Preparing to light the bonfire on top of Calton Hill at the Torchlight Procession, part of Edinburgh's Hogmanay Celebrations
I have no idea how many days to Christmas 2009, and certainly have no intention of finding out – not just yet anyhow! Around St Andrews Day (30th November) will suffice. Christmas in Edinburgh as far as I'm concerned gets better every year and leads us seamlessly into the Hogmanay Celebrations. Gone are the days when Christmas Celebrations were for the English and the New Year Celebrations (Hogmanay) were for the Scots. Nowadays both nationalities are happy to embrace both, and rightly so! In fact with TV coverage and internet access, every nation can party along with us and the tens of thousands of visitors who make the journey to Edinburgh for the time of their lives!
Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens with it's Christmas Wonderland of Fun Fair, Christmas Markets, and Ice Rink has been compared favourably with New York's Central Park and the Hogmanay Events have been billed as the "Best Party in the World". Maybe one of the longest too starting with my favourite event, the Torchlight Procession, which snakes through the city from the Royal Mile to it's climax of bonfires and partying atop Calton Hill. You can find details with photos at www.edinburghshogmanay.org. I always recommend Visitors to Edinburgh see this and if possible take part. So many folk think that "New Year" is "just one night" and only for "young partygoers" Edinburgh is working very hard to dispel this myth! The Torchlight Procession is a good example of this, usually on the 29th December, it's a real spectacular, an event suitable for the whole family, and starts at Parliament Square by St Giles Cathedral just two minutes from Anne House Apartments.
Before they packed up and left I caught up with our guests from the German Market, who love coming to Edinburgh each November and December, and will of course be back again this year (I feel it getting closer already). Silkie who manages the Silver Sun jewellery stall tells me that they also have market stalls at the German Markets in Nottingham, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. Edinburgh of course she tells me is her favourite city, both to visit and for the market. "Edinburgh Castle is the most beautiful backdrop we could hope for, it is quite magical" she says. The girls on the stall tell me they also like their accommodation in Anne House Apartments, as they "feel at home", which is very important to them as they are away from their families at Christmas. They also like the fact that it's only a few minutes walk to work each day, and each apartment has two Thermos flasks so they can always have hot drinks while on the stall! Remember that they are working from 10.00am until 8.00pm most days so it's not a holiday for them!
Most popular buys at Silver Sun this year were silver pendants and earrings, (hardly surprising as they are a jewellery stall, I hear you say)! They do however have a very big and varied range, and as Silkie says they have "something for everyone, all styles, all ages and all pockets". Becoming more popular each year are the Stainless Steel Mobiles which come in a variety of styles and sizes and all are hand crafted in Germany.
Can't wait until they come back next year as I only wear silver. That is a Big Hint, just in case Santa is reading this!
To see pictures of this year's events, find out what's planned, and keep up to date you can register for details at www.edinburghschristmas.com, and/ or www.edinburghshogmanay.org where you will already find the Countdown has already started to 2010!
Maybe I should get organised earlier this year, there will be so much going on! – Now where is that diary? I need to get organised!
