Santa Weekend marks Santa's arrival at West Princes Street Gardens (10am-6pm each day).

The finale to the Santa Weekend will see thousands of participants raising money for Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids and When you wish upon a Star by completing a stroll throughout

If there's one time of year where theatres really go to town with their productions it's christmas. This year's crop of christmas shows at Edinburgh's main theatres spans the traditional panto - Aladdin at the King's Theatre - to a more adult-orientated theatrical version of the Witches of Eastwick at The Playhouse Theatre.

Edinburgh's Nativity Scene will be unveiled as crowds gather to celebrate the true spirit of Christmas with an afternoon of Carol singing to raise vital funds for charity.

Edinburgh's Christmas officially launches when 200,000 lights across the city are switched on and with this preview of some of the shows at this year's Winter festival at the Winter Wonderland -

The King's Theatre is on the look-out for the perfect princess for its christmas pantomime.

A look at 2007 Winter Festivals in Edinburgh...

Christmas, or Xmas for non-believers, used to be a quiet period in Edinburgh. It's less so now, although (Hogmanay night aside) it's still not quite as mad as the hurlyburly of the Edinburgh Festival.