presents	11%
Badly wrapped presents	9%
Guests stuck in traffic	9%
Pets eat gifts under the tree	7%
Relationship ended over Christmas	5%
Lost a job over Christmas	4%
Having to go to A&E on Christmas day	3%
Proposal was declined	3%
Re-sell unwanted gifts on Vinted / Depop	2%

The season of giving can also end in chaos, with more than one in ten (11%) forgetting presents. 9% also get in trouble for not keeping to the perfect Christmas aesthetic, wrapping presents badly. 2% of Brits even re-sell unwanted gifts on Vinted or Depop the very same day!

Although the Christmas hiccups are frequent among Brits, with some even losing a job (4%), others having to go to A&E (3%) and 15% being too hungover to enjoy the day, one in ten (10%) claim they improvise and make the day better, whilst one in five (20%) laugh off any issues and treat the whole situation with humour.

To help guide the mishaps on Christmas Day, and for support on gifting, card messages, games and more, visit thortful’s blog here: https://www.thortful.com/blog/

o   Low-cost Lumo launches services connecting Glasgow Queen Street and Falkirk High with Edinburgh, North East England and London.

o   Guests treated to high-speed electric violin duo, Scottish comedian Connor Burns and a back-flipping performance from boyband Just The Brave

o   Lumo will also launch a new service between Stirling and London along the West Coast Main Line from Spring 2026.

The all-electric train company Lumo has launched an affordable and reliable new service linking Glasgow directly with Falkirk, Edinburgh, the North East of England and London with great fanfare.

Customers will be able to travel for as little as £33.10 between London and Glasgow, with tickets starting from an astonishing £10.90 between Newcastle and Glasgow. The low fares combined with Lumo’s high-scoring onboard customer satisfaction results will make travelling between the popular destinations even more accessible for all.

Lumo held an eye-catching launch celebration for the inaugural service, which departed Glasgow Queen Street at 18:16 and arrived into London King’s Cross one minute early.

Storm Electric Strings performed hits for customers, who also experienced a comedy gig by new talent Connor Burns from the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.

Lumo is proudly supporting the popular festival in 2026 and Glasgow’s Pride. Scottish boyband Just The Brave, who have racked up over five million likes on TikTok, also made a special appearance.

Stuart Jones, Managing Director of First Rail Open Access, said: “This is a landmark moment which will boost connectivity between Scotland and England, offering a sustainable travel option whilst also boosting economic growth.

“It was a particular pleasure to celebrate the launch of our inaugural services in style with a brilliant range of guests from our dedicated team, as well as our partners from Scotland and across the border.

“We’re proud to champion Scotland and look forward to providing the unique Lumo service to even more customers from this week.”

To mark the occasion, Lumo enlisted the help of Houston Kiltmakers to design an official Lumo tartan which was revealed to guests who attended the launch, each receiving a limited edition scarf. 

Ken MacDonald from the company, Vice-Chairman of the Scottish Tartans Authority, said: “It’s a pleasure to work with like-minded people who appreciate Scotland and all it has to offer.

“I’m absolutely delighted that we were able to play a part in Lumo launching in Glasgow and look forward to seeing our new tartan design out and about in Scotland and across the border.”

Scottish broadcaster Bev Lyons joined the Lumo team to welcome customers onboard. She said: “The Lumo team are fabulous and I’m so thrilled that they have officially brought their unique service to my home city of Glasgow!

“We’ve been crying out for an affordable and direct link to the North East and London and I know that this service will be valued by many people.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Lumo over the past few months and it’s great to see the company backing local events such as the Glasgow Comedy Festival, as well as the likes of Glasgow Pride. Welcome, Lumo!”

Paul Tetlaw from Transform Scotland, said: “We welcome the new Lumo services from Glasgow and Falkirk via the East Coast Main Line. There is a significant market of people who currently drive or fly to the North East of England and London who now have the opportunity to switch to the train.

“The new services soon to be launched from Stirling will help to build on that modal shift to rail.”

Customers will be able to travel on two northbound services each weekday and one southbound. It’s anticipated that the Lumo connection will attract more people to the Commonwealth Games, due to take place in Glasgow in July 2026.

Lumo is also set to launch a brand new route connecting Stirling with London Euston from May 2026.

Alcohol takes a long time to leave your system, so you could still be over the limit the morning after.

Real roads don’t reset. Don’t risk it – plan ahead and choose a safe way home.

For more information visit: https://orlo.uk/4ePLv

#ArriveAlive

When you’re finished with your plastic sweets and chocolate tubs (and no judgement if that’s happened already!) then remember you can support Macmillan Cancer Support Scotland by dropping your tubs off at participating Greene King Brewery pubs between 1 January and 15 January.

Bring your clean, empty plastic confectionery and biscuit tubs to participating Greene King pubs and their Tub2Pub recycling solution stops them ending up in landfill. In 2025 they collected over 240,000 tubs, weighing in at a record-breaking 27,990 kg of plastic – more than all previous years combined.

Visit https://www.greeneking.co.uk/christmas/tub2pub for more information.

Got a new tablet, smart watch or connected toy for Christmas? Take 5 minutes to set up 2-step verification and keep cyber criminals out of your home

• Families urged to take simple security steps when setting up new accounts for Christmas gifts like tablets, smart watches and connected toys
• Quick 5 minute checks including enabling 2-step verification and automatic updates will protect homes from cyber criminals
• Taking these steps will help keep personal data and home networks safe from unwanted access

As Christmas celebrations are wrapping up and excited children (and adults!) are playing with their new smart watches, talking toys, and tablets, the government is reminding families to give these high-tech gifts a quick security check before the festive fun begins.

Smart technology has topped wish lists across the country, bringing entertainment and connection to homes. Research found that 45% of UK adults planned to buy electronic devices for Christmas in 2024, highlighting how popular smart technology has become as a festive purchase.

From voice-activated assistants answering questions about reindeer, to fitness trackers logging Boxing Day walks, and robot toys becoming new best friends, connected devices can spread joy nationwide.

But just like checking if batteries are included, a few simple security steps will keep Christmas magic safe from cyber-Scrooges. Taking 5 minutes to set up 2-step verification (2SV) on new accounts or enable automatic updates means families can enjoy new technology without worrying about hackers.

Think of it as part of the Christmas routine, alongside the turkey and festive films.

Festive security checklist

Set up 2 -step verification

When creating new accounts for devices and apps this Christmas, turn on 2-step verification (also called 2SV).

This adds an extra layer of protection to accounts like email, making it much harder for criminals to access them, even if they know your password.

Create strong passwords for new accounts

Many Christmas gifts will need new accounts set up. Use strong, unique passwords – combining 3 random words works brilliantly, for example SantasMarmaladeHat.

Enable automatic updates

Keeps devices protected while families enjoy mince pies and tins of chocolates.

Set up parental controls

Helps to protect children’s devices with child accounts.

Check privacy settings

Turn off remote access and unnecessary data collection.

Cyber Security Minister Baroness Lloyd said: “Smart devices can bring families closer at Christmas, whether it’s video calls with relatives or enjoying festive films and new gadgets.

“Taking a moment to follow simple setup steps gives families peace of mind and lets them focus on making amazing Christmas memories.”

NCSC Director for National Resilience, Jonathon Ellison said: “As you set up a smart device you received this Christmas, make sure it’s wrapped up in the essential security layers. Keeping your home and your information safe is the best present you can give yourself this year.

“We recommend following the NCSC’s guidance for using smart devices, and remember to switch on 2‑step verification for all your important accounts.”

The average UK household owns nine connected devices, making Christmas a prime time for hackers. According to analysis of millions of connected homes, devices see an average of 10 attacks every 24 hours, with security solutions blocking roughly 1,736 threats per minute. Poorly secured gadgets and accounts can give criminals access to personal data, audio or video from toys and monitors, or home networks.

The UK is leading the world in protecting families from cyber threats. World-first Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) regulations, which came into force in April 2024, mean that every smart device sold in the UK must meet basic security standards including no default or easily guessable passwords.

Combined with these simple festive security tips – particularly setting up 2-step verification on new accounts – families can unwrap their presents with confidence and enjoy a worry-free Christmas.

Britain’s young people will be given new opportunities to experience military service through a ‘gap year’ Foundation Scheme set to launch in 2026. 

A first wave of around 150 participants will open for recruitment from early 2026, offering young people a year of paid experience and training in the Armed Forces: across the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.  Ministers have an ambition to eventually grow the scheme to over 1,000 young people subject to interest.

The scheme, which will launch in March, will offer young people bespoke training courses aimed at giving them the skills and attributes to set them up for success in either military or civilian life, bolstering their employability or providing a route into an exciting career in the Armed Forces.  

The scheme will equip those who may be unsure on their career direction with problem solving, teamwork and leadership skills, as well as offering unique opportunities including undergoing basic training, or experiencing life at sea.  

It forms part of the Government’s drive towards a “whole of society” approach to defence – a key theme of this year’s Strategic Defence Review – reconnecting the public with those who serve, strengthening awareness of the role the Armed Forces play, and giving the next generation the skills and experience to unlock their potential.  

The scheme is informed by the success of the Australian Defence Force’s ‘ADF Gap Year’ scheme, which was cited in the UK Government’s Strategic Defence Review as an “exciting model from which to learn” and has been running for over a decade.  

The announcement follows a “rallying cry” from the head of the Armed Forces, Sir Richard Knighton, who has set out the need for a whole-nation response to an increasingly volatile and uncertain world.  

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said: This is a new era for Defence, and that means opening up new opportunities for young people to experience and learn from our Armed Forces.

“This gap year scheme will give Britain’s young people a taste of the incredible skills and training on offer across the Army, Royal Navy and RAF. It’s part of our determination to reconnect society with our forces, and drive a whole of society approach to our nation’s defence.

“As families come together at this time of year, and young people think about their futures, I want the outstanding opportunities on offer in our Armed Forces to be part of that conversation in homes across the UK.”

Minister for Veterans and People Louise Sandher-Jones MP said: “As a veteran, I know how invaluable the skills and experience gained by serving in the Armed Forces are not only in a military career, but in civilian life.  

“This scheme will provide a fantastic opportunity for school leavers and young adults to develop their potential, learn new skills, and contribute to our nation’s security, all while building resilience, teamwork, and leadership skills that will serve them for life.”

As well as broad leadership skills, the Armed Forces Foundation Scheme will be designed to deliver transferrable skills to careers outside of the Armed Forces which will bolster national resilience. For example, working alongside supply chain specialist in the Army, or engineers on Royal Navy ships will provide the skills needed for success in logistics and engineering roles.  

Initially operating as a pilot, the scheme is expected to scale and increase capacity, offering the experience of life in the Armed Forces without a commitment beyond the course.