Christmas

Mark Wright on a diet

TV Gossip

29 Dec 2011

Mark Wright is on a post-Christmas diet. The former 'Only Way Is Essex' star - who earlier this year came second on 'I'm a Celebrity. Get Me Out of Here!' - is trying to lose the extra pounds of the festive season by getting himself into an exercise…

Hayley Atwell's cheesy Christmas

Celebrity Gossip

24 Dec 2011

Hayley Atwell plans to get "p****d before 12" on Christmas Day (25.12.11) after taking culinary tips from Ray Winstone. The 29-year-old actress - who appears alongside the 'King Arthur' actor in forthcoming crime movie 'The Sweeney' - plans to try…

Serge Pizzorno wants Christmas dinosaur

Celebrity Gossip

24 Dec 2011

Serge Pizzorno wants a dinosaur for Christmas. The Kasabian guitarist would love nothing more than to find an extinct animal waiting for him when he gets up tomorrow (25.12.11). Asked what he wants for Christmas, he said: "A huge diplodocus, that…

How to survive a Christmas away from home

Top tips for living an independent Christmas

22 Dec 2011

Utilise technology Why not use video calling to talk to your loved ones back at home? This way, you can visually update each other on your Christmas presents and have face-to-face conversations. Send presents Send thoughtful gifts to your…

Lauren Goodger's extravagant Christmas

TV Gossip

22 Dec 2011

Lauren Goodger wants a "nice Bentley, a big house and a new dog" for Christmas. The 'Only Way Is Essex' star has got a luxury vehicle and a new home on her festive wish list, as well as another pet pooch, as her former fiance Mark Wright - who she…

Christine Bleakley's turkey ban for Frank

TV Gossip

21 Dec 2011

Christine Bleakley's mum has banned Frank Lampard from carving the Christmas turkey. The 'Dancing On Ice' presenter - who is engaged to the England and Chelsea footballer - explained her mother refuses to devolve any power over the traditional meal…

Phillip Schofield's 'military' Christmas

TV Gossip

21 Dec 2011

Phillip Schofield's Christmas is a "military affair". The 'This Morning' presenter - who has two daughters, Ruby and Molly, with wife Stephanie Lowe - explained the festive period in his household is "very traditional" and everyone is given their…

Tinchy Stryder's family Christmas

Music Gossip

19 Dec 2011

Tinchy Stryder is going to get his whole family together for Christmas. The 'Off the Record' star has spent a hard year touring and promoting his forthcoming fourth album, 'Full Tank', but will take time off over the festive period to be with his…

Chris Martin won't have Cold-play Christmas

Celebrity Gossip

17 Dec 2011

Chris Martin won't be seeing his Coldplay bandmates over Christmas. The group's frontman - who has two children, Apple, seven, and five-year-old Moses, with actress wife Gwyneth Paltrow - says Guy Berryman, Will Champion and Jonny Buckland are among…

Taste test: Christmas cake

The best Christmas cake evaluated, including Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s

15 Dec 2011

Waitrose Richly Fruited Xmas Cake. £16.99 ●●●● Nicely decorated and complete with an edible icing snowflake, this cake has a balanced and suitably delicious compliment of cake, icing and marzipan and is packed with fruit. Broughton Deli…

Music-themed Christmas parties round-up

Festive shindigs on offer from Song, By Toad, Phantom Band, James Yorkston, Fence and more

13 Dec 2011

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas in Scotland’s indie village without a bunch of our favourite bands getting together to chip in for mince pies and mulled wine and treat us to / inflict upon us some of their most diligently practiced seasonal covers. Yes…

Best Christmas album 2011: Emmy the Great and Tim Wheeler’s This Is Christmas

Justin Bieber, She & Him, The Wurzels and Glee also reviewed

13 Dec 2011

Now more than ever the discerning music fan has about as much reason to look forward to Christmas as a poor Primark employee looks forward to the stampede of burly, booze-breathed horrors thundering through them at opening time on Boxing Day en route to…

Taste test: Cranberry sauce

The best cranberry sauces from Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Morrison’s and more

13 Dec 2011

Hopetoun / Mrs. Bridges Cranberry Sauce with Port ●● This sauce from Mrs Bridges is so sweet and sugary, it’s a bit like eating your roast turkey with a side-order of jam. It does contain whole cranberries, but it just wasn’t saucy enough for our taste…

Taste test: Truffles

The best truffles from Waitrose, Peckham’s, Thorntons and more

13 Dec 2011

Seriously Chocolatey Truffles, Waitrose ●●● We like the creamy texture of these truffles from Waitrose, but sadly the taste doesn’t quite live up to the name. The flavour fails to pack a punch, though they are quite boozy – perhaps even a little too…

Taste test: Mince pies

The best mince pies evaluated from Peckhams, Tesco, Marks And Spencer and more

13 Dec 2011

Peckhams Mince Pies ●●●● Fluffy pastry and a top-notch mincemeat filling make this a tasty treat from one of Scotland’s best deli staples. Sure, the pastry may seem heavy to some, but it is Christmas, so why not indulge yourself? Tesco Mince Pies…

Taste test: Champagne

The best champagne evaluated, from Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Moet And Chandon, Tattinger and Waitrose

13 Dec 2011

Sainsbury’s Blanc De Blancs Champagne ●●● This is a light, if slightly forgettable offering from Sainsbury’s, but as a reasonably priced bottle of fizz, it’s decent enough bang for your buck. Morrisons Champagne Brut ●● There’s something a tad…

The best comedy DVDs to give as Christmas presents in 2011

Tim Vine, Tommy Tiernan and Richard Herring among highlights

7 Dec 2011

What does it say about America that ventriloquist Jeff Dunham is among that nation’s top earning comedians? In 2009, Forbes.com placed him third behind Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock, having banked an estimated $30m. In response, an astonished Dunham…

Historic Scotland has Christmas all wrapped up

Edinburgh and Stirling castles set to host festive events this winter

1 Dec 2011

Looking to get into that Christmas spirit good and early but seeking some festive inspiration? Sometimes we forget about the very best things on our doorstep – maybe it’s because we associate them more with tourists than as places to visit ourselves but…

The Killers' cowboy Christmas track

Music Gossip

30 Nov 2011

The Killers' new Christmas song is inspired by "cowboy poetry". The Las Vegas rockers release their fifth festive track tomorrow (01.12.11) and say 'The Cowboy's Christmas Ball' has a Western theme after frontman Brandon Flowers sought ideas from his…

Christmas stuntman Matt Smith

TV Gossip

29 Nov 2011

Matt Smith had to escape a fireball for the Christmas special of 'Doctor Who'. The actor - who portrays the titular time-travelling character - performed all of his own stunts for the festive episode of the BBC sci-fi series and is hoping he is…

'Dead' Carley Stenson is returning to Hollyoaks

TV Gossip

29 Nov 2011

Carley Stenson is to return to 'Hollyoaks' over the Christmas period. Despite the actress' alter-ego Steph Roach dying in a fire earlier this year, the blonde beauty will appear as an Angel in order to stop Doug Carter from taking his own life. As…

Pantomimes and Christmas shows in Scotland 2011

Festive work aimed at young audiences in Edinburgh and Glasgow

15 Nov 2011

In the UK, pantomimes traditionally form the first encounter that children have with theatre. But for children under three years old, the noisy drama of a panto can be a disorientating and unnerving experience. However, in recent years, theatre-makers…

Christmas 2011 events in Glasgow and Edinburgh

Our round-up of some of the best festive fodder including markets, fairs and carol concerts

15 Nov 2011

Shopping To find prezzies with an individual feel or just some tasty treats, head out to a Christmas fair near you. In Glasgow, there’s the St Enoch Square annual market (from 20 Nov) and Country Living Magazine’s Christmas Fair, with homemade food…

Celebrate the life of a loved one with Light a Light

2 Nov 2011

As Christmas approaches, it’s easy to be swept up in the excitement of presents, late night shopping, work nights out and even talking about the weather. Although Christmas is a time for friends and family, it’s easy to forget this amid the noise and…

Taste test: Christmas Pudding

We track down the best from M&S, Lakeland, Coles and Tesco

28 Oct 2011

Marks & Spencer Classic Christmas Pudding £3.99 ●● This pudding does the job, but won’t make you too jolly. It has the bitterness of peel running through it, giving it the flavour of a fruitcake, is densely packed with raisins and there’s not a lot…

Christmas food ideas with a difference

Try something different this Christmas with these alternative festive recipes

28 Oct 2011

Alternative Christmas food ideas Instead of mulled wine, try something slightly different: mulled cider or perhaps add mulling spices to some crème de cassis for an extra special mulled Kir Royale. Try using Pedro Ximenez sherry to deglaze your…

Ant and Dec to front Xmas charity show

TV Gossip

27 Oct 2011

Ant and Dec are to present a Christmas charity TV show. The Geordie duo have signed up for ITV1's 'Text Santa', a two-part programme which will see them host a three-hour telethon on Christmas Eve (24.12.11), asking viewers to donate money to worthy…

Sue Johnston to star in Christmas comedy

TV Gossip

11 Oct 2011

Sue Johnston is to star in a one-off Christmas comedy special. The 'Royle Family' actress will appear in 'Lapland' - a 90 minute show to be broadcast on BBC One over the festive season - alongside 'This Is England' actor Stephen Graham and 'Waterloo…

Downton Abbey bags feature-length festive episode

TV Gossip

30 Sep 2011

ITV are to air a feature-length episode of 'Downton Abbey' at Christmas. The broadcaster's plans to air the special show could lead to them winning the coveted Christmas Day ratings war against the BBC, with their rivals as of yet unsure what to…

Big Fat Gypsy Christmas commissioned by Channel 4

TV Gossip

12 May 2011

Channel 4 are planning a 'Big Fat Gypsy' Christmas special. The show - which follows the lives of the travelling community - was a huge hit when it was aired earlier this year and now bosses want a festive version, which focuses on how gypsies…

Simon Cowell judges Christmas karaoke

Celebrity Gossip

27 Dec 2010

Simon Cowell celebrated Christmas Day (25.12.10) by judging a karaoke contest. The music mogul spent the holiday at the Sandy Lane resort in Barbados with his fiancee Mezhgan Hussainy, ex-girlfriends Sinitta and Jackie St Claire and several other…

Daniel Craig celebrates Christmas with Weisz

Celebrity Gossip

27 Dec 2010

Daniel Craig spent Christmas Day (25.12.10) with Rachel Weisz, sparking rumours of romance. The James Bond star - who ended his engagement to director Satsuki Mitchell in November - was photographed hand-in-hand with the 'Constant Gardener' actress…

Lacey Turner's sock-filled Christmas

TV Gossip

24 Dec 2010

Lacey Turner wants socks for Christmas. The 'EastEnders' actress - who bows out of her role as Stacey Branning over the festive period - never asks her friends and relatives for any gifts, but admits she would be upset if she didn't see the same…

Tina O'Brien's family Christmas

TV Gossip

23 Dec 2010

Tina O'Brien is spending Christmas with her parents. The former 'Coronation Street' actress - who has a two-year-old daughter Scarlett with her co-star ex-boyfriend Ryan Thomas - explained she will have to share her time with her little girl with…

Barbara Windsor's Christmas engagement ring

TV Gossip

21 Dec 2010

Barbara Windsor's best-ever Christmas present was her engagement ring. The former 'EastEnders' actress - who has been married to Scott Mitchell for 10 years - revealed she was particularly thrilled when her partner proposed to her, as her gifts are…

Joe McElderry wants a quiet family Christmas

Celebrity Gossip

21 Dec 2010

Joe McElderry is looking forward to a family Christmas. The 'Ambitions' hitmaker is hoping to enjoy a quiet festive period after having a busy 2010 promoting his debut album 'Wide Awake' - although he is unsure how much time off he will have. He…

Joe Thomas' boozy Christmas gifts

TV Gossip

21 Dec 2010

Joe Thomas is giving homemade alcohol to his nearest and dearest as Christmas presents. The 'Inbetweeners' actor - who plays unlucky-in-love Simon Cooper in the E4 comedy - has revealed he and his co-star girlfriend Hannah Tointon (Tara) believe…

Plan B hates festive songs

Music Gossip

19 Dec 2010

Plan B hates Christmas music. The musician - whose real name is Ben Drew - can understand why festive songs are popular but wishes people put more effort into writing them. He said: "I f***ing hate Christmas songs. I just think they're always so…

Angelina Jolie's Christmas adventure

Celebrity Gossip

18 Dec 2010

Angelina Jolie is looking forward to an "adventurous" Christmas. The 'Tourist' actress - who raises six children Maddox, nine, Pax, seven, Zahara, five, Shiloh, four and two-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne with her partner Brad Pitt - revealed the…

Ezra Koenig has no Christmas traditions

Music Gossip

18 Dec 2010

Ezra Koenig doesn't have any festive traditions. The Vampire Weekend singer has not yet made any definite plans for Christmas Day (25.12.10) or New Year's Eve (31.12.10) this year as he likes to make more spontaneous decisions. He said: "I think…

Whistle and I’ll Come to You and When Harvey Met Bob among Christmas TV highlights

John Hurt gest haunted and Domhnall Gleeson becomes Bob Geldof

15 Dec 2010

Quite why ghost stories go hand in hand with Christmas has never been quite clear to me. Maybe Charles Dickens is to blame, but whatever the link is, don’t spooks and spectres not get enough press at the end of October? One of the British classics of…

Christmas shopping bargains to be had from local retailer in Edinburgh and Glasgow

The best neighbourhood Christmas markets for last-minute shopping

15 Dec 2010

So, just like every other year, you were sort of probably planning to leave your Christmas shopping until, like a week beforehand or something, yeah? Ah. Might be a problem: 2010 isn’t like any other year. First off, the weather will thwart your online…

Doctor Who's 'bonkers' Christmas episode

TV Gossip

15 Dec 2010

Steven Moffat included a shark in the 'Doctor Who' Christmas special to make it extra "bonkers". The writer of the BBC One sci-fi show explained while the series always includes outlandish storylines, he wanted to make 'Doctor Who: A Christmas…

Sleeping Beauty

Oran mor lunchtime Christmas show for adults a bit of a dog’s dinner, but plenty of fun

15 Dec 2010

Penned by panto veterans David MacLennan and Dave Anderson, Oran Mor’s 2010 lunchtime Christmas show for adults is another ‘alternative’ affair, wringing its topical laughs this time out of austerity Britain. The popular tale of the pretty princess…

The best Christmas gigs in Edinburgh and Glasgow

Burns, Zombie Nation, Ballboy and Broken Records among Christmas party gig highlights

10 Dec 2010

Stars In Their Eyes special/ Song, By Toad’s Christmas party/ Kid Canaveral’s Christmas Baubles/ Death Disco’s XXXmas Party/ Radio Magnetic’s Winter Rave/ Mungo’s Hi-Fi/ Bill Wells’ Black Christmas In a bygone olden, golden era – circa 1995 BC…

The best Christmas clubs in Glasgow and Edinburgh 2010

Optimo, Tackno, Colours, Taste, Karnival and Madchester among Christmas and Boxing Day highlights

10 Dec 2010

If staying in with the family just isn’t your thing over Christmas there’s a few options to get you out on the dancefloor. Things are a bit quieter on Christmas Day itself with a few chart and party venues opening their doors (including the North Pole…

Kate Garraway's Christmas charity campaign

TV Gossip

7 Dec 2010

Kate Garraway has devised a unique Christmas charity campaign. The 'Daybreak' entertainment editor launched the 'Save To Give' venture through her discount website goodypass.com, which will see unwell children benefit from internet shoppers…

Hollyoaks' 'explosive' Christmas storylines

TV Gossip

2 Dec 2010

'Hollyoaks' viewers are set to see some "explosive" Christmas storylines. Darren Day - who plays local gangster Danny Houston in the Channel 4 soap - has revealed the show's "shocking" festive episodes will focus on bad boys Danny, Brendan Brady…

Only Fools and Horses most memorable festive TV moment

TV Gossip

1 Dec 2010

Only Fools and Horses' Batman and Robin scene is Britain's most memorable Christmas TV moment. The classic sketch - which sees Del Boy (David Jason) and Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) arrive at a fancy dress party in superhero costumes only to discover…

Sufjan Stevens - I Saw Three Ships

Christmas music

1 Dec 2010

Sufjan Stevens has become synonymous with 21st century Christmas music. In fact the musician's discography could almost be divided in two based on the sheer volume of his Christmas music. 'I Saw Three Ships' is one of his more upbeat holiday-based…

The best books to give for Christmas 2010

A look at some leftfield seasonal offerings - no celebrity autobiographies or TV annuals

30 Nov 2010

When bestselling memoirist Augusten Burroughs was a kid, he had something of an identity crisis. For him, Jesus Christ and Santa Claus were the same person. He couldn’t quite figure out which one of them came down the chimney on Christmas Eve and which…

Underground scare attraction Ghosts of Christmas bring tidings of discomfort to Glasgow

'Interactive, theatrical scare attraction’ brings slay-bells to the Arches

30 Nov 2010

Christmas time. Misteltoe and wine. Spiders and gore and murder most foul. No, I’ve not got my national holidays in a twist. While things that go bump in the night are more traditionally associated with Hallowe’en, an enterprising Glasgow couple have…

The best places to buy Christmas trees in Glasgow and Edinburgh

Real Christmas trees, fake trees, wreaths, firewood and flowers

23 Nov 2010

Caring Christmas Trees has outlets for their sustainably-farmed Nordmann Firs in various locations around the country, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Paisley, Livingston and Fife. The ‘caring’ part of the title comes from the charities…

Stage musical The Secret Garden stars Siobhan Redmond

Cross-generational appeal of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel makes for ideal festive show

23 Nov 2010

It’s a century since the publication of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden, but this seminal work of children’s literature has only grown in stature through time. The tale of Mary, an orphaned girl who seeks refuge in a blooming hidden garden…

BBC reveals festive schedule

TV Gossip

23 Nov 2010

The BBC have announced their Christmas TV schedule with comedy and dramas taking top billing. One of the main attractions will be 'The One Ronnie', which will see Ronnie Corbett to host his first solo show for the BBC - five years after the death of…

India Knight - Comfort and Joy

Humour and musings on the redemptive qualities of Christmas

19 Nov 2010

Upon the release of her lauded first novel My Life on a Plate in 2000, India Knight was hailed by critics as the natural heir to Helen Fielding in the still relatively new genre of chick-lit. Ten years later, the sequel to her debut is being released…

Five Christmas books

7 Jan 2010

Augusten Burroughs You Better Not Cry: True Stories for Christmas A twisted collection of Yuletide tales in which the face of a stuffed Santa is eaten off and a tenement is constructed entirely from gingerbread. Atlantic. Loek Koopmans The…

Christmas capers

17 Dec 2009

Niki Boyle runs down the festive activities guaranteed to take your mind off stuffing the bird and boost your Christmas cheer

Last-minute local love

17 Dec 2009

We round up ways to support local businesses while you do your Christmas shop. Alright, the search is over. You’re looking for somewhere you can go to get away from the city centre crowds, still, miraculously, get all your Christmas shopping done…

Zorro

17 Dec 2009

Trust Visible Fictions – the hardest working, most innovative theatre company creating work for young folk and their grown-ups on the Scottish theatre scene – to be thinking most emphatically out of the box at this time of year. No snowflakes…

Elvis Shakespeare Christmas Show

17 Dec 2009

The really rather lovely book store/record emporium pulls out all the stops for Xmas cramming a heap of (very alternative) festive cheer into a very small space with sets from Rodney Relax, Wintergreens, Saint Jude’s Infirmary, My Electric Love Affair…

Christmas clubbing highlights 2009

9 Dec 2009

David Pollock runs through some Christmas Day and Boxing Day highlights for the best in real festive clubbing

Christmas film playlist

4 Dec 2009

A quick look at your advent calendar will confirm the coming of the annual festival we know as Christmas, and what better way to celebrate than to gather the whole family around Ye Olde Computer Screen to enjoy a selection of online clips to fuel the…

Christmas singles 2009 roundup

The Xmas Factor

2 Dec 2009

The dull predictably of The X Factor now means that some putty-faced goon will get a Christmas number one single every year from now until the apocalypse, followed in the top ten by an army of insentient reality TV drones. Yet, in the face of this sad…

Spotify playlist: Christmas advent calendar

1 Dec 2009

Ah Christmas. So much good music, and none of it is really deemed acceptable listening for the other 11 months of the year - although what you do within the confines of your own iPod in July is your business. Join us in counting down the days until…

Edinburgh's Christmas

19 Nov 2009

‘Christmas is a time for families to be together, so we wanted to make Edinburgh’s Christmas suitable for all ages,’ says Nickie Gott, of She’s Gott It, the company charged with putting smiles on faces in the capital this Christmas. Gott and her company…

Christmas and Hogmanay 2009 in Edinburgh

4 Nov 2009

It’s been all go for the last few weeks, as those in the know ponder how to bring you the best of times this Christmas and Hogmanay. In the capital, Edinburgh City Council is reportedly already looking to shindigs in 2010 and beyond, with early…

TV - Remote Control: Christmas TV

11 Dec 2008

Christmas is a time when TV goes mad for the long-awaited comeback. Alongside Rab C, Vic ‘n’ Bob and Stanley Baxter in making a welcome return is Alan Davies’ duffle-coated sleuth with Jonathan Creek: The Grinning Man (BBC1, Thu 1 Jan, 9pm ●●●●). And…

Christmas Comedy DVDs

11 Dec 2008

With one recent internet poll naming Peter Kay as the funniest British comedian who has ever lived while Michael McIntyre steamrolls up the DVD charts, it seems that comedy is not unlike the other genres when it comes to ‘popular’ ‘opinion’. There was a…

The Burst Noel Christmas Party

11 Dec 2008

Like microwaveable turkey dinners, borderline alcoholism and falling out with your siblings, Malcolm Middleton is in danger of becoming something of an unhappy seasonal institution. The ex-Arab Strap guitarist’s bid for a Christmas number one last…

Christmas and Boxing Day Clubs

11 Dec 2008

There’s not much reason to get excited about Christmas this year, or at least so the briefest exposure to the nation’s media would have us believe. Now we’re not advocating the senseless squandering of cash here, but hey, it’s Christmas, right? And what…

LGBT Christmas Clubbing

11 Dec 2008

XMAS ROUND-UP For those of an LGBT persuasion who would rather burn up the dancefloor than roast their chestnuts on an open fire, the Central Belt plays host to a wheen of special club nights to take you right through the Christmas…

Christmas Events

11 Dec 2008

In Glasgow, as ever, the Winterfest hubbub centres around George Square, gleefully decked out with the traditional mass of clashing, colourful lights. As well as the huge outdoor ice rink, the Big Stage is keeping stressed shoppers calm with a whole…

Taste Test - Christmas cake alternatives

11 Dec 2008

Stollen Margiotta, Edinburgh, www.margiotta.co.uk; also available at the Glasgow and Edinburgh Christmas markets, £4.69 per cake. A traditional German bread-like fruitcake, this loaf represents baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes. A strong…

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra: Christmas at the Movies

11 Dec 2008

CHRISTMAS CONCERT SPECIAL There are Christmas concerts for everyone this festive season, from Milkshake! Live, My First Carol Concert (see Kids) to Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in its annual candlelit airing by Ludus Baroque and Dunedin Consort’s…

The Beauty of Sleeping Wood

11 Dec 2008

CHRISTMAS SHOW With the ubiquitous run of Aladdins, Sleeping Beauties and Cinderellas doing the rounds at this time of year, it’s nice to see somebody mixing things up a little. The Beauty of Sleeping Wood is in fact based on the well-loved tale of…

Christmas: Away From Home

1 Dec 2008

Three times the fun If you can't be with your actual family on Christmas eve, the Three Sisters will quite happily provide you with a new one. In conjunction with the Backpacker's Card, we're holding a special Christmas eve party so don't worry, it…

Pantomimes

27 Nov 2008

Earlier this year, I took a trip to Scarborough to check out the headquarters of the Qdos Entertainment empire. This is the organisation responsible for 21 pantomimes in the UK alone, not to mention a handful of theatres, a couple of talent agencies…

Glasvegas - The Christmas Album

27 Nov 2008

SEASONAL ROCK Available via download or as part of repackaged re-release of their debut long player this isn’t quite the full on Christmas ‘album’ Glasvegas promised, but they have delivered six outstanding songs for the holiday season. And it…

Shock! Markets!

13 Nov 2008

Something gets into the air about halfway through November, something that compels otherwise rational people to stand at tables – maybe decorated with fake snow or tinsel – offering genuinely original presents. There’s really no excuse to give anyone a…

Yo, ho . . . ho?

13 Nov 2008

Yeah, we know. Christmas is the last thing on your mind. The economy is in crisis, you’re worried about your mortgage/rent/job/bank account/pet stockbroker. And it’s November. However, the festive season is looming like a tinsel-bedecked freight train…

The Christmas crunch: Shopping on a budget

13 Nov 2008

The stock market’s in turmoil, the housing market’s throwing a strop and the price of bread is skyrocketing. Not ideal conditions for celebrating our annual festival of excess and gluttony. Don’t worry, though, The List is here to help. Ahead of our…

Tinsel towns: Glasgow and Edinburgh Winter Festivals

13 Nov 2008

Kirstin Innes takes a look at the free activities going on in both cities over the festive season. Ah, remember back when the civic contribution to the festive effort started and ended with a couple of lightbulb angels hanging off the lampposts, and…

Snow business: The Snow Queen

13 Nov 2008

Over the last few years, Andy Arnold’s Arches has established a tradition of putting on beautiful, immersive versions of classic children’s stories for 3-8-year-olds who might find themselves a wee bit lost in traditional panto. However, when Arnold…

Dame on: Pantomimes in Scotland 2008

13 Nov 2008

There’s been something of a shift in the pantomime world over the last few years. Traditional pantos – innuendo-laden fairy tales replete with dame and a couple of faces off the telly – are still going strong, but increasingly, theatres have begun to…

Eat, drink and be merry: Christmas food

13 Nov 2008

‘Christmas dinner on a budget is easy, and you don’t have to end up with a can of Spam and a tub of out-of-date potato salad, either. It should be a special meal; it should feel special, and the secret to that is really simple – get a table set…

12 Days of Christmas: Festive hitlist

13 Nov 2008

The Low Christmas Concert Malcolm Middleton doesn’t have the monopoly on miserablist Christmas anthems, you know. This lot have been at it since 1999, and are back on the gloomy festive trail to promote new menace-laden single, ‘Santa is Coming Over’.

O holy night: Christmas clubbing 2008

13 Nov 2008

It’s dark in the mornings, so why not live nocturnally? As DJs get into training for Hogmanay – the biggest night in the clubbing calendar – Jasper Hamill and Kirstin Innes round up the best-lookin’ Christmas parties Glasgow A merry little…

Off to see the wizard

13 Nov 2008

‘They’re big shoes to step into, aren’t they?’ says Helen McAlpine, about the specially-customised ruby slippers she’ll be wearing onstage in the Citizens’ Theatre’s Wizard of Oz. She’s not talking about her shoe size, either – as Dorothy Gale, McAlpine…

Ready for the festive floor: Hot Chip interview

13 Nov 2008

What are your favourite Christmas hits? My favourite is the Phil Spector Christmas album, which I think is wonderful and romantic. Of course, there are also the classics, like ‘Little Drummer Boy’ and ‘I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus’, which is about…

Have a crafty Christmas: Ethical Christmas shopping

13 Nov 2008

Ethical elf Anna Docherty, visits the one-stop-shop for a guilt-free Christmas. Christmas comes but once a year and so do those niggling feelings of guilt about getting a real tree, not recycling your wrapping paper, or omitting to get charity Christmas…

Christmas meal

16 Oct 2008

Let’s face it, someone’s got to book the office Christmas meal. Lots of brownie points if you get it right. Lots of reindeer manure if you get it wrong. The place Try to find a restaurant with a private room or a private area. A large party can…

All the world’s a stage

15 Sep 2008

Merchant City Festival (25-28 Sep) www.merchantcityfestival.com Located in the heart of old Glasgow, this event locates a programme of film, theatre, comedy, visual arts, street theatre, live music, food and fashion within an area of real…

David Starkey’s Monarchy: The Windsors

13 Dec 2007

With a ‘measured voice of the historian’ and the occasional surreal hand gesture, Dr David Starkey gives us a potted dissection of 130 years of the British regal profession. Scantily digging over the landmarks, quarrels and scandals of UK monarchy from…

Remote Control: Documentary Reviews

13 Dec 2007

Brian Donaldson uncovers some fine documentaries about daredevils, dancers and daggers There’s a special poignancy about Richard Hammond Meets Evel Knievel (BBC2, Sun 23 Dec, 9pm) now that we know the subject of the show has since died. The Top Gear…

Alternative Christmas

13 Dec 2007

With both Edinburgh and Glasgow running dedicated Christmas festivals this year, tapping into the festive spirit has never been so easy. The city centres are hoaching with fake snow-capped German market stalls punting mulled wine, and suddenly there’s a…

Remote Control: Drama & Comedy Reviews

13 Dec 2007

There’s a moment in the Extras finale when Andy Millman shows his disgust that George Michael is appearing in a certain other Christmas comedy. It initially sounds like a joke for its own sake, but you’ll discover it’s based on hard fact when you tune…

Clubbing on Christmas and Boxing Day

13 Dec 2007

Recents discussions here at List Towers brought forth the interesting fact that there isn’t enough hangar space to ground every commercial flight in the world at once, so a certain amount of planes have to keep flying around the clock, even over the…

Christmas Clubbing

13 Dec 2007

Various venues, Glasgow and Edinburgh ROUND-UP It’s a sad and oft-remarked fact that the original meaning of Christmas is often eschewed in favour of rampant consumerism and institutionalised gluttony. We at The List feel it’s time to redress…

Ice-skating at Ikea

13 Dec 2007

It’s not just city centres that get a little bit New York City at Christmas time: Swedish storage specialists are getting in on the outdoor ice rink action too. IKEA has turned half of its car park into a wintry wonderland, complete with ice rink…