St. Andrew's Day is a statutory Bank Holiday in Scotland commemorating Scotland's patron saint. St. Andrew's Day itself is on the 30th November every year. However, because in 2008, the 30th November is a Sunday, the bank holiday takes place on Monday 1st December.

The Scottish Government is building on the St. Andrew's Day

The weather was dreich and X Factor winner and christmas chart-topper Leon Jackson couldn't sing after all because he had tonsillitis, but spirits were far from dampened at last night's Hogmanay festivities in Edinburgh.

For those worried about a repetition of last year's Hogmanay debacle where gale force winds caused the organisers to cancel the Hogmanay celebrations at the last minute, the weather outlook for tonight's bash is relatively encouraging.

The final of one of the oldest professional athletics races in the world takes place today at Musselburgh Racecourse, 6 miles east of Edinburgh. The New Year Sprint final has taken place around New Year's Day annually since 1870. Today racers compete in the 139th event.

The 8th annual Whisky Distillers Fair takes place today at the Scotch Whisky Experience from 11am. Distillers attending the tasting experience include Dewar's, Tullibardine, Bowmore, Tomatin, Glenfarclaus and Bunnahabain.

For those awake, here's some events - all of which happen to revolve around the big, blustery expanse of Holyrood Park - to blow out the cob webs on New Year's Day.

Controversy seems to follow brilliant-but-flawed fiddler Ashley MacIssac - and some of the outrageous stories he has propagated have without a doubt been part of the reason that we have not heard more of him.

Edinburgh's Dogmanay takes place on the first day of each year at Holyrood Park. Edinburgh cannot rely on snow, so teams of Alaskan Malamute, Samoyed and Siberian Huskies from all over Scotland pull custom-made three-wheeled rigs around a set course.

The organisers of Edinburgh's Hogmanay have reduced the price on the remainder of the 450 or so tickets to the first "Hoog Royale". The introductory New Year's Eve event taking place at the Queen's Hall was formerly priced at £60, but are now £42.50 (£45 including booking fee).

It's St. Andrew's Day today, Scotland's national day, which means the dancing and festivities will be in full flow at West Princes Street Gardens not just until late tonight, but throughout this weekend.

The full line-up for Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party 2007-2008 has been announced.

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.

While for some Edinburgh has almost become synonymous with its annual August arts festivals, its Winter Festivals programme has also expanded in recent years.

You will need tickets for many of the Edinburgh Hogmanay events

On the first day of every year a brave few hundred people throw themselves into the freezing cold water of the Firth of Forth at South Queensferry, just a few miles out of the Scottish capital.

Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party - an exuberant carnival of music, dancing and street theatre - is the most famous aspect of Edinburgh's Hogmanay festival. The street party gets going when the stages and screens go live at 10pm.