Coughs are irritating – they can disturb your sleep and make you feel quite unwell at times. But how can you tell the difference between a short-term cough or whooping cough?
Read on to find out more …
Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airways. Also known as pertussis, it is frequently described as the 100-day cough.
The first symptoms of whooping cough include:
runny nose
red and watery eyes
sore throat
a slightly raised temperature
Intense bouts of coughing then begin around a week later. Coughing symptoms at this stage include:
bouts lasting a few minutes at a time
more common at night time
bringing up thick mucus
can cause vomiting
gasping for breath between coughs, which may cause a ‘whoop’ sound (not everyone has this)
Whooping cough can affect people of any age, although young babies under 6 months of age are at a particularly increased risk of complications. Treatment depends on the age of the patient and how long they have had the infection.
Vaccination can protect babies and children from whooping cough. The vaccine is offered to:
women after the 16th week of pregnancy
babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age (the 6-in-1 vaccine)
children by 3 years and 4 months (the 4-in-1 pre-school booster)
Find out more about when to seek help for whooping cough and details on the whooping cough vaccine by visiting NHS inform – useful links in comments!
In the run up to Christmas, Children First is calling for action to address Scotland’s child mental health crisis after a recent freedom of information (FOI) request revealed a ‘staggering’ 100 referrals a day, on average, are being made to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
Scotland’s national children’s charity has described the figures as ‘a sad reflection of growing up in Scotland today’ after they declared a childhood emergency last month. At the time, a survey carried out by the children’s charity found 88 percent of adults were worried about children and young people’s mental health.
Children First chief executive, Mary Glasgow, said: “The fact that a staggering 100 referrals for children are being made for children’s mental health support daily is a sad reflection of growing up in Scotland today. This Christmas thousands of children will wake up full of fear and worry.
“Scotland’s children should be safe, loved and happy – not robbed of their childhoods. This must stop. As a nation we have a responsibility to protect their mental health and wellbeing and to ensure they receive the support they need.
“We are calling on the Scottish Government to roll out more early help and support to stop children reaching crisis point and asking the Scottish public to get behind our Christmas fundraising campaign to protect Scotland’s children and keep them safe.”
The news comes a week before the latest quarterly CAMHS waiting list statistics are released and a decade on from the Scottish Government committing to 90 percent of CAMHS referrals being seen within 18 weeks. That target has never been met.
Mary Glasgow continued: “Ten years on the Scottish Government has not kept its promise to stop children getting stuck on waiting lists and children are often not getting help until they are in severe distress. We want to see more funding so that families can quickly get support for their children when they need it.
“Our teams across Scotland are supporting young people who are frightened, worried and anxious and in desperate need of help.”
One young person, Tessa* who was suffering panic attacks, anxiety and fear during a difficult time at home, shared her experience of being supported by Children First: “After I met Sharon* from Children First I felt that I had someone to turn to.
“I could talk to her and share my feelings with her. She helped me learn to cope with my anxiety. Before then I’d been bottling up everything but having Sharon to talk to felt like a weight off my shoulders.”
Glasgow added: “At Children First we provide emotional, practical and financial support to help children and families when they need it most.
“We know Christmas time can be a strain for many families and the support we provide is needed now more than ever. We want children to have hope and a brighter future. Please donate today and give the gift of childhood this Christmas.”
Donations to the Children First Christmas appeal can be made at childrenfirst.org.uk or by calling 0345 10 80 111.
Anyone worried about a child in Scotland can contact the Children First support line by calling 08000 28 22 33 for free or visiting www.childrenfirst.org.uk.
With your help we can support survivors this Christmas
We are collecting donations to provide vouchers to the women and children we support throughout the festive period. The provision of vouchers allows those we support to celebrate Christmas however they would like without the financial burden this time of year often brings.
£10 would contribute to the cost of a Christmas meal for a woman and her children living in refuge.
£25 would contribute to the cost of presents, activities, and trips over the holiday period to ensure that a child in refuge has a more enjoyable Christmas.
£50 would contribute to the cost of food, presents, and essentials for a woman and her children living in refuge over the Christmas holidays.
£75 would contribute to the cost of food and essentials over the holidays and beyond for women and children who have access to no other funds.
We have had extraordinary success in providing those we support with vouchers at Christmas for the past three years. The women who received these vouchers were thrilled that they were able to make choices about what gifts they and their children most needed or wanted.
Women told us:
‘Today I am going shopping and am excited to be able to choose presents for my children.
“I want to say a big thank you for your kindness, love, and the gift vouchers we received. I cannot express our joy and gratitude to you all.
“From our hearts we say a big thank you and know that we appreciate all your love and care so much.“
We’re also happy to support you in your own fundraising campaign for EWA. We’ve been so honoured by the heartfelt fundraisers our supporters have organised in the past.
The NSPCC Helpline fielded almost 4,000 contacts about concerns for children experiencing domestic abuse in the first six months of 24/25.
There has been a 19% increase about the issue compared to the same period in 23/24.
Coercive or controlling behaviour, emotional domestic abuse and post-separation domestic abuse were concerns repeatedly raised in contacts the adult helpline received about domestic abuse.
Childline is reminding all children that the service is ready to support them if they have concerns about domestic abuse, or any other issues, this festive season.
The NSPCC is dealing with an increase in contacts to its Helpline from adults with concerns about children who are experiencing domestic abuse.
In the first six months of 2024/25, the charity received 3,879 contacts relating to the issue, a 19% rise compared to the previous year.
A deeper dive into the domestic abuse data reveals mentions of coercive or controlling behaviour (1,279 contacts) and emotional domestic abuse (1,451) increased by a half, while post-separation domestic abuse more than doubled.
A 12-year-old girl from Scotland told a Childline counsellor: “I can’t handle living around my dad; he puts us all on edge. You never know what he’s going to do next or over what.
“Mum thought she’d lost her phone weeks ago, but really dad hid it to punish her. Mum doesn’t even argue back anymore, it’s like he’s made her give up.”
Children are also directly contacting the charity about this issue, with Childline delivering over 500 counselling sessions on domestic abuse in the same 6-month period.
As we move towards Christmas and into the winter months, the concern now is that these numbers will continue to rise with longer, darker nights seeing children spending more time at home and having several weeks away from school over the festive period.
In response, the NSPCC is launching its annual Christmas campaign designed to remind young people that Childline is available throughout the festive season to support on all concerns, including domestic abuse.
Sadly, there will be thousands of children this Christmas across the UK in search of free and confidential help for a range of worries and concerns. These include how to stay safe from abuse and about feeling completely alone. This Christmas, Childline is ready for every call and contact throughout the festive period.
In the charity’s Christmas TV advert, a young girl who has been neglected during the festive period contacts Childline for help. She speaks to a trained counsellor who listens to what is happening to her and provides support.
The issue can still persist after a relationship is over. An adult in Scotland who had concerns for a relative’s safety in a domestic abuse setting told the NSPCC Helpline that they saw signs of controlling behaviour after a relationship had ended.
They said: “My sister recently left an abusive situation with her six-month old baby, but her ex-partner is still in control of their finances and emotionally abusing her. Her ex has drained their accounts so she can’t buy what she needs for my niece.
“The ex is bombarding her with threats over text, even saying they will kill themselves if she doesn’t go back or let them see the baby. Where can we get support and protection for my sister and niece?”
Adeniyi Alade, head of NSPCC helplines in Scotland, said: “Christmas should be a time of wonder and excitement for children, but sadly this is not always the case. For some it can be a time in the year when problems at home come to a head and trigger issues like domestic abuse.
“Contacts to the NSPCC Helpline about domestic abuse have been on the rise this year and the concern now is that this will continue over Christmas and into 2025.
“Our mission is to ensure that no child is left to suffer in silence. Our Childline service is open in December and throughout the year to provide free, confidential advice and support.”
This Christmas, a child will contact Childline every 45 seconds on average. Help the charity to make sure Childline is ready for every question this festive season by visiting the NSPCC website. Just £4 could help a counsellor answer a call this Christmas.
The Childline service is here for children every day, even on Christmas Day. Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk
Any adult can contact the NSPCC Helpline if they have a concern about a child on 0808 800 5000 or by emailing help@NSPCC.org.uk. For more information on DART (Domestic Abuse, Recovering Together), visit the NSPCC website.
Engagement to tackle gendered violence highlighted at start of 16 Days
More than 27,000 young people have benefited from education and awareness-raising sessions on tackling gender-based violence over six months, thanks to 45 grassroots organisations across Scotland.
The latest Delivering Equally Safe impact report, published by Inspiring Scotland, shows that the number of young people accessing sessions on issues including consent and gender equality through these organisations is increasing. The report also includes data on the number of people who have received frontline support, and the type of support provided.
The report publication comes as the global 16 Days of Activism campaign gets underway. To mark the start of the campaign, Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart visited Monklands Women’s Aid in Airdrie to hear about their vital work to support women, children and young people.
Ms Stewart said: “Preventing violence against women and girls is key to creating a society where women and girls can live safely. I am proud to be supporting the 16 Days of Activism campaign to tackle and prevent violence against women and girls.
“Thanks to organisations supported by our Delivering Equally Safe fund, workshops supporting young people to understand consent, healthy relationships and the signs of abusive behaviour have reached more than 27,000 young people.
“In the two years since Delivering Equally Safe started, nearly 17,000 children and young people have engaged in frontline funded support.
“Among the organisations providing frontline support is Monklands Women’s Aid, whose work to address both traditional and emerging forms of violence against women and girls is vital and innovative.”
Monklands Women’s Aid Chairperson, Christine Buckel said: “Grassroots organisations like Monkland’s Women’s Aid are the backbone of community support for those facing the trauma of domestic abuse.
“Our integrated approach ensures women, children, and young people receive tailored support when they need it most. Most importantly, we listen to and respond to those we serve, ensuring that their voices shape the services that make a real difference in their lives.
“The Delivering Equally Safe programme fund provides vital funding that enabled the organisation to deliver frontline domestic abuse interventions to 1,571 people since October 2021.”
In the lead up to the festive period, Fort Kinnaird is on the hunt for its first ever Chief Christmas Officer (CCO)!
The lucky young recruit will bag their dream role, with the opportunity to try out the wealth of retailers and experiences at the centre for free, indulging in tasty festive treats and bagging plenty of Christmas goodies all in exchange for their review.
The new CCO will spend a big day out at the centre from seeing one of the latest movies at ODEON Cinema to reviewing the new festive menu at Frankie & Benny’s, with Fort Kinnaird’s newest and littlest recruit rating their experience to make sure it’s fit for a fun-filled festive season.
What’s more, the CCO will also get the chance to sample the new festive hot chocolate and treats at Hotel Chocolat and test out this year’s most popular toys and gadgets at Menkind, with the lucky individual getting to take one home.
The ideal candidate for the role will be a fun-loving adventurer who loves trying new experiences and must be aged between six and twelve.
To apply for the opportunity of a lifetime, youngsters should ask their parent or guardian to email fortkinniard.CCO@citypress.co.uk with their name, age and why they’d be the perfect candidate, by Monday 2nd December at 23:59.
Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “At Fort Kinnaird, we’re constantly working to improve the experience of our visitors, and launching the quest for our new Chief Christmas Officer does just that – helping one lucky family to make unforgettable memories while ensuring our festivities are up to scratch!
“Whether you’re shopping for a new Christmas outfit, sampling the latest festive menus or catching a much-loved family-favourite on the big screen, Fort Kinnaird is the perfect place to enjoy a family day out, and our CCO’s suggestions will help us to make sure we’re giving visitors the best possible festive season.
“This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a child to become our new Chief Christmas Officer will be the ultimate test to see how we shape up, and we can’t wait to welcome the lucky recruit to the centre!”
For more information and to find out whether the CCO role is for you, please see the full job description and terms & conditions, here.
Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), the charity behind The Haven, a wellbeing and resilience pilot, developed to tackle Scotland’s mental health crisis says it is overwhelmed by its success in its first year.
The service opened at The Fraser Centre in Tranent in September 2023 and is the first centre to open under the Charity’s ‘No Time To Wait’ strategy. Over its first twelve months, the service operated for three afternoons a week, and attracted 2,412 visits. Of these visits, 1,360 were children and young people and 1,052 were their affected family members.
Roslyn Neely, CEO of ECHC said: “We are incredibly proud of the success of The Haven over its first year. Poor mental health is one of the biggest challenges of this generation and to have been able to support so many young people, and their families, struggling with their mental health is really inspiring.
“The Haven model has been created by experts and delivered by hugely passionate and committed members of our team, but it is not a complex or complicated process. This is a model that can be taken and delivered all over the country, it simply needs the will and the funding.
“If we, as a charity, can evidence this much success in one pilot service in just twelve months, imagine how many people dealing with poor mental health could be helped if this model was scaled up and rolled out throughout Scotland.”
The Haven aims to support families with children struggling with their mental health and prevent problems escalating to the point where professional intervention is needed. Of those who have attended in the last year, the most common issues are around anxiety and depression, followed by challenges in the school environment and school attendance, neurodiversity and self harming, and less commonly, suicidal ideation and eating disorders.
A parent who has used The Havensaid: “When we all felt at our lowest point we contacted The Haven. Everyone there genuinely cares.
“Our son found it a safe space to open up and talk. The support The Haven provides us as parents is invaluable. We know the team is on our side and has helped us to realise what we are doing is right. I always look forward to our chats.”
The Haven is open to any child or young person with a mental health concern, and any member of their family, including parents, carers, siblings and grandparents. Due to its success, The Haven will next month move to new premises and will open five days a week.
With bigger facilities, longer opening hours and a larger catchment area, The Haven will be able to support even more people across the Knox Academy postcode area as well as the Ross High School area, from its new premises in Haddington.
Fiona O’Sullivan is Director of Children’s Wellbeing at ECHC, she said: “The Haven is unique as it supports the whole family and recognises that when a child or young person is suffering as a result of poor mental health this can have a massive detrimental impact on the rest of the family.
“Our service exists to support the child, the parent, the grandparent, the auntie, the carer, whomever is closest to the child in need.
“We are thrilled that The Haven is able to expand its service for the remainder of the pilot. Part of the purpose of the pilot was to ascertain the scale of demand, and our data from the first twelve months has simply confirmed to us what we already knew, that children and young people are crying out for help.”
The Haven will close its doors permanently in July 2025, at which point ECHC is willing to hand over the model and findings from the pilot to any organisation willing to take The Haven model and roll it out more permanently.
Roslyn Neelyadded: “Our entire team is completely invested in The Haven and the thought of it closing at this point is almost unbearable, but it was always the intention this would be a two-year pilot, and as a charity we sadly can’t fund and resource this forever.
“It is our vision that every community in every local authority area across Scotland will have a Haven for those who need it. The model has shown without any doubt that it works, and at the end of the pilot we hope to demonstrate that, at the very least, it has provided valuable support and intervention which has helped a child and their family to cope better with their situation; and at best, may have negated the need for CAMHS support later down the line.”
Ministers hear from families, public bodies and charities to tackle issues including wages, work and welfare and help those most in need
The UK Government’s Child Poverty Taskforce was in Scotland for the first time on Thursday, hearing from child poverty charities, experts, parents and children in Glasgow as it develops plans for an ambitious, cross-Government strategy to drive down child poverty.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, who co-chairs the Taskforce, said that tackling child poverty is back where it should be – at the top of the UK Government’s agenda – and that driving down child poverty across Scotland was a key priority.
The visit comes following last month’s Budget announcement of a new ‘Fair Repayment Rate’ in Universal Credit, making 110,000 of Scotland’s poorest households better off from next April.
On average, households will each benefit by £420 a year. The new rate means Universal Credit deductions will be capped at 15 per cent, down from 25 per cent.
This move comes alongside the rise in the Minimum Wage, which will benefit 3 million of the lowest paid workers by up to £1,400 year, and wider action the UK Government is taking to Make Work Pay and create more good jobs in every part of the country including in clean energy and through its modern industrial strategy.
With more than 200,000 children living in poverty in Scotland, and over 33,000 in Glasgow City, Liz Kendall MP heard the vast scale of the challenge facing communities and what is already being done locally to tackle the issue, including two child poverty ‘pathfinders’ in Glasgow and Dundee aiming to provide joined up support for families.
After hearing from families, leading organisations, the Scottish Government and public bodies with vital roles in children’s lives spanning from health to housing, including Public Health Scotland and the Scotland’s Children Commissioner, shared their insight and learnings with the Secretary of State at a roundtable discussion.
Charities including Aberlour, Joseph Rowntree Foundation Scotland and One Parent Families Scotland attended the event, as did the Scotland Minister for Equalities Kaukab Stewart MSP, the UK Minister for Employment Alison McGovern MP, and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland, Kirsty McNeill MP.
Both governments have pledged to work closely together to achieve the common aim of making sure every child in Scotland has the support they need to reach their full potential.
Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray is part of the Child Poverty Taskforce, which met earlier this week on the theme of increasing parents’ earned incomes, building employment stability and enabling progression in work.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall MP: “Tackling child poverty is a priority for the UK Government, and a personal priority for me.
“It is a moral stain on this country that there are now over 4 million children in the UK living in poverty, including 200,000 in Scotland.
“That is why the work of our Child Poverty Taskforce is so urgent. We will look at all the levers available at our disposal across Government to drive down poverty and drive-up opportunity for children and families in every corner of the UK.
“Scottish families and organisations are at the heart of our ambitious plans. The experiences and ideas they shared today are critical to our work to give all children in Scotland – and across the UK – the very best start in life.”
https://twitter.com/i/status/1859952534770893088
UK Government Minister for Scotland Kirsty McNeill: “Hearing such stark and painful accounts from families about their daily struggles has been hugely humbling but a vitally important reminder about why we must and will reduce child poverty across the whole of the UK.
“It’s a national shame that more than 200,000 children are living in poverty in Scotland. We are taking action – the UK Budget progressed our commitment to transforming the lives of Scottish children facing poverty, and we’re making work pay to improve living standards by raising the minimum wage and making the biggest improvements to workers’ rights in a generation.
“But we know there’s much more to be done and the testimonies of these families is key in shaping our next steps. By joining together with the Scottish Government and with other agencies and charities we will work to boost incomes, improve financial resilience and ensure better local support.”
Aberlour, CEO, SallyAnn Kelly OBE: “We welcome the UK Child Poverty Taskforce coming to Scotland to hear about and better understand the impact of poverty on the lives of children and families.
“We hope the Taskforce has heard what Aberlour has to say, and more importantly what families have told them, and will take away those calls on how to reduce and tackle child poverty.
“We know that this will require urgent action to respond to what children and families need to alleviate the impact of poverty in their lives right now, as well as long term actions to achieve our shared ambition to end child poverty for good.”
Fellow co-chair, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, met with the Minister for Northern Ireland, Fleur Anderson, in Belfast, along with several key poverty organisations including Action for Children NI and Save the Children NI, as the Taskforce brings in voices from across the UK.
As part of the regular and widespread engagement on developing the Child Poverty Strategy, for the first time all the devolved governments and the UK Government met together on this issue last week.
This comes as the Government prepares to launch the Get Britain Working White Paper including plans to overhaul Jobcentres and join up work, health and skills plans to help people get back into work and get on in work, so they can build a better life for them and their families.
The UK’s first children and young people’s bereavement charity, Winston’s Wish, is delighted to announce its new partnership with cancer care charity Maggie’s. These two national charities are pleased to work together to help ensure that children and young people receive true wraparound support when someone in the family or friend circle is living with advanced cancer.
Winston’s Wish is the UK’s first charity established especially for bereaved young people. Estimates suggest that, devastatingly, each day, more than 100 children in the UK are bereaved of a parent and that figure doesn’t equate how many young people are coping with the death of a sibling, grandparent, friend, or another significant individual in their lives.
Maggie’s has 24 cancer centres built in the grounds of NHS hospitals throughout the UK. The charity provides expert support from diagnosis onwards for the person with cancer as well as family and friends.
Maggie’s Chief Executive Dame Laura Lee said: “Our experts are there for people at possibly the hardest time of their lives, offering free practical and psychological care and support when they need it most. We are here for people with cancer and those who love them for every stage which includes pre bereavement or when bereaved.
“In 2023 we supported people living with cancer more than 300,000 times and we know that number will only rise as more people find themselves living with cancer.”
Each year Winston’s Wish supports and impacts the lives of more than 80,000 grieving children and young people when their lives are turned upside down by bereavement.
Winston’s Wish supports grieving young people up to the age of 25, offering offers a range of services designed to support children 12 and younger to explore grief through arts and play such as creative therapy. The charity also provides special support and content designed for 13–25-year-olds on the charity’s Talk Grief website which includes real life stories and articles regarding what it’s like to grow up with grief.
They also produce a special podcast entitled Grief in Common which features interviews from the charity’s dedicated Youth Ambassador Team, made up of those with lived experience of grief.
As well as providing support with bereavement, whether it is from traumatic circumstances, illness or other circumstances, the charity also provides advice for pre-bereavement when there is a terminal diagnosis including offering expert support surrounding how adults can talk to younger children about death and dying, the importance of using direct language and tips about how to remember their special person.
In a similar vein, Maggie’s supports the entire family when there is a cancer diagnosis and offers support to young people when somebody in their circle receives the news that someone they love has cancer.
Winston’s Wish vision is that no child is left to grieve alone and as such, Winston’s Wish is pleased to be joining forces with the national cancer charity, in order to be visible and accessible in relevant spaces. As part of the partnership, each charity’s services will be signposted to service-users to ensure that they know of the specialised support available to them.
Letizia Perna, Director of Services and Service Transformation at Winston’s Wish is pleased to officially announce the partnership between the two charities. She says, “As we publicly announce the partnership between Winston’s Wish and Maggie’s, we will be combining expertise in childhood bereavement and cancer support.
“This strategic partnership between our two charities demonstrates a profound commitment to supporting children, young people, and families impacted by cancer, particularly those navigating the challenges of bereavement. Together, we will offer a compassionate network that embraces bereaved children, young people, and families, ensuring they feel seen, understood, and supported through their grief journey.”
Maggie’s Chief Executive Dame Laura Lee said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Winstons’ Wish. By working together, we will ensure that thousands of children and young people experiencing bereavement through cancer get exactly the right support they need.
“We see and hear in our centres everyday how the impact of a cancer diagnosis ripples out through families.”
Together with Maggie’s, Winston’s Wish is keen to ensure that its services are visible and accessible to the countless children, young people and their families throughout the UK whose lives are turned upside down by grief. With support from Maggie’s and their expert cancer support, the charities are pleased to announce their partnership and work together to improve the accessibility of support for young people when cancer is close to home.
Winston’s Wish is keen to reassure bereaved young people and their families that they are welcome to chat online, email or call for free to speak to a bereavement support worker by calling 08088 020 021 between 8-8 weekdays, emailing ask@winstonswish.org or using the live chat at winstonswish.org.
Winston’s Wish is pleased to launch its Christmas appeal, entitled ‘Colour Their Christmas’. This heartwarming animated video serves to remind people that this winter there are children and young people facing the festive season without the special person they love.Winston’s Wish can’t take their grief away, but we can help grieving children and young people find glimmers of hope. And with your support, together, we can bring colour back into their world. To donate, please visit Colour their Christmas | Winston’s Wish.
Santa’s Stories and Christmas Tree Maze transform St. Andrew Square from Saturday 23 November
George Street’s popular covered Ice Rink opens Friday 22 November
Family favourites in East Princes Street Gardens including the Traditional Christmas Markets,LNER Big Wheel, Around the World Starflyer, and the Festive Funfair in West Princes Street Gardens now open
Santa Claus and his elves are ready to welcome families at St. Andrew Square where they can find Santa’s Stories, a letter writing station and a post box with a direct line to Santa’s workshop. Santa’s Stories begins Saturday 23 November in the Piccolo Spiegeltent, with each visit ensuring kids get the opportunity to meet Santa himself before the big day, and take home their own present.
Also in St. Andrew Square, the all-new Christmas Tree Maze opens on Saturday 23 November, until 24 December. This immersive holiday experience, with tickets from £5, offers one of the UK’s largestilluminatedChristmas Tree walks.
Time to lace up your skates! Edinburgh’s premier outdoor Ice Rink opens on George Street from Friday 22 November 2024 and runs through until Saturday 4 January 2025. With a covered rink, it’s the perfect festive activity, rain or shine.
Edinburgh’s Christmas is now open featuring a jam-packed programme of festive family fun! Get ready for bright lights, Christmas tunes and mulled wine as the festive season kicks off! Located in Edinburgh’s historic city centre, Edinburgh’s Christmas offers a winter wonderland experience like no other.
Edinburgh’s Christmas transforms the city into a festive haven for all the family, with Traditional Christmas Markets, funfair rides, spectacular liveoutdoor events, delicious food and drink, plus so much more.
Edinburgh’s East Princes Street Gardens brings the capital’s famous Christmas festivities to the heart of the city. Running until Saturday 4 January 2025, the market is filled to the brim with the finest local and international producers to find that perfect Christmas gift. East Princes Street Gardens also boasts the famous 80m Star Flyer, LNER Big Wheel and more daring fairground rides.
Just along the street, West Princes Street Gardens’ Festive Funfair complete with thrilling rides, fairground games, food & beverage, light installations and ticketed illumination events every evening. Families are welcome to join the fun until Saturday 4 January 2025.
red and watery eyes
sore throat
a slightly raised temperature
bouts lasting a few minutes at a time
women after the 16th week of pregnancy
