Edinburgh’s spectacular calendar of Christmas events has been launched ahead of the festive season. 

The programme, which runs from Thursday, November 24 to Wednesday, January 4, sees the return of many traditional favourites, as well as a series of new additions.

Familiar highlights include the Traditional German Christmas Market, the switch-on of the Christmas lights on Light Night and the popular Princes Street Garden ice rink, which was this week rescued from cancellation in a last minute deal with an unknown business.

This year, organisers also plan to celebrate St Andrew’s Day over the weekend of November 26 to 27 with free events on the Edinburgh Castle esplanade including ice sculptures, ‘fire-animation’ and fireworks to mark the grand finale.

Kicking off proceedings on November 24, Light Night will be vamped up with a 14-metre high snow queen model featuring pyrotechnic effects, a light projection display on George Street and walkabout Christmas characters to lead revellers around the city.

During the six-week period, Princes Street will also be pedestrianised with tram works temporarily removed for extra activities and events funded by the tram project’s business support programme.

Councillor Steve Cardownie, Festivals and Events Champion for the City of Edinburgh Council, was at the launch of the programme, where he was joined by Santa Claus, a ‘frost queen’ and Stockbridge Pipe Band.

He said: “Festivals are hugely important to this city, hugely important to the economy but also important to the people who come here and enjoy themselves and have a great time.

“Not only are we providing attractions for visitors to come to the city and spend money and help the retail sector, particularly in Princes Street, we’re also here to make citizens of the city feel better and give them a good time.

“Of course we do have a recession and people’s jobs are under threat and there’s no payrises to talk about - these are quite difficult times but there’s always something for people to do when they come to our Christmas celebrations - you don’t have to spend money to enjoy yourself and to have a great time.

“We were delighted to be able to announce recently that the ice rink will continue this year because there was an element of doubt as to whether the ice rink would.”

Edinburgh’s Christmas is commissioned by the City of Edinburgh Council, who have contributed more than £197,000 towards the festive programme, with support from city centre businesses through Essential Edinburgh, and organised by She’s Gott It! events.

Speaking at the launch of the programme, Andy Neal, chief executive of Essential Edinburgh, explained how important the celebrations are to the city, and why they have invested levy-payers’ money into the programme.

He said: “Trading running up to Christmas is incredibly important to the shops, bars and restaurants and restaurants in Edinburgh, and if ever there was a year that it was particularly important it’s this one, what with the disruption that we’ve seen on Princes Street. We now have a wonderful opportunity with it being pedestrianised.

“We received a presentation which said we can bring about 6000 people into the city centre if we have a procession and we switch the lights on on Light Night. And we think we can double that if we turn it into a major show.

“With all the effort being made to put the different events on it seemed crazy to loose one of our core events – the ice rink. So we’re ready to put money into that.”

Other events taking place during the festive period will include live reindeer visits, a nativity scene, a visit from Father Christmas and a Santa Zumbathon flash mob.

To view footage from the launch please click on the following link: http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh/news/278190-edinburgh-launches-christmas-programme/

For further information on this years Edinburgh's Christmas Festival please visit: www.edinburghschristmas.com