Ahead of Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022, decorations have been recycled from the pages of children’s storybooks. The museum will be open throughout the festive period and entry is free.
Gail Thow from National Museums Scotland puts the finishing touches to the Christmas tree at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
To discover more about upcoming exhibitions and events at National Museums Scotland, visit nms.ac.uk
Edinburgh’s Conifox Adventure Park is putting the sparkle into Christmas with a magnificent 20ft tree taking pride of place at the city’s Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.
The popular visitor attraction on the outskirts of Kirkliston supplies Christmas trees across Edinburgh and the Lothians and was delighted to donate the inaugural evergreen to Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC) for the new hospital’s first festive season.
It is now providing a dazzling Yuletide welcome for visitors and patients, having been illuminated by little Joey Sharp, 11 months, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour at just 12 days old. He pressed the button, helped by big sister Carly, three, to light up the 20ft Nordmann fir and surrounding area at a special Christmas lights switch-on ceremony on Sunday, November 28.
Victoria Buchanan, from ECHC, said: “This is our first year in our new home at Little France, so we are determined to make it the biggest and best Christmas yet. We are enormously grateful to Conifox for this amazing tree donation.
“Although we have lit up the building, we still need help to Light Up Christmas and make sure no child or young person in hospital misses out on the joy of the festive season. We rely solely on donations to do this. Please help by making a donation to ECHC this Christmas.”
James Gammell, Managing Director of Conifox Adventure Park, says: “As a father to two young children it’s a real honour to donate the tree as it is such a lovely symbol of light and we hope it brings a little bit of festive cheer to those facing a tough time at the hospital over Christmas.”
Conifox Adventure Park has also supplied Edinburgh’s spectacular 60ft Christmas tree at The Mound – gifted annually by Hordaland County, Norway to thank Scotland for its help during World War II – and is a popular destination for locals and commercial businesses seeking a real Christmas spruce or fir.
In addition to its range of trees, Conifox Adventure Park is running its Christmas Experience where visitors can enjoy a walk-about winter wonderland, meet Christmas characters and the man of the moment himself – Santa Claus – and his elves.
There are also four magical shows, the chance to write and post a letter in the North Pole Post Room or visit the Toy Workshop and Reindeer Flying School. And outside there is an Elf Disco Village plus new this year is Conifox Christmas Market with plenty of stalls selling crafts, food and other goodies from local traders.
To find out more and to book tickets, visit the Conifox Adventure Park Facebook page @conifoxadventurepark or www.conifox.co.uk.
To donate now to ECHC’s Light Up Christmas appeal, visit www.echcharity.org/christmas
Edinburgh looks very different this Christmas to any other year in recent memory. However, despite the lack of any live activity, City of Edinburgh Council and its Edinburgh’s Christmas producer, Underbelly, wanted to mark Light Night, the traditional switch-on, which is usually seen by thousands of locals every year, with something different to mark 2020 – the Christmas Rainbow.
The illuminated rainbow, which sits at over 18 metres wide on the Mound and adjacent to the Christmas Tree gifted to Edinburgh by Vestland in Norway, gives thanks to Edinburgh’s and Scotland’s front-line workers who have given so much during the recent pandemic and so provides a one-off festive celebration for Edinburgh.
The Christmas Tree and the Christmas Rainbow were switched on by The Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Frank Ross and the Honorary Consul General for Norway, David Windmill on Friday the 27th November, which succeeded an online meeting between the Lord Provost and the Vestland County Convener Jon Askeland.
Charlie Wood, co-director of Underbelly for Edinburgh’s Christmas, said: “There is no denying that Christmas this year will be a tough time for most. Many have lost loved ones and lots of us will be unable to spend the holidays with friends and family due to the Covid-19 restrictions.
“This was one of the reasons that we wanted to continue the tradition of the Edinburgh’s Christmas light switch on, in a safe and physically distanced way, and, most especially, why we wanted to mark what has been such a negative year with the Christmas Rainbow and the Christmas Tree, as symbols of colour, of light, of celebration, of positivity and of gratitude.”
Frank Ross, Lord Provost said: “Our annual Light Night signals the start for the festive season for me, but this year, like most things, we are doing it differently.
“Whilst we can’t come together as a city for Light Night, I hope this year’s Christmas rainbow helps us enter the festive spirit, spread some happiness whilst celebrating and paying tribute to those in in our communities, NHS, key workers, volunteers and businesses who have gone above and beyond in this most challenging of years.
“With our partners Underbelly, we are committed to do all we can to bring Christmas spirit to the Capital and keep some of our traditions. Our priority throughout remains people’s safety and making sure everything we deliver is Covid-secure.
“The Christmas lights will be switched on throughout the city in the coming days and we hope this helps to create a festive atmosphere and I sincerely wish that we can all have the happiest Christmas we can.”
David Windmill, Honorary Consul General for Norway said: “In a year when there has been so much change and difficulty for us all it was important for Norway to maintain its tradition of gifting the Christmas tree to the City of Edinburgh.
“This beautiful tree in the centre of the city reflects the gratitude of the people of Vestland on the west coast of Norway for help and support in the past and also the hope that this time next year we shall be celebrating the joyous and traditional Christmas in Edinburgh that we all know so well.”
Using fruit, fabric scraps, and utilising Facebook marketplace are all frugal ways for Brits to save money decorating their Christmas trees this year.
Penny-pinching gurus from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have revealed some inventive ways to decorate trees for free and bring the family together by creating and crafting decorations.
Using scraps of paper and old magazines is one way to bring your tree to life but will also help to keep more money in Brits’ own pockets.
Taking inspiration from years gone by, using dried fruits such as orange slices are also a great way to add colour and also fragrance to the tree.
NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have recently surveyed 4,566 people and a fifth (20 per cent) have already put their Christmas tree up, and a further 33 per cent plan to have their festive decorations up before the end of the month.
A spokesperson for NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “After the year we’ve had, people need something to lift their spirits and to look forward to. There’s been a massive increase in people getting their trees up in November this year.
“Brits might think they’re out of festive luck, but the good news is, there are plenty of ways to decorate your Christmas tree for free.
“You don’t need a lot of expensive decorations to have a beautiful Christmas tree this year. It is so easy to enjoy a beautiful tree without spending a penny.”
Here is NetVoucherCodes.co.uk’s advice on decorating your Christmas tree for free.
Use dried fruit
Beautiful, fragrant and budget-friendly, this tip is an old-fashioned way to decorate the tree. If you have fruit that is starting to turn and go bad, then dry it! Most fruits can be dried but cranberries, apple slices, and orange slices are most traditional and they can be dried in a dehydrator or oven. Once dried, they can then be strung with thread and a needle to create a sweet decoration for your tree.
Use scrap paper
Growing up, many of us will remember making paper snowflakes as a kid. Why not get the scissors out and make them again? Use scrap paper or leftover magazines to make colourful snowflakes or snowmen.
Or you can cut out pictures you like from magazines of scenery, celebrities, or just pictures of items you are interested in. You can use dental floss or string to hang them from your tree.
Use old fabric scraps
If you have fabric scraps sitting around, such as old or damaged clothes, or bedding then you can always tie them into bows to use on the tree. This is so simple. Just cut them up and tie them to the tree.
Check online marketplaces and trading sites
The internet is full of free and for trade sites. Facebook marketplace and Gumtree are often the go-to sites, and this time of year, lots of people are giving items away such as old decorations. Make sure you are Covid compliant when picking up items you source through Facebook, but it is a free way to pick up some nice second-hand decorations.
Look in your garden and local parks
Chances are your garden and the local park is full of natural items that would make pretty decorations for your tree! Curly branches, pine cones, acorns, and flowers would all bring your tree to life this Christmas. You can even use some glitter or paint to add some personality to the decorations.
Family run, for family fun, Conifox Adventure Park has marked the launch of its yearly Christmas tree market by supplying a Scottish grown Christmas tree for The Mound.
Standing at a majestic 60ft tall, the Edinburgh Mound spruce will be supplied directly from Scotland, promoting the festive feeling of ‘shop local’ this Christmastime, with Conifox Christmas Trees hoping to encourage other Edinburgh residents to source their tree locally, reducing their carbon footprint.
With installation scheduled for 8am on Saturday (7th November), Conifox Adventure Park director, James Gammell, will be there to witness the yearly event.
James said: “From its origins in 1949 when the traditional gifted tree came from Scandinavia, through to 2008 and beyond when it’s been sourced directly from Scotland, the tree on The Mound has always been the starting beacon for Christmas in the capital.
“Seeing the community come together to marvel at the thousands of twinkling lights on a spruce that has united Scotland and Norway for over 70 years, is incredibly heart-warming. Although this year we will all be celebrating Christmas a little differently, we will still feel at home when we look up and see this symbol that is the spirit of Christmas.”
Edinburgh based company Bernard Hunter Cranes and Field and Lawn Christmas lights and city dressing, are both involved in erecting and decorating the Sitka Spruce, which was sourced from a forest in Kintyre.
Although grown in Scotland and supplied by Conifox Christmas Trees, the tree continues to be a gift from the citizens of Hordaland to mark the help given by the Scots to Norway during WWII.
James Gammell added: “As always we will be offering a little magic at Conifox Adventure Park, with our annual Christmas tree market, where we will have hundreds of beautiful firs ready to take home and enjoy.
“Remember to stop by and pick yours after your trip through our Christmas Drive-Thru Experience.”
Available from late November 4, 14ft Nordmann Firs, Norway Spruces and Fraser Firs will be stocked and displayed at Conifox Adventure Park ready to be netted and taken away, or delivered in Edinburgh, South Queensferry, West Lothian and more.
Potted Christmas trees and wreaths are also available, with commercial venues able to take advantage of this local supplier, bagging themselves a Christmas tree up to a 60ft. Email us christmastrees@conifox.co.uk or Tel. 0131 333 2288
Those with tickets to the park’s Christmas Drive-thru will be enticed to shop their at-home range of real trees before or after their visit, to further experience the magic.
Tickets available now for the Christmas Drive-thru and are subject to additional government guidelines. A full refund guarantee is in place in case of event cancellation due to local lockdowns or restrictions.
Tickets can be purchased via: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/conifox
To find out more visit the Conifox Adventure Park Facebook page @conifoxadventurepark or www.conifox.co.uk.
Urban Union are lighting up Muirhouse Shopping Centre agains this festive season – come and join the happy throng for a Christmas Tree light up and a visit from Santa today from 4 – 6pm!
