Christmas Time in Edinburgh 2025
There’s just one week to go until the first of Advent, and the official start to the pre-Christmas season. What’s meant to be a joyful time can quickly turn stressful for families, with parents feeling the pressure to do ALL the things. And the costs quickly start mounting up too. In my guide to an Edinburgh Christmas, I’ve included both some of the more pricier popular options, for completeness sake, as well as making alternative suggestions for free or lower priced activities that will still put you in a festive spirit.
Sections below of the guide include:
- Edinburgh’s Christmas in the City Centre
- Christmas Lights Switch-ons & Christmas Fairs
- Christmas Carol Concerts & Carol Services
- Christingle & Nativity Services
- Other Christmas Events
- Visiting Santa
- Illuminations
- Theatre
- Walk Around Town to see the Christmas Decorations
Edinburgh’s Christmas
Under the umbrella term of Edinburgh’s Christmas, this festive extravaganza takes over the city centre each year, largely in the area around Princes Street and George Street. Prices vary. Events include:
- Christmas Market (15 Nov – 4 Jan)
- Big Wheel, Star Flyer, and other Fairground Rides (15 Nov – 4 Jan)
- Ice Rink (20 Nov – 4 Jan)
- Santa’s Stories (21 Nov – 24 Dec)
And more! Download the Edinburgh’s Christmas map for a full overview of everything on offer. There’s 20% off for Edinburgh residents with proof of their EH postcode, which pushes costs down a little. Full details on what’s on offer on the Edinburgh’s Christmas website.
Christmas Lights Switch-Ons & Christmas Fairs
A good way to get in to the festive spirit is to attend a Christmas Lights Switch-On or Christmas Fair. There are many, many happening all over town, I’ve gathered up a few that have popped up on my feeds, in particular those that don’t have an entry fee and/ or those that include free activities such as free trails, crafts or Santa’s grotto.
Queensferry Christmas Lights Switch On
Thurs 27 November, 5:30pm – 7pm; Free event, no booking required
“Santa parade, free light wands, Pipes & Drums, school choirs, Forth Dimension, CSBS, laser SFX show, RNLI stall with mulled wine and mince pies (bring cash). An evening of free fun for all.“
Christmas Craft Fair at Eric the Eric Liddell Centre
Sat 29 November, 10:30am – 3:30pm; Free entry, no booking required
With Santa’s Grotto and kids activities, as well as craft stalls, mulled wine & mince pies, raffle and more.
German Christmas Fair at the German Church in Marchmont
Sat 29 November, FREE entry; 2pm – 4:30pm stalls, refreshments & FREE children’s activities; 4:30pm – 5pm carol singing
Free children’s activities include a puppet show (in English), crafting, face painting and a Christmas trail (with a wee prize at the end).
Kirkliston Christmas Lights Switch on
Sat 29 November from 4:30pm; No booking required
Includes Mr and Mrs Claus’s Grotto, Elf Hunt, Face Painting and more.
Christmas Lights Switch on at the Eric Liddell Centre
Weds 3 December, 5pm – 7pm; Free entry, no booking required
Art & craft stalls, mulled wine & mince pies, raffle, choir & live music, kids activities, and more.
Christmas Fayre at the Water of Leith Visitor Centre
Sat 6 December, 11am – 2pm; Free entry
Free entry, but there will be a charge for craft activities.
Christmas Carol Concerts & Carol Services
One of my favourite things to do around Christmas time is go to a carol concert or carol service. Again, there are many, many of these happening around town. I have rounded up some that don’t have an entry free, including ones which are particularly suited for children and families.
Nativity Carol Concert at Assembly Hall Courtyard
Sun 30 November at 4:30pm; Free, no booking required
Children’s Christmas Come & Sing! at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral
Sat 6 December, 1:30pm – 4:30pm; Free, booking required
“A fun, free singing afternoon for children aged P3-7, learning and singing popular Christmas carols! No previous singing experience is needed, and there will be musical games and lots of fun for all.”
Edinburgh Sings! at the Ross Bandstand (Princes Street Gardens)
Sat 6 December at 2pm; Free, drop-in
“Get into the festive spirit at the Ross Bandstand with Edinburgh Sings! Feel free to sing along as community and performance choirs perform Christmas carols and seasonal hits, inviting visitors to join in.“
Legion Scotland Carol Service at Canongate Kirk
Sun 14 December, 4pm – 5pm; Free, booking required
A traditional service of 9 lessons and 9 carols.
Carol Services at King’s Church on Gilmore Place
Sun 14 December at 10:30am and 7pm. Free, no booking required
Traditional carols and readings followed by festive refreshments. At the morning service there will also be Christmas-themed kids work provided for children aged 1 to school year P2.”
Christmas Carols at Ps & Gs Church
Sun 14 December, 2:30pm – 3:30pm; Free, no booking required
“A lively festive carol service with a full choir and orchestra, and lots of activities to keep children engaged.”
Community Carols at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral
Sat 13 December, 2pm – 3:30pm; Free, no booking required
“Everyone is invited to come and sing Christmas Carols at the Cathedral! Followed by seasonal refreshments.”
Carol Service with Children’s Programme at Chalmers Church Edinburgh (Morningside)
Sun 21 December at 4pm; Free, no booking required
Festive Carolling at Wester Hailes Library
Weds 24 December from 1pm; Free, drop-in
“You’re invited to festive carolling at Wester Hailes Library on Christmas Eve (24 December) from 1pm! We will have warm hot chocolate with fun toppings, treats, and all your favourite winter songs! Fun for ALL ages!”
Christingle & Nativity Services
Although Christmas these days is celebrated by many as a secular holiday, let’s not lose sight of the story and message that put the Christ in Christmas. Churches all over Edinburgh will be offering Christmas services that are suitable for families, there’s too many to name them all. But if you don’t already have a home church, and are looking for a service to take your little ones to this year, here are a few family-friendly options that are particularly popular every year (and if you have a favourite service you’d like to let others know about, just message me and I will add it in):
Family Service with Nativity at the German Speaking Congregation
Sun 14 December, 3pm; Free, no booking required
Children of the congregation will perform a nativity play, and St Nikolaus will make a visit at the end of the service.
Christingle Service at Ps & Gs Church
Sun 21 December, 10am – 11:30am; Free, no booking required
“A service in which every child is given a Christingle, a visual reminder of the Light of the World, with sweets!”
Nativity Service at Marchmont St Giles
Sun 21 December, 10:30am – 11:30am; Free, no booking required
“Join our children and families as they retell the Christmas story – a heartwarming celebration of love, hope and togetherness.”
Children’s Nativity Service at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral
Tues 23 December, 2pm – 3pm; Free, no booking required
“Our annual Nativity Service celebration is back for all pre-school and primary children. Come along, join in by getting dressed up as your favourite character, and be part of this extraordinary story!”
Christingle Service at Marchmont St Giles’ Church
Tues 24 December at 4pm; Free, no booking required
“A special candelit service for children and families celebrating the light of Christ in our community.”
Christingle Service at Chalmers Church Edinburgh (Morningside)
Tues 24 December at 4pm; Free, no booking required
Christmas Eve Crib Service & Christingle at St Columba’s by the Castle
Tues 24 December, 4pm – 4:45pm; Free, no booking required
“It’s not really Christmas until we’ve found the baby Jesus and placed him in the Crib – Come along, young and old and in between – for a magnificent ‘UNDER THE STARS’ service – familiar carols, nativity story and a Christingle Orange too!“
Christmas Day for All at Ps & Gs Church
Thurs 25 December, 10am – 11am; Free, no booking required.
“An all-age service to celebrate the most important birthday in history!“
Other Christmas Events
Most of the Christmas Fairs all come in one big swoop at the beginning of Advent. Here are a few more Christmas events throughout December that won’t break the bank:
Christmas Fun at Mortonhall Garden Centre
Daily during opening times throughout the Christmas period (end date unknown); Free entry, no booking required
Singing animatronic reindeer, a pictures miniature winter village, and lots of photo opportunities among the seasonal displays, plus a nice cafe. This is our favourite Christmas outing every year. Here’s a write up from a previous year – the displays will be different, but the rest is the same: www.thebearandthefox.com/edinburgh-christmas-fun-at-mortonhall-garden-centre
Winter Family Trail at St Cecilia’s Hall
Tuesdays to Saturdays until 20 December; Free, booking recommended
“Spot the 8 snow-people hidden throughout the galleries and answer each of their music-related questions to win a Winter-themed sticker at the end!”
Free Christmas Movies at Gilmerton Library
Sat Sat 29th November, Sat 6th, Sat 13th & Sat 20th December at 1pm; Free, no booking required
“Free Christmas Movies every Saturday leading up to Christmas…Popcorn and juice provided. (Under 8yrs old to be accompanied by an adult)“
Winter Wanderland at Wester Hailes Library
Sat 29 November, 11am – 3pm; Free, drop-in
“FREE drop-in window-decorating day and festive crafts! Window packs will also be available to take home and decorate your own display.”
Christmas Gathering at Starbank Park
Sun 30th November, 10am – 12pm; Free event, no booking required
“Come and join us for Christmas Carols by the Edinburgh Brass Band. Christmas stocking filler sales – calendars, jams and local honey! Hot chocolate and mince pies. Children’s activities and Christmas lantern painting.“
Christmas Crafts with Kalakari at The Wee Hub in Ocean Terminal
Every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 3 December to 24 December; 12pm to 1pm; Free, drop-in
Christmas Crafts at Bingham Avenue
Thurs 4 December, 4pm – 5:30pm; Free, booking required
Big Christmas Birthday Bash at Ps & Gs Church
Sat 6 December, 10am – 11:30am; Free, booking required
“A fun event for children and families including a bouncy castle, festive arts and crafts, cake and more!”
Christmas Storytime Party at King’s Church on Gilmore Place
Sat 6 December, 10am – 11:30am
“A event full of fun and creativity for families with children aged 0 to P2.”
Christmas Twinkle Twinkle Singalong Special at Edinburgh Elim Church
Sat 6 December at 10:30am; Free, booking required
An interactive Christmas family event aimed at 0-6 year olds, to discover the true reason to celebrate Christmas. “You can expect an interactive show full of Christmas songs to sing along to and dance with your young children to, puppets and stories to engage with, along with snowballs, bubbles and some beloved Nursery Rhyme characters brought to life.”
Festive Nature Crafting with Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust at Harrison Park West
Sat 6 December, 12pm – 3pm; Free, drop-in
“Festive nature crafting and decorating Christmas tree in park. Drop in. All ages.”
Christmas Silent Disco at the Hub@531
Sat 6 December at 2pm, 3pm & 4pm (45mins each), Sun 7 December at 11am; Free, booking required
Edinburgh Santa Fun Run & Walk
Sun 7 December, 9:30 – 10:45am registration & warm up; 11am Fun Run & Walk starts
This one is a bit on the pricier side if you sign up a whole family, but I’ve included it as it’s a charity fundraiser in support of “When You Wish Upon a Star” which grants wishes to children with life threatening illnesses. £15 for age 12+ and adults, £5 for age 5 – 11, £2.50 for age 2-4; Free for under 2s. Family tickets available.
McLarens on the Corner Reindeer Trail
Sun 7 December, 10am – 2pm; Free, drop-in (donations welcome in aid of Home Start)
Spot the 10 reindeer hidden around the neighbourhood, then collect your chocolate treat from McLarens. There will be a hot chocolate and mulled wine stall too, plus some REAL reindeer to meet on McLarens terrace!
Community Meal & Movie: Home Alone at Space at the Broomhouse Hub
Tues 9 December, 5:30pm – 7:30pm; Free, no booking required
Community Meal & Movie: The Muppets Christmas Carol at Space at the Broomhouse Hub
Weds 10 December, 5:30pm – 7:30pm; Free, no booking required
Traditional Christmas at Trinity House Maritime Museum
Fri 12 December, 12pm – 4pm; Free, drop-in
“Step back in time as we celebrate Christmas…Take part in festive activities suitable for all ages including drop-in crafts and the chance to handle real and replica objects.”
Narnia Family Experience at Wester Hailes Library
Fri 12 & Sat 13 December; Free, booking required
“Step into a snowy wonderland filled with live music, creative play, aerial artistry…and hot chocolate! This FREE winter trail is specially designed for families with babies and young children (birth–5) living in Wester Hailes, Broomhouse, or Sighthill.“
Christmas Crafts at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre
Sat 13 December, 10am – 12pm. Free, booking required.
Free Children’s Craft Session at Manor Grange
Sat 13 December at 11am. Free, booking required.
The Big Afternoon at Chalmers Church Edinburgh
Sat 13 December, 2pm – 4:30pm; Free, booking required
“The Big Afternoon is back for another afternoon of fun, games, crafts and a story from the bible. For P1 – P7.”
‘Granny Pippin’ and the Christmas Party Storytelling Special at Edinburgh Elim Church
Sat 20 December at 2pm; Free, booking required
“Granny Pippin would love to invite the whole family to come and join her…at her party [where] we will discover the true reason to celebrate Christmas. You can expect an interactive show where we’ll play timeless games…beloved Christmas tunes… plus tales that will not only entertain but also remind us of the warmth and wonder that continue to make the Christmas story so special for us today.”
Drawn Together at the National Museum of Scotland
Sat 27 to Tues 30 December, 10:30am – 4pm; Free, drop-in
Pick up a pencil and paper from the Grand Gallery, then head off to explore the museum and sketch some of the fascinating objects on display.
Visiting Santa
There are loads of places around Edinburgh offering Santa’s Grotto, Breakfast with Santa this year, too many to name them all, some of them quite expensive, and loads already booked up. Here are a couple of options that are under £10, which still have places available at the time of writing:
Santa’s Grotto at Ocean Terminal
Thurs 4th -Sun 7th December, Thurs 11th – Sun 14th December, Thurs 18th – Wed 24th December
“Tickets cost £6.50 per child and must be booked online in advance. This includes an age appropriate gift plus you can take as many photos/videos as you would like.”
Santa’s Grotte at LifeCare Edinburgh
Sat 6 December, various times. Cost: £8, booking required.
Santa’s Grotto at Corstorphine Community Centre
Sat 6 December, 10am – 3pm. Cost: £5, booking required.
Santa’s Grotto at Gyle Shopping Centre
From 12th December until Christmas Eve. Saturday and Sunday between 10am – 6pm, then Monday to Friday 12pm- 6pm until Christmas Eve. Cost £10.
Santa Stories at West Princes Street Gardens
Until 24 December, various times; £17 for one child + one adult (but 20% off for Edinburgh residents with proof of their EH postcode, which brings it down to £11.20 or £12.45 including and additional booking fee), Booking required.
“Santa’s Stories are group sessions, however each child will have the opportunity to meet Santa and receive a gift. All performances last approximately 20 minutes and all children will receive a gift suitable for their age range.”
Okay, so this one is not under £10, even with the 20% discount, as the price has gone up since last year. But it was so good when we went last year (my youngest deemed himself to old this year – sob) that I still wanted to recommend it. The Santa last year was just brilliant – real beard and everything – and my son enjoyed the gift he got even though at 10 he was by far the oldest.
Illuminations
Christmas at the Botanics
20 November – 30 December
Castle of Light at Edinburgh Castle
12-14, 19-23, 27-30 December; 2-4 January
We have done both of these once in previous years. The Botanics in particular was stunning, and the ‘wow effect’ of seeing it for the first time felt it was worth the cost. Although the illuminations change each year, we haven’t felt it’s different enough though to justify the cost of going again. But if you can afford to go, it’s definitely very special.
Giant Lanterns at Edinburgh Zoo
November 2025 – February 2026 (selected dates)
Theatre
For some, Christmas isn’t complete without a trip to the theatre to see a play or pantomime. Festive favourites include the annual Christmas play at the Lyceum and the Panto at the Festival Theatre. At a slightly lower price point, the Churchill Theatre also has Christmas performances. Or for something a little different, there’s a Christmas magic show, also at the Churchill Theatre – we took our boys to see this last Christmas, and it was brilliant!
Cinderella: A Fairytale at the Lyceum
16 December – 3 January
Panto 2025: Jack and the Beanstalk at the Festival Theatre
13 December – 11 December
Beauty and the Beast the Pantomime at Churchill Theatre
3 December – 6 December
Sinbad the Sailor at Churchill Theatre
12 December – 21 December
Kevin Quantum and Guests Christmas Special at Churchill Theatre,
22 December – 30 December
Walk Around Town to see the Christmas Decorations
Last but not least, you may not want to take your kids near the Christmas market and fairground rides, if it might prove too tempting, but for some free Christmas sparkle there’s always a walk around town to take in all the festive lights and decorations. Then stop somewhere for a hot chocolate.
The Dome on George Street is well-known for it’s lights, wreaths and garlands that it decorates its majestic columns with every year. Other spots that are great for a quick cheeky photo include a festive train engine outside The Ivy on the Square and some festive reindeer outside the Gleneagles Townhouse, both on St Andrew Square.
I hope this has given you a few ideas for how to enjoy Edinburgh this Christmas without breaking the bank. Some places don’t announce their events until closer to the time, so I will updating this blog post as and when I come across new information. If you have any suggestions for cost friendly activities to include, feel free to message me and I can add them in. Thanks!
