Christmas and New Year in Edinburgh
What started out as a few people gathering outside the Tron Kirk in Edinburgh waiting for the bells to chime at midnight has grown over the years. Since 1993 it has became more of an organised celebration and fast forward a few more years and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay has grown massively into a Winter / Christmas / Hogmanay Festival which runs from mid-November through to January.
Christmas
You know Christmas is on its way when the Big Wheel goes up in Princes Street Gardens. Next to the Scott Monument and lighting up the night sky with its multi coloured lights, the Wheel has become something of a Christmas landmark in Princes Street. Take a ride in one of the enclosed pods. Each pod can take a maximum of 6 people and you may have to share the pod with others if it’s busy. Standard tickets cost £12.00 and can be pre-booked online. Family tickets are also available.
But if you’ve been on the Big Wheel and want a bigger adrenaline rush, you could try the Starflyer. At 80 metres tall it’s a thrilling ride and if you can keep your eyes open long enough you’ll get a great view of the city.
In the shadow of the Starflyer is the Christmas market which spreads out across the east end of Princes Street Gardens. You can browse the stalls for traditional Christmas gifts or stop at one of the many food traders for a bite to eat or some mulled wine.
If you want to go skating, head along to the ice rink on George Street. Everyone is welcome and there are special sessions for small children as well as Late Skates for adults on Fridays where you can glide along to the sound of a resident DJ.
If burning up energy on your skates has left you thirsty, nip next door to the Polar Ice Bar. Everything is made of ice and there are some beautiful ice sculptures to admire while you’re having your drink in sub-zero temperatures.
And of course Christmas isn’t Christmas without Santa. Santa and his elves can be found at the west end of Princes Street Gardens and they will be telling Santa Stories every day from 5th - 24th December 2025. Each performance lasts 20 minutes and you can get tickets on the Edinburgh Christmas website.
Hogmanay
Edinburghs Hogmanay celebrations start on 29th December with the Torchlight Procession. A long standing tradition in Edinburgh the procession starts in The Meadows and makes its way through the old town before finishing up beside Edinburgh Castle.
The massed pipes and drums lead the procession along with Vikings from Shetland’s South Mainland Up Helly Aa Jarl Squad, followed by fire performers, street theatre and drummers. If you can carry a torch you can participate in the procession. Details and tickets can be found at the Edinburgh Winter Festival website.
But that’s just the start of it. The big event is the Hogmanay Street Party. Thousands of people gather in Princes Street and Princes Street Gardens for the biggest party of the year.
You’ll need a ticket to get into Princes Street and the Gardens and if you leave you won’t get back in so bring everything you need. There are food and drink stands in the party area and you can also bring your own drinks in as long as they are in plastic bottles.
If you want to dance the night away the Silent Disco could be for you. A ticket for this event also gets you into the main Street party so you can go between both party zones.
And as the bells chime at midnight an amazing fireworks display is launched from Edinburgh Castle so if you’re on Princes Street or the Gardens pick your spot wisely to get the best view.
Concert in the Gardens
Over the years The Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens has played host to some of the biggest UK and international acts at Hogmanay. The Concert enclosure is also one of the best places to see the fireworks. Tickets sell out quickly and a standard street party ticket won’t get you into this area.
Information on all of the Hogmanay tickets can be found on the Edinburgh Hogmanay website.
I’ve done the street party a few times and yes it can get a bit crowded, yes it can be chilly (make sure you wrap up) but it’s a great night with a brilliant atmosphere and I have some great memories.
Quick tip: work out a meeting point with your friends in advance in case you lose anyone in the crowd. Mobile connections can be erratic due to the large number of people in the area, especially around midnight. I learnt that lesson one year after spending a lot of time looking for one of my friends. I found them eventually at about five minutes to midnight …
New Years Day
After a night partying New Years Day is much quieter. Most of the shops are shut and there’s a quiet calmness in the air. It’s a public holiday and a lot of people have private family celebrations at home or just spend the day relaxing. We also have an extra public holiday on 2nd January (unlike England and Wales). This is an old tradition going back to when Christmas celebrations were banned by the Scottish Parliament in 1640 resulting in New Years becoming a much more significant celebration and extending for two days.
So what else can you do on New Year’s Day?
One thing you can do is take part in the Loony Dook. You might be asking what on earth that means. Well, it means putting on swimwear (or fancy dress) and running into freezing cold water in South Queensferry. If that sounds like fun let me explain.
This tradition started back in 1986 when a small group of friends decided to jump into the Firth of Forth to try and cure their hangovers from the night before. Since then the event has grown substantially to the point where it was taken over and stage managed by the organisers of the main Edinburgh Festivals for a few years. It has now reverted back to a free event with many people dressing up and raising money for charity.
The Firth of Forth is a wide body of water that separates Edinburgh from Fife and the north of Scotland and there are three crossings from Edinburgh to get over it.
The Forth Road Bridge
The Forth Rail Bridge
The Queensferry Crossing
The Loony Dook takes place at the Boathouse, adjacent to the Bridges. If you want to be a spectator at the event, or even take part, make your way to the Boathouse Steps in South Queensferry. People usually go into the water at around 1.30pm.
South Queensferry is a quite far out of Edinburgh, heading north so if you want to go there you’ll need to plan your journey. The nearest train station is Dalmeny. Check ScotRail for journey times. Lothian Country bus 43 also runs to Queensferry.
Final thoughts
Edinburgh is a great place to visit and during Festival times it really comes alive. I’ve highlighted a few of the main attractions but there’s loads more going on. So whether you’re joining in some Christmas festivities or taking things at a more relaxed pace have fun and happy holidays!
