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Keeping it local Snowstuck? Disillusioned with the high street? Kirstin Innes rounds up the best neighbourhood Christmas markets for last-minute shopping
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 shopping, and possibly your chances of getting into town. If you do make it out to the high street, there’s the possibility that any major stores with, ah, creative tax arrangements will have been blockaded by UK Uncut protestors, who have so demonstrated outside Vodafone and the Arcadia Group owned by Sir Philip Green (Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis among others). The next UK Uncut protests will be on Saturday 18 December in a high street near you, in case you’re interested.
What you need, dear Lazy Shopper With A Slowly Awakening Conscience, is a local festive market. All the mulled wine-y joy of the city centre Christmas markets, but in your own neighbourhood, and probably cheaper and better for it. In Glasgow, you’re pretty much spoilt for choice. The West End is hoaching with markets: Granny Would Be Proud has one more event on at the Hillhead Book Club (Sun 19 Dec, 12-7pm): comics, toys, DVDs, retro homeware, homemade jams and vintage frocks. At the Hidden Lane just off Argyle Street in the West, the Hidden Pop Up Shop has, well, popped up, run by online market Much Too Fun (see www.muchtoofun.co.uk for a look at their
the CCA (until Thu 23 Dec), wares), with woolly clothes and hats, prints by local artists, books, Belle & Sebastian designed goodies, jewellery by Obscure Couture and Fantoosherie and retro gaming to entertain you (runs throughout December, 12-6pm weekdays, 12-9pm Thursdays, 12-4pm Saturdays). Further into town, DIY crafting gurus Welcome Home have set up a pop-up store at selling household-y accessories (www.welcomehomestore.co.uk). East End-ers might find it easier to get to the Merchant City Makers Market (Fri 17 Dec–Sun 19 Dec & Wed 22 Dec–Fri 24 Dec, 11am–6pm): crafts, candles, leatherware and silver jewellery from Circa 72, or Made In The Shade’s SuperMercado Festive Indie Marketplace at the New Barras Centre (Sat 18 Dec, from 10am): all the stalls you’d expect, plus live music (www.wearemadeintheshade.com).
loveliness and
However, fear not, Edinburgh fans of vintageware and hip crafting. Saturday 18 December is a good day for you: Leith’s Out of the Blue Drill Hall are running their usual Arts Market, with work by local arts and crafters: hats, prints, fabric art as well as books, curios and records. Southsiders might be able to stretch their legs over to the Teviot Debating Hall, for the V is for Vintage Christmas Fayre: vintage and vintage style clothing, kitsch jewellery and bric- a-brac, and a fashion show at 2pm. There you go: shopping sorted. As long as none of your loved ones was after an iPad.
✽✽ Irn-Bru Carnival Look, it’s a Glasgow Hogmanay tradition to get yourself high on e- numbers then go riding the Waltzers, okay? The Irn Bru Carnival has now been running for 90 years, which is good enough reason alone for a visit. SECC, Glasgow, until Sun 16 Jan (not Christmas Day). ✽✽ Torchlight Procession Probably the loveliest, most poetic bit of the whole Edinburgh Hogmanay clamjamfray: the fiery spectacle leaves from Parliament Square at 6.30pm and culminates in a Son et Lumière and firework display on Calton Hill. See listings for info on how to take part. Parliament Square, Edinburgh, Thu 30 Dec. ✽✽ Hogmanay Hoots A nice way to celebrate Hogmanay with the kids as well: an afternoon full of festive family games, New Year guising, stories and songs with Mac-a- Story. Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, Fri 31 Dec. ✽✽ Hogmanay Ceilidh One for the traditionalists: traditional music and dancing featuring The Ardoch Ceilidh Band and piper. Also includes a dram and haggis. St Andrews in the Square, Glasgow, Fri 31 Dec. ✽✽ The Guid Crack Club: Hogmanay Special edition of the storytelling club for Hoggers: tales, merriment and the guid company of storyteller Jack Martin. Waverley Bar, Edinburgh, Fri 31 Dec. ✽✽ One O’Clock Run Take a nice New Year’s jog from the Castle to the Palace. Vouchers available from Hogmanay ticket outlets to exchange for a flashy souvenir T-shirt on the way. Edinburgh Castle, Sat 1 Jan. 16 Dec 2010 – 6 Jan 2011 THE LIST 45