It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and it’s time to get out the house and explore the Christmas vibes Glasgow has to offer. Take your friends and family to these great places to visit as a Christmas gift and they’ll be over the moon. December is just around the corner, so it's time to start planning your festive activities for this month! Don't worry, we have plenty of places to suggest to get you that festive feeling.
Christmas Market at St Enoch Square
If you know anything about Christmas in Glasgow, you’ll undoubtedly have heard about the Christmas Market. The market takes place at St Enoch Square, and hosts a huge array of tasty treats to snack upon and offers a ton of artisan crafts that’d make for excellent gifts.
The markets opened on the 11th of November and will remain open until Sunday December 22, with the Christmas stalls open from 9am to 10pm each day.
Meet Santa
Taking your loved ones to go visit Santa is one of the most enjoyable things you can do at Christmas, and there are lots of places you’ll get to meet the marvellous man in red! Santa (Or Mrs Claus!) will be at the St. Enoch Centre, Hamley’s, Pollocks House and more! Get your wishlist ready for the bearded man and get lots of pics! There are also places where you can take your family out to eat while meeting Father Christmas.
St Enoch’s: https://www.st-enoch.com/whats-on/
Pollocks House: https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/events/mrs-claus-at-pollok-house
Santa Dash at George Square
Get all dressed up as Santa and join thousands of others dressed as the man in red for a festive 5k! The annual Glasgow Santa Dash sets off from George Square on the Sunday 8th of December, with thousands of people dressed as Santa taking on the 5k course for charity! Kids, adults, and even dogs are allowed! It’s a genuine blast and a real sight to see the city centre as a mass of red festivity. Even if you don’t participate yourself, it’s definitely worth coming down to watch.
You can check out this event here: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/santadash
Baby's First Christmas at Glasgow City Chambers
Celebrate Baby's First Christmas with a personalised certificate and keepsake memento from the Lord Provost of Glasgow! This ever-popular traditional event sees hundreds of Glasgow's new-borns invited to a Baby's First Christmas celebration. Baby’s First Christmas will be held on Saturday 7th December. 1,000 places will be available. This event is an adorable time for family and we highly recommend looking into it.
This is a free event, you can look into it here: https://glasgow.gov.uk/babysfirstchristmas
Elf – A Christmas Spectacular at the SSE Hydro
Elf is a hit Broadway and west end musical that is based off the blockbuster movie starring Will Ferrell, and it’ll be coming to Glasgow this Christmas! The performance will star Coronation Street’s Kym Marsh as Buddy the Elf’s girlfriend, and it’ll be starring comedy actor Tam Ryan! You won’t want to miss out on this event, especially if Elf is one of your favourite Christmas movies (like it is mine!).
It’ll be showing in the SSE Hydro on Saturday the 14th of December at both 3pm and 7pm, as well as on Sunday the 15th of December at 1pm.
Book here: https://tinyurl.com/ElfSSE
A West End Christmas - Christmas at the Concert Halls
Orchestral delights, classic tunes from the big screen, big band sounds, West End favourites, and family fun are among the treats in store this December at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. You won’t want to miss out on this festive musical performance that all the family can enjoy. Some of the great performances playing will be from Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables and Chicago, to name a few. Who doesn’t love a musical Christmas?
The event will take place on the 15th of December, starting at 6:30 pm. Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult.
You can purchase a ticket here: https://tickets.glasgowconcerthalls.com/single/SYOS.aspx?p=19883
Elfingrove at Kelvingrove Museum
This year, Kelvingrove is getting turned into Elfingrove, featuring a night time tour of this incredible museum. This festive, mystical place is powered by the magic of elves, all you need to do is believe. You’ll be taken on a 60-90-minute journey through the mystical Elfingrove, then you’ll be met with a spectacular finale. You won’t want to miss out on this experience.
The dates from 5:15 pm until 10:30 pm every day, starting from the 5th of December until the 5th of January. These dates exclude the 24th-26th of Dec and 31st-2nd of January.
You can purchase a ticket here: https://www.itison.com/elfingrove
Blessing of the Crib at George Square
For those looking for the traditional Christmas event, the Lord Provost will be welcoming you to join her at the Blessing of the Crib at George Square. This event will be taking place under the Christmas lights with a chorus of singers and the Lord Provost of Glasgow. This is a free event that everyone is welcome to join in on! As the event will be outside, be sure to dress up in your cosy winterwear, dressed for Glasgow’s uncertain weather conditions.
This event will take place on Wednesday the 4th of December at 6pm.
Find out more here: https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/arts-music-and-cultural-venues/glasgow-loves-christmas/blessing-of-the-crib
Riverside Christmas Festival at the Riverside Museum
On the 6th and 7th of December, the annual Riverside Christmas Festival will be taking place in the Riverside Museum! You’ll get the chance to browse the Christmas Market in the Victorian Street, picking out the stalls for stocking fillers and gifts. The best part about this event is that it’s free! There’ll be a traditional fairground with free rides and carousels for all to enjoy for free! Fun for all the family, what’s not to love?
Check out more information here: https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/event/3/riverside-christmas-fair
Christmas Murder Mystery at the Argyll Hotel Glasgow
The portly gent who dresses in red won’t be going down any chimneys this year. He is dead; possibly murdered, yes, it’s scandalous but true. You are invited to Soul Food Kitchen to join us for a night of murder mystery. Tickets include an arrival drink, a delicious 3-course plant-based meal and performance from professional actors. We’d love to have you join us for this event this Christmas, so book while you can!
The event is £50 per person, and the last free date we have is the 6th of December!
Book here: (Nearly sold out!) https://www.soulfoodkitchen.co.uk/events-1/who-killed-santa-murder-mystery-3