Events are listed by city, then type. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to kidsOlichomk, by post or by tax on 0131 557 8500. Listings are compiled by Ruth Hedges.

Activities And Fun 1 The Christmas Star Until Sun 28 i Dec (not Christrttas Day or Boxirtg Day). ! £5.50 -£14 (£4-£10). Glasgow Sciertce Centre. 50 Pacific Quay. 420 5000. A chance to see tlte night sky as it wotrld have looked from Bethlehent 2000 years ago.

Glasgow on Ice Until Christmas live. Sun—Thu 10am—10pm; Fri—Sat 10am-1 lpnt. £5.50 (£4); £18 fantin ticket. George Square. ()871 200 3940. Christmas markets. bars artd cafes with an open air ice rink at the centre. right at the heart of Glasgow.

Winter Lights Thu 1 l—Sat 20 Dec (not Mon). 4—8pm. Free. The Hidden Gardens. Tramway. 25 Albert Drive. ()845 3303501. The Hidden Gardens are transformed into a wintry and festive atmosphere with hundreds of tree and reflective lights.

Winter Wonderland Until Sun 4 Jan (not Christmas Day. Boxing Day or New Year‘s Day). 10am—6pm. £6.95 (£4.95). Glasgow Science Cetttre. 50 Pacific Quay. 420 5000. The Science Centre goes festive with Santa‘s space age grotto (see Q & A) and screenings iii the IM AX of Santa vs Snowman.

Drama for Kids Sat 13 Dec. Sat 20 Dec & Sat 27 Dec. l—2.30pm. CCA. 350 Sauchieltall Street. 352 4900. Weekly drama workshops for 6-1 l-year-olds. Family Winter Activities Sat 13 Dec. 1—3pm. Free. McLellan Galleries. 270 Saucltiehall Street. 565 4100. Ages 5—8. Special drop-in winter activities including puppet artd picture frame making iii the run up to Christmas. Children tnust be accompanied by an adult.

Mrs Claus! Sat 13 & Sun 14 Dec. Sat 20 & Sun 2| Dec. 10am—5pm. £2. Pollok House. Pollok Country Park. 2060 Pollokshaws Road. 616 6410. Get in the mood for Christmas with a visit to Mrs Claus.

Pottery Workshops Sat 13 Dec. Sat 20 Dec & Sat 27 Dec. noon—6pm. £5. Fireworks Studio. 35a Dalhousie Street. 332 3738. Ages 4+. Paint pots or have a go on the potter's wheel in these weekly workshops for children.

Saturday Art Club Sat 13 Dec. Sat 20 Dec. Sat 27 Dec & Sat 3 Jan. 10am—1pm. Free. Gallery of Modern Art. Queen Street. 229 1996. New weekly an club led by professional art educators showing you how to enjoy and develop drawing. collage and sculpture making. Ages 3—10.

Soaring Science Sat 13 Dec—Sun 4 Jan (not Christmas Day. Boxing Day or New Year‘s Day). 10am~6pm. £6.95 (£4.95). Glasgow Science Centre. 50 Pacific Quay. 420 5000. To coincide with the centenary of the Wright brothers‘ first powered flight. the Science Mall hosts flight simulators. hands-on aero exhibits and remote control airships.

CBBC Sunday Sun 14 Dec. lprn. Free. CCA. 350 Sauchiehall Street. 352 4900. Ages 9—12. BBC children‘s channel CBBC hosts art exclusive preview screening of the new Balantory winter special. The Snowflake. Afterwards. join irt with sonte Cbeebies for sorrte crafty fun.

Kids Christmas Event Sun l4—Sun 2| Dec. noon—3pm. £8.40 (£5.40—£6); family ticket £21.60. Clydebuilt Scottish Maritime Museum. Braehead Shopping Centre. Kings lnclt Road. 886 1013. The Tall Ship artd Clydebuilt Maritime Museum present a double bill of fun with free travel between the two

1 14 THE LIST 1 1 Dec 2003—8 Jan 2004

attractions on the Seaforce boat and a competition book for both.

Kids Christmas Event Sun 14 Dec & Sun 21 Dec. noon—3pm. £8.40 (£5.40—£6; family ticket £21.60). The

Tall Ship At Glasgow Harbour. 100 Stobcross Road. 222 2513. See above.

Drama for Young People Wed 17 Dec. Wed 24 Dec & Wed 31 Dec. 6.30—8.30pm. £5. CCA. 350 Saucltiehall Street. 352 4900. Weekly drama workshops for 12-18-year-olds.

lrn-Bru Christmas and New

Year Carnival Fri 19 Dec—"Thu 8 Jan (not Christmas Day). omit—10pm: 19th Dec 6—l()pm; 24th Dec & 31st Dec noon—9pm. Various. SFCC. Fittnieston

Quay. 248 3000. It wouldn‘t be Christmas without Europe's biggest

indoor furtfair expect even rttore thrills attd rides to get your adrenalin pumping. Carnival Masks Sat 20 Dec.

2-3.30pm. Free. Burrell Collection. 2060

Pollokshaws Road. 287 2550. Get irtto

the carnival mood and make your own btrtterfly rttask. Family event.

Beautiful Butterflies Sun 21 Dec.

2-—3.30pm. Free. Burrell Collection. 2060 Pollokshaws Road. 287 2550. ()ver 8s. Make sottte beautiful fluttering butterflies for Christmas. Booking essential.

Bead Stringers Sat 27 & Mon 29

Dec. 2—3.30pm. Free. Burrell Collection.

2060 Pollokshaws Road. 287 2550. ()ver

8s. Practice the ancient craft of bead

stringing artd make your owrt creation.

Mythical Beasts in Glass Sun 28 Dec & Tue 30 Dec. 2—3.30pm. Free. Burrell Collection. 2060 Polloksltaws

Road. 287 2550. Step irtto the land of

lions and dragons artd create your owrt glass decoration.

The Artcart Tue 23 Dec. 1 lartt 1pm. Free. Gallery of Modern Art. Queen Street. 229 1996. Ages 3—12. Add some sparkle to your festive season with these crafty activities.

Sanctuary: Artist Led Workshop

Sat 20—Tue 23 Dec. 1 lam-1pm &

2-—4pm. Free. Gallery of Modern Art. Queen Street. 229 1996. Artist-led

. mixed-media workshop for all ages:

under 12s rttust be accompanied.

Theatre & Dance The Happy Gang in Santa’s

. Magic Castle Thu 11 -Sat 13 Dec.

Thu 10.15am & 1.15pm; Fri 10.15am: Sat 2.30pm. £7.50. Clyde Auditorium. Finnieston Quay. 0870 040 4000. The kiddies‘ favottrites embark on their

; Christmas tour.

Mr Bones’ Christmas Pudding Until Sat 13 Dec. Wed. Thu & Fri 10.30am & 1.30pm; Sat noon & 2pm. £4 (£3.50). Scottish Mask & Puppet Theatre

Centre. 8—10 Balcarres Avenue.

Kelvindale. 339 6185. Mr Bones brings

you a special puppet partto with sortgs.

games. custard pies artd flying sweeties from art array of quirky characters.

' The Singing Kettle: The Merry

i Christmas Show The 16»Sat 27 Dec (not Thu 18 Dec. Fri 19 Dec. Thu 25 Dec & Fri 26 Dec). times vary. £2—£9.

Royal Concert Hall. 2 Saucltiehall Street.

353 8000. The kiddies‘ favourites return

with their festive mayhem.

Film Santa vs The Snowman (PG).

' times vary. check Film listings for

showing times. £5 (£3.50). IMAX Theatre. Glasgow Science Centre. 50 Pacific Quay. 420 50(X).

Activities And Fun Acrobounce Until Sun 4 Jan (not Christmas Day). 10am -8pnt; Sat & Sun 10am—10prtt. £4. Princes Street. (11620

. 870318. Catapult to new heights with

this high-flying furtfest.

Edinburgh Wheel Until Sun 4 Jan (not Christmas Day). 10am- 10pm. £2

(£1.50). Princes Street Gardens Fast. Princes Street. 473 3600. The capital‘s

SING, DANCE AND PLAY with little Molly Whuppie as she embarks on adventures up and down the mountain. This is the last chance to see Wee Stories Early Years Project’s wonderful production in its extended run at the Traverse. I Molly Whuppie, Thu 71— Wed 24 Dec (not Fri 79 8

Mon 22).

times vary. £5. Traverse Theatre. Cambridge Street, 228 7404.

' skyline appears in all its effervescent glory so take a backseat artd enjoy the ride as the wheel allows you spectacular

views of the city. the gardens artd Winter Wonderland.

Famous Robert Brothers Circus Fri 12-Sun 21 Dec. tirrtes vary. £8-£l8 (£7—£14). Princes Street Gardens. ()1698 333 777. Wayhay. the circus is in town!

For the first time Capital Christmas

welcomes this traditional circus to scale the dizzy heights of the ltirewire and mess about with clowrts. Call to book artd for ntore information.

Royal Observatory Public Observing Fri 12 Dec & Fri 19 Dec. 7-—8.45pm. £2.60 (£1.85); £6 fantin ticket. Royal ()bservatory Visitor Centre. Blackford Hill. 668 8404. Stargazing on top of Blackford Hill. Come artd see the constellations. the rttoort and the planets in the night sky through the telescopes. Santa’s Reindeer Garden Fri I2--Surt 21 Dec. 10arrt~6pm. Free. West Princes Street Gardens. 473 3600. Santa’s reindeers corrte and set up residence artd

_ spread sonte festive fun.

Colours in the Mind Sat 20 Dec.

1 1.30artt—1.30pm. £5. Natiortal Library Of Scotland. George [V Bridge. 556 9579. Ages 7—12. The Scottish Storytelling Centre in association with the National Library of Scotland present this special Christmas storytelling artd

illustration workshop with Beth Cross arid

Kate Leiper.

Midwinter Tales Sat 20 Dec.

2.3()—3.45pnt. £4 (£3). National Library of Scotland. George 1V Bridge. 556 9579.

Seasonal stories with Mariort Kenny and

Donald Smith for children aged six artd

upwards. Presented by the Scottish

Storytelling Centre irt association with the National Library of Scotland.

An Hysterical History of Scotland Sun 21 Dec. 12.45pm. 1.45pm & 3.45pm. Free. MUseum of Scotland. Chambers Street. 247 4219. Actors Sltonagh Price and Alart Mcllugh

; take you on a wltistle-stop tour of the

highs artd lows of Scotland's history.

Theatre & Dance

Molly Whuppie Thu 1 l—Wed 24 Dec (not Fri 19 & Mon 22). times vary. £5. Traverse Theatre. Cambridge Street. 228 I404. Wee Stories presents the tale of Molly who embarks on a fantastic artd

magical adventure to firtd that things are ' rtot always what they seem. See photo caption.

The Happy Gang in Santa’s Magic Castle Wed 24 Dec. lprtt & 4pm. £7.50; fotrr for £24. Usher Hall.

Lotltiart Road. 228 1 155. See Glasgow.

Books

Stories in the Forest Room Strn 14 Dec. 2pm. Free. Royal Botanic Garden. Fxhibition Hall. lrtverleith Row. 552 7171. Join the RBGF Storytellers for tales of mystery artd magic. trees artd travels.

i

Outside the Cities

Activities And Fun

Family Rides Until Sun 4 Jan (not Christmas Day). l().30am—-5.30pm. Loch Lorrtond Shores. Bert Lontond Way. Balloch. 01389 721500. Join Santa

on his express trairt. dropping you off at I the bouncy slides. trampolines. helter-

skelters and acrobourtce. Prices vary. Ice Skating Rink Until Strn 4 Jan (not Christmas Day). 10.30am—8prtt. £5 (£4). Loch Lorttortd Shores. Bert Lomond Way. Balloch. ()1389 721500.

Come artd skate at the loch on this

specially intported ice rink by the

gathering area.

Santa’s Grotto Sat 13 Dec & Sun 14 Dec. Sat 20 Dec & Sun 21 Dec.

; noon—3.30prrt. £3.50. Dean Castle

Country Park. Dean Road. Kilrttarnock. ()1563 522702. Visit Santa irt his

Christmas village. climb irtto his magic sleigh and receive a special gift. Festive

cartoon show and rttore. g Christmas Crackers! Sat 13 Dec 1 & Sat 20 Dec. 1.30 --3.30pm. £2.

Dundee Contemporary Arts. 152 Nethcrgate. Dundee. ()1382 909900.

' Ages 5—12. Workshops iii the build up

to Christmas making sure all your decorating. present artd wrapping paper ideas are covered in sparkles and glitter.

Santa at Mill Farm Sat 13 & Sun 14 Dec. Sat 20 & Sun 21 Dec. 10am—5pm. £3 (£2). Almond Valley Heritage Certtre. Millfield. Livirtgstort. 01506 414957. Meet Sartta in his farrttyard cottage artd receive art early Christrttas present. take a train to the North Pole artd join the animals of Mill Farrtt for a special nativity scene. Christmas Art Factory Mon 22--Wed 24 Dec. 2.30—4.30pm. £3.50. MacRobcrt. Urtiversity of Stirling. Stirling. 01786 466666. A mixture of Christmas storytelling with arts and crafts. Wed. ages 8- 10. Thu. ages 5-—7. Fri ages 3-—5.

New Year Art Factory Mon

29 Wed 31 Dec. 2.30 4.30pm. £3.50. MacRobcrt. Urtiversity of Stirling. Stirlirtg. 01786 466666. Arts and crafts sessiort rttakittg New Year lanterns to welcome in 2004. Wed. ages 3—5. Thu. ages 5 7. Fri. ages 8---10.

Theatre & Dance

The Snow Queen Thu II Dec Sat 3 Jan (not Sun 14. Sun 21. Thu 25 & Sun 28 Dec). times vary. £8 (£4 £5). MacRobcrt. University of Stirlirtg.

Stirling. ()1786 466666. Hans Christian

Andersen's ertcltarttirtg tale of the evil Srtow Queen whose icy heart rteeds to thaw else wirtter will last forever.

For full details of pantos and Christmas shows see Theatre page 75—83.