The Library Blog

Edinburgh Napier University Library blog. Filled with useful and fun blog articles on using the Library, the University, Edinburgh and many other fun topics.

Author: mayagreen (Page 1 of 25)

library study skills

Library study skills

30/01/2026 / / 0 Comments

Library study skills

Now that the new trimester has started and we’ve all woken up from our winter hibernation, we’ve started to notice a lot of students coming into the library to ask us for advice about studying. Some of these are new students who are excited to get started here at Napier, and some are returning students who seem to have forgotten how to study over the winter break. So, we decided it would be a good idea to just quickly remind everyone about the different ways that the library at Edinburgh Napier can support you during your time studying here.

Study Guides

Firstly, the library provides you with LibGuides, which are specialised guides teaching you the skills you need to navigate the library and how to best use the resources the university provides to you. These include guides to referencing using APA 7th style, more general guides such as advice on Critical Thinking, as well as specialised guides for each of our schools.
The other handy thing about the LibGuides is that they can provide you with a full list of the databases the university has access to. Through your student account, you can access 184 research databases that provide you with access to research articles, e-books, and other publications covering a range of different subject areas. These databases are a great way to expand your research and find a wide range of sources to help you when studying specialised topics.

These guides for our schools are written by the Subject Librarian for that school, providing you with detailed help from an experienced professional who specialises in that field. For example, if you’re a student at our business school, you can check out the guide to the business school library written by Keith Walker, who has been with the university for years and knows exactly what a business student needs to know for their studies. You can also contact the Subject Librarians directly if you have any questions for them. Contact details can be found on the MyNapier Subject Librarians page.

You can also find some helpful study advice through the MyNapier pages on our libraries. Here, you can find guides on how to access the different study resources that the university provides to you, such as how to search for books in the library or how to use the different academic journals that the library provides you with access.

Library Collections

Each of our libraries also includes a Research Collection, where we have books that will give you advice on how to carry out research in your subject area. These collections are tailored to the campus that they are at, so you can expect to find advice on studying as a nurse at our Sighthill campus library, while at Craiglockhart you’ll find books on business research.
Our libraries also have a Wellbeing Collection, with books focused on providing advice on mental health and personal development issues. Although this might not immediately seem relevant, it is important to look after yourself during intensive research periods, and these books can help advise you on how to balance completing your university work with staying healthy and happy during your time at Napier.

In particular, I’d recommend some of the books we have on how to avoid procrastination, as this was definitely one of the biggest issues I faced as a student!
Like with most things, you can learn more about the collection through our Wellbeing Collection LibGuides page.

You can also check out the Training and Events calendar to see if there are any upcoming workshops covering skills you may need help with. These workshops can include sessions by our Subject Librarians on how to use referencing software (very useful for big assignments like your dissertation!) or drop-in sessions with the academic skills team to see if they can support you in any way.
You can learn more about the academic skills team at the Improve Your Academic Skills page on MyNapier.

And lastly, please remember that you’re always welcome to ask a member of the team at one of our Library Helpdesks if you have any questions during your time at Napier.

By Matthew Ferrie

Australia Day

Australia Day

26/01/2026 / / 0 Comments

Australia Day

 

Today is Australia Day, which is also a national holiday in Australia that commemorates the First Fleet’s arrival into Warrane (Sydney Cove) on the 26th of January 1788 with 11 British ships coming over from Portsmouth in the UK and led by Captain Arthur Phillip. On arrival, Captain Phillip raised the Union Jack flag and commenced the colonial invasion of occupied lands across the continent. From this began the Colonial Frontier Wars between British settlers and indigenous Australians (also including both Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders) and marked the birth date of the New South Wales colony.

 

Some History and Background…

 

Violence and conflict occurred throughout various areas of Australia from 1788 onwards after the arrival and settlement of the First Fleet, with much of Australia’s Aboriginal population being killed by British colonists over many years. The massacres that occurred within these years were so vast that it has been difficult to provide an accurate estimate of the number of Aboriginal and indigenous individuals that died during this period, as it is believed to have been extremely high. It has also rarely been addressed in history, but because of these wide-scale massacres of indigenous individuals by British colonists, this national holiday has generated controversy and criticism regarding what is seen by many to have been a ‘robbery’ and an invasion of Aboriginal Australian land.

 

Celebrations and Controversies…

 

Many Australians celebrate Australia Day as a national holiday on the 26th of January every year – the date on which the First Fleet and their commander Captain Arthur Philip arrived at Port Jackson (now known as Sydney Harbour). Much of Australia’s population of approximately 24 million people has gathered annually on this day to host barbecues, regattas and outdoor events and concerts on beaches and in parks in a unified celebration of Australian diversity, culture, democracy and liberation. Nevertheless, this national day is not supported nor celebrated by all. In 1988, a march took place consisting of around 40,000 indigenous and non-indigenous Australians throughout Sydney protesting against celebrations of this annual event and national holiday referring to it as “invasion day” and “survival day.” These protests are still ongoing to this day and have encouraged local councils in Melbourne to cancel and stop Australia Day events.

 

Conclusion…

 

Although a majority of Australian individuals still celebrate and participate in Australia Day events, a poll conducted in 2018 found that 49% of individuals surveyed believe that Australia should not host the 26th of January each year in respect to the impact that colonisation had on indigenous people, their culture and communities from 1788 onwards. Many also did not seem particularly fixated on what day the national holiday is held on, as long as there is an annual celebration of Australian culture, identity and democracy. Australia Day carries a different meaning to many is observed and understood differently by different individuals and communities. It is emphasised significantly that recognition and awareness of the effect colonialism had on Aboriginal and indigenous communities and populations.

By Rachel Downie

Photo by photoholgic unsplash

Read more about awareness day

Robert Burns

Robert Burns – Scotland’s National Poet

25/01/2026 / / 0 Comments

.Robert Burns – Scotland’s National Poet

 

Robert Burns was born on 25th January 1759. He is well-known for writing many poems and songs. And is considered to be Scotland’s National Poet, also known as Scotland’s National Bard.

Burns was born in Alloway in Ayrshire, on the west coast of Scotland, to parents William and Agnes Brown Burns. And he was the eldest of seven children and lived in a cosy four-room cottage, built by his father. Robert and his family lived alongside their farm animals. The kitchen was the heart of the home where they ate their meals together, read by the fireside and received their earliest education. His parents insisted that he was educated, even though they were not a wealthy family, and he was given opportunities to read, study a variety of subjects and listen to music.

As he grew up, Robert Burns was known to enjoy female company, and he married Jean Armour in 1788 and had nine children. Robert Burns died at the age of 37 on July 21st, 1796, in Dumfries.

 

Songs and Poems.

Many of his poems and songs are written in the Scots language as well as some being written in English or a Scottish dialect, so that people who lived outside Scotland could also understand them.

His most famous song, “Auld Lang Syne”, is sung around the world to celebrate the New Year. It is a song about friendship and remembering good times, but it does not specifically refer to the New Year.

He has many other poems and songs, including Tam O’Shanter, To a Mouse, Ae fond kiss and A Red, Red Rose.

On 31 July 178,6 John Wilson published Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, known as the Kilmarnock Volume. It sold for three shillings and contained many of Robert’s best works. The success of the work was immediate, and Robert became well-known for his writing. This made him change his plans from travelling to Jamaica to becoming a writer.

 

Burns Suppers

On 25 Jan 1859, on the centenary of the birth of Robert Burns, memorial events were held all over Scotland. And still continue today. The celebrations begin with a welcome and announcements, which are followed by the Selkirk Grace. Scotland’s national dish, the haggis, is then led into the room by a piper before being addressed with Burns’ own poem To a Haggis. Then it and is cut open. After the meal, a series of toasts takes place. This usually includes a “Toast to the Lassies” followed by replies. A summary of the life and work of Robert Burns is given in the toast to the “Immortal memory”, and the supper concludes with everyone singing “Auld Lang Syne”. These suppers honour the life of Robert Burns, where his poems are read, his songs are sung, and plenty of whisky is drunk!

 

The Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway is cared for by the National Trust for Scotland. You can visit Burns Cottage, the home of Robert Burns, where he was born and grew up. Follow a trail through the village to see places and landmarks which were known to Robert Burns. And follow in the footsteps of Tam O’Shanter to Alloway Auld Kirk and over the Brig o’ Doon. Stroll along the Poet’s Path and see the creative sculptures related to Robert Burns’ work, celebrating scenes from Burns’s Tam o’ Shanter, the not-so ‘wee mouse’ and a larger-than-life granite haggis.

By Sharon McMichael

 

Find works by Robert Burns on Library Search and have a look at more Scottish posts

Photo by John Cardamone Unsplash 

 

 

 

welcome week

Welcome Week and an Introduction to our ENU Libraries

22/01/2026 / / 0 Comments

Welcome Week and an Introduction to our ENU Libraries

Hello and welcome to all of our new and returning students for the second trimester of the academic year. We have started to see many of you passing through all three of our campus libraries and often looking around with much curiosity and wonder at our library spaces, bookshelves and study areas. We may have even already met a few of you who have come to our campus library helpdesks to ask us about our libraries, services and other general queries about the university facilities and technology.

Don’t forget we are always happy to help and have prepared this blog post to give you a rough outline of what resources and services that ENU libraries have to offer, how to utilise and get the best out of them and how we can support you with your studies. You can of course, email us at library@napier.ac.uk or alternatively phone 0131 455 3500 if you have any specific or further questions you would like to ask us, as well as visit us at our library helpdesk,s should you wish to speak to us in person during our staffed hours. Also, follow our @ENU-Library Instagram page for regular updates and daily posts about the resources and services we have to offer.

 

Opening Hours and Locations…

 

Our general Opening Hours can be found on our My Napier webpages via the library tab.  Staffed hours in all of our campus libraries are 8:45am-16:45pm Monday to Friday. Our libraries are unstaffed at weekends but still free to use from 9am-5pm, albeit Merchiston library zones 1-4, which are free to use 24 hours every day of the week. Opening hours can be subject to change during holiday periods and seasons throughout the year – we will update them and inform you of any temporary changes to them accordingly.

 

Our three campus buildings are the Sighthill campus, the Merchiston campus and the Craiglockhart campus. Each campus library has resources tailored to the specific school hosted within each campus building.

  • Sighthill hosts the School of Health and Social Care (SHSC) and School of Applied Sciences (SAS), so in this campus library you will find a variety of resources and textbooks on nursing, pharmacology, physiology, psychology, chemistry, biology and biomedical sciences to give a few examples.
  • Our Merchiston campus hosts the School of Arts and Creative Industries (SACI) and School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment (SCEBE), so in this campus library you will find a variety of resources and textbooks on film, photography, literature, music and composition, surveying, engineering, construction, transportation and computing and computer science to give a few examples.
  • Our Craiglockhart campus hosts The Business School (TBS), so in this campus library you will find a variety of resources and textbooks on topics such as management, finance, accounting, marketing, recruitment, human resources and entrepreneurship, to give a few examples. Craiglockhart campus library also hosts our law hub with a range of up-to-date and varied material regarding current laws and legal matters in various areas.

 

This is not to say that each campus library only has books on these specific topics and subject areas, as you may well find a book on human resource management at our Sighthill campus, for example! We also have our Wellbeing Collection with a variety of resources covering topics such as mental health, wellbeing, neurodiversity and settling into university life. You can find out more about what our Wellbeing Collection has to offer in our LibGuide, which also has useful guidance and information about literature searching, critical thinking and evaluation, utilising reading lists and referencing – all of which will be extremely useful to you when assignments, exams and deadlines start to pop up throughout the year!

So how do I request and borrow a book?…

 

You can search for and request books and resources through our LibrarySearch catalogue, which is also where you have access to all of our physical and online resources, which we have in our library stock or through institutional access. To request a book to be kept on hold for you, you will need to sign into LibrarySearch with your student number and password. Once you have done this, you will need to search for the desired item in the search bar and click on the item record.

If you scroll down the item record, you will then find a link that says ‘Request’ which, once clicked, will prompt you to fill out a request form for the item, including a section where you can choose your preferred campus to collect your request item or resources from as well. We keep all requested items on our hold shelves for a maximum of seven days before we reshelve them – you will receive an email from us once your requests are ready to collect!

 

If there is a book or article you need which you cannot find in our LibrarySearch catalogue, we also have an Inter Library Loans service where you can submit a request form for a chosen title that we do not have in our library stock. Once we receive this form, we will then see if another library institution in the UK can lend us a copy they may have to lend to you through us.

 

Can I borrow a laptop from ENU libraries?…

 

Need to borrow laptop? Well you certainly can! You can borrow one of our Lapsafe laptops from any of our campus libraries, the JKCC or Bainfield student accommodation for a maximum of 14 days from one of our Lapsafe locker self-service machines. Find more information in our Laptops to loan My Napier webpages.

 

We hope this has given a decent overview of what our ENU campus libraries have to offer and how we can support you, although do feel free to contact us or come to one of our library helpdesks if you have any questions or queries!

 

By Rachel Downie

 

Have a look at our campus guides

Trimester Two

Trimester Two

15/01/2026 / / 0 Comments

Trimester Two

It’s cold, dark, and the Christmas lights are down, which means one thing. January is here. And January means the start of the second trimester two and honestly, we can’t wait.  For some, it means returning from a break, while for others, it means embarking on their journey at Edinburgh Napier. You might be starting at an international college or a postgraduate program.  In this blog post, we’ll have you cover, having a look at the library essentials to help you start at Edinburgh Napier. Or have a refresher course.

Library Essential

Each campus has a library, so you don’t have to travel far from class. That library reflects the schools based at that campus, for example, what books are available at each library. For example, business books will be located at Craiglockhart, while computing, engineering, and built environments are housed at Merchiston. And of course, nursing at Sighthill.

Merchiston Library is perhaps more central and will be open 24/7 as a study space from the end of the month.

Finding information: reading lists, subject guides and subject librarians

Each course has a reading list. You will find these items through LibrarySearch. Please log in at the top right corner as this will allow you to access E-resources.  We also have subject guides and research guides that have been created by your subject librarian. These guides are designed to help you find information and develop research skills.

Each subject area has a subject librarian. You can contact your subject librarian for more information or arrange a 1: 1 appointment for extra guidance. Your subject librarian can help with finding resources and information about your course. And help build library skills. You can find your subject librarian on our web pages.

Library Services: Books, Databases and more

We have an extensive catalogue, and it is all available through library search. Here, you will have access to all our online resources and be able to locate where our physical resources are. You will also find access to journals and databases. You can borrow up to 30 physical items. Books are 7-day loans, but they renew automatically up to 4 months unless requested.  If you are looking for something we don’t have, we have an inter-library loan service where you can request books from other libraries. This is available through the LibrarySearch tab.

Library Services: Physical and Online

At the library, you will find plenty of study spaces: we have silent areas and areas for talking if you have group work. There are study rooms, PCs and Macs, with printers and scanners. Each library has a relaxation space with games, colouring sheets and comfy sofas to relax. We have a well-being collection that focuses on shelf help. If you can’t make it to campus, most of these resources are now available online.

Our trusty LibGuides are tailored to effectively assist you with finding relevant information in a specific subject area. They feature information and advice on searching for relevant print and e-resources such as books and journal articles, and recommend websites and databases. And information about how to get in touch with your subject librarian for additional assistance with accessing any further resources you may require. You can also find our A-Z list of databases we are subscribed to for all your research needs, with trial access included. Our detailed subject guides also cover every school within the university. We also have guides for conducting a literature review, critical thinking skills, reference management systems and referencing styles such as APA 7th.

 

Training and Events Calendar

Throughout the year, library staff run a variety of workshops and training sessions. These are to assist you in developing and enhancing your academic skillset. The sessions are easily bookable through Libcal for students and staff. Like our Libguide, the sessions and workshops cover research skills such as conducting literature reviews, utilising reference management systems such as Endnote and Mendeley. Library help for your specific subject area and database searching skills. These are only a few examples of the training sessions we offer. Do not worry if one of the sessions you wish to attend is fully booked as well – our library staff often run several of the same workshops throughout the year to provide students and staff with the most opportunity possible to attend!

Find out more about our training and events calendar in our Home – Edinburgh Napier University webpage. You can also access our full and up-to-date calendar through here as well.

Have a look at more study support 

library review

Library Review 2025

12/01/2026 / / 0 Comments

Library Review 2025

Before we get completely swept up with all 2026 has to offer, we thought we should pause to reflect on 2025. It had been a particularly busy year for the library, from physical space redesign to stock management; a lot has been going on. A reminder of how much we love being part of the Napier and student community.

There is no doubt that 2026 will be as dynamic, with new ideas and opportunities to reveal themselves. And we are eager to build on everything that we’ve learned in the past few years.

But before we continue, we want to take a moment to remind you how important your voice is to us. The library thrives on feedback, whether it’s a suggestion, a comment or a critique. Every service is designed with you in mind, and your feedback allows us to tailor our support to better meet your needs. So, as we close the chapter on 2025 and begin in 2026, we encourage your thoughts. The library is here and listening.

2025 Stats Wrap Up

This year’s most popular books truly reflected our readers’ interests:

  • Leadership in Organisations
  • Human Resource Management
  • International Business: competing in the global marketplace

Our collection continues to grow, with 117,664 physical books and 317,433 ebooks at the end of the year.

2025 Review

This year, the library has been busier than ever behind the scenes and at the front service. A significant focus has been on stock management; new titles being added to the collection, and existing stock reviewed and moved to improve engagement. Refreshing sections, reorganising displays to make it easier to discover and use.

Alongside this work, our subject librarians have been delivering workshops all year long. Workshops to help develop research skills and navigate library resources, for users making the most of both physical and digital collections.

As well as we have dedicated time to redesigning and improving our spaces, ensuring they remain welcoming, accessible and fit for purpose. All of this is taking place with our regular day-to-day service, from answering enquiries to lending, continuing to develop and enhance what the library offers.

Have a look at our 2025 posts

behind the scenes

Behind the scenes in the Library

06/01/2026 / / 0 Comments

Behind the scenes in the Library

Welcome back to the library. As we begin a new trimester, we thought to take behind the scence.

You may notice staff in the library performing some of our tasks and wonder what on earth we are doing. Here’s a summary of what we are up to.

Checking Lapsafe:

This is done once a day at each site. Using our library management system, we generate a list of the site’s laptops, on loan or available for loan, and check that this corresponds to each cabinet. We also check that all available laptops have a charger in the cabinet and replace any missing ones.

Stock scanning:

All sites check their book stock each semester. This is done using a tablet and a scanning wand. A list is generated from our library management system. This is then input into a software to command the wand what it must search for. We swipe the wand over our chosen area, and we can see any discrepancies, such as missing or misplaced books, on the tablet screen. Two scans are carried out – one to identify books missing from the stock and the other to find books which have been shelved in the wrong area. We will then mark missing items on our library management system and move misshelved books to the correct shelf area.

Environmental check:

In the mornings, you may see us walking around the library, looking around all areas. We’re doing an environment check to make sure that the library environment is up and running for the day and safe for users. We check that lights are switched on and working, library catalogues are running, and look out for any spills or breakages which we can then report to the property and facilities team. We will also check that all signage is relevant and remove any out-of-date signs.

Stock weeding:

If you see us with a book trolley and a printed list, the chances are we are weeding the book stock. Our subject librarians produce lists of stock which is no longer relevant (new editions available, course no longer taught, out-of-date information). These books must then be removed from the shelves and withdrawn from stock using our library management system. Withdrawn books are then packed up in boxes and sent to Better World Books. This company aims to keep books out of landfills, thus cutting waste. They sell books online to raise funds for non-profit literacy organisations.

Click and Collect shelf check:

This is done at all sites each day to make sure that all requested books are still on the shelf awaiting collection. For any missing books, we will assume that they have been collected but have not been issued at the self-service kiosk. We then contact users to let them know that the book has been added to their record and inform them of the date the book is due for return.

Displays:

Throughout the year you may notice us creating displays in the library to promote library and awareness events. At the beginning of the academic year, we focus on getting started at university.  With a display of relevant books and freebies such as book bags and pens. Sometimes we ask you to get involved, too. For exampl,e our Love Your Library event runs in February, and you can post notes telling us everything you love about the library. We have many displays throughout the year, such as Pride, Black History Month,and  Scottish Book Week. And we also promote bookable library online training sessions on our whiteboards.

There are many more tasks which we carry out in the library and in our offices. If you see us around and have any questions, please ask, and we will be happy to assist!

By Vivienne Hamilton

Curious for more library behind the scenes, we have some posts for you

Boxing Day

Boxing Day Facts

26/12/2025 / / 0 Comments

Boxing Day Facts

Happy Boxing Day, Readers!

Boxing Day, celebrated on the 26th of December, has become a natural extension of Christmas for many people. It’s often a chill day involving eating leftovers, watching telly (usually a day filled with football) or taking advantage of all the Boxing Day sales. It is a public holiday in the United Kingdom and is celebrated in other countries.

Interestingly, because of this, if Boxing Day falls on a weekend, then the public holiday is moved on Monday and if it falls on a Sunday, then the public holiday if on a Tuesday, making sure that people get their day off.

But have you ever wondered about the day itself?

For example, the origins of Boxing Day have been widely debated,d and the history might date further back than people might realise.

The Origins of Boxing Day Facts

Boxing Day is a public bank holiday in the day, which was officially recognised during the Victorian Era. However, some historians have pointed out that it might go further back as far as medieval times.

One popular theory of Boxing Day origins is that the name comes from Church traditions. After Christmas Day, the Church would open donation boxes, which were also known as Alms boxes and distribute them to low-income families.

On the same line, during the Industrial Revolution, employers often gave their workers gifts or money in “Christmas Boxes” on December 26th as a thank you. This was also found in wealthier households; servants were required to work Christmas Day while their employers celebrated. As compensation, servants were given Boxing Day off to be with their families and were presented gifts on December 26th (Mental Floss.com)

Boxing Day as a Public Holiday: Boxing Day became an official public holiday in 1871 with the passage of the Bank Holiday Act. This legislation established four bank holidays throughout the year, with Boxing Day being one. Since then, it has been recognised as a day of national day of rest and celebration.

Boxing Day Shopping Traditions

Over time, Boxing Day evolved into one of the busiest shopping days in the UK, due to the post-Christmas sales. Shoppers would queue for ages to get the best bargains or scroll for hours online. However, this has largely become less significant due to Black Friday and Cyber Monday in recent years.

Boxing Day Around the world

 

Boxing Day coincides with St. Stephen’s Day, which is celebrated in many countries across Europe. Although traditions may differ from those of Boxing Day, December 26th is clearly a day to mark on your calendar.

The

New Year is coming, read about some facts and traditions in our blog posts

Christmas in historical Edinburgh

Historical Christmas

18/12/2025 / / 0 Comments

Historical Christmas

We’re just about ready to close up for the Christmas holidays and it’s all we’ve been able to talk about here at the library. Besides thinking about our Christmas shopping, having to meet up with the family. And getting ready for Christmas dinner. We’ve also gave a bit of thought about how Christmas became what it is today, and the different ways that it has changed over the century. So we decided to have a quick look into it today.

Midwinter and the period stretching from the winter solstice (which usually falls around the week of the 21st) up to early January has long been a time of celebration and festivities across many cultures and faiths. Archaeological evidence indicates such celebrations were being held as far back as the Neolithic period (almost nine thousand years ago!) with the speculation being that ancient sites such as Stonehenge served as places to conduct such ceremonies and festivities.

Many religions have used this time as a period to commemorate the births of their respective deities as well, with the ancient Egyptians using this time to mark the birth of their god Horus.
In addition to religious connotations, holding festive celebrations during the period also served a practical purpose of lifting community spirits during the darkest and coldest time of year.

Roman Christmas

It is in such early winter celebrations that we can find the origins of Christmas, with early Christians in the Roman Empire likely drawing inspiration from the Roman festival of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, (held on the 25th of December), and the Roman holiday of Saturnalia, which was a gift giving holiday in the week up to the 25th of December in honour of Saturn.
At the same time, Christians living to the East of Rome primarily celebrated Jesus on the 6th of January, on an occasion known as Theophany, or The Epiphany, believed to be the date the three wise men visited Jesus.

Medieval Christmas

By the medieval period, the Catholic Church decided to unite both traditions by officially declaring the period of the 25th of December to the 6th of January as being Christmastide, or the Twelve Days of Christmas, with the weeks leading up to Christmas being marked as the Advent period. Which would serve as a time of preparation and anticipation for the upcoming Christmas celebrations.

Early Christmas celebrations would usually involve traditions associated with local pre-Christian winter festivals, especially the festival of Yuletide observed by the Norse and Anglo-Saxon people. To the point that today the name Yuletide is considered synonymous with Christmastime. It’s from these Yuletide celebrations that we get the Christmas traditions of decorating homes using seasonal fruits and plants and Yule log. It is even speculated that Christmas Carols have their roots in Yuletide singing, where it was custom to go door-to-door singing in exchange for gifts and alcohol. Although Yuletide singing is recorded as being a much rowdier affair than Christmas carolling usually is!

Over the centuries Christmas began to grow in popularity as many kings and emperors of Europe chose to be crowned on Christmas Day, and it soon became custom for monarchs and nobles to host lavish Christmas feasts every year.
It was from these Christmas feasts that we start to see some of the modern Christmas cuisine start to emerge, with King Henry VIII beginning the tradition of serving turkey for Christmas dinner shortly after the bird was imported to Britain, as a way of showing off his great wealth. Expensive birds soon became a staple of royal Christmas dinners, although many normal households would struggle to afford such food until many centuries later, instead usually settling for more affordable meat like duck.

As part of these feasts, it was expected that the host would hire a troupe of actors (called Mummers) to stage a play for the entertainment of guests. These plays would usually involve crude humour and stage fights, and would over time evolve into Christmas pantomimes that are still popular in Britain today. Of course, these wouldn’t be the only plays associated with Christmas time. The staging of a Christmas Nativity play depicting the birth of Jesus is a tradition that goes back even further to around the early 1200s when Saint Francis of Assisi oversaw the staging of such a play in Italy, with the practice spreading overtime to other Christian countries.

Back in the day, Christmas celebrations in Britain put a great emphasis on partying and “misrule”, with a member of the party being appointed the Lord of Misrule (called the Abbot of Unreason up here in Scotland) who was responsible for overseeing the party and encouraging drunkenness and unruly behaviour. This tradition was controversial at the time as it was seen as sinful and was outlawed in Britain by the 17th century. The tradition would be forgotten overtime as Christmas changed to become more centred on family and religious observance. This push to change Christmas from a time of drunken revelry to a time of faith and family is also part of the reason why we give each other gifts on Christmas.

1800s Christmas

Because early Christmas celebrations were more focused on partying and feasting, there wasn’t much time spent on the gift giving that we associated Christmas with today. Instead, gift giving was typically split between two different days. On the 6th of December presents would be given to the children in a community in celebration of St Nicholas Day, with adults being given gifts at New Years. The shift of gift-giving to Christmas Eve or Christmas Day came partially due to the Protestant reformation resulting in much of Europe stopping observing most Saint days, and partially the result of the aforementioned push to change Christmas from a period of drunken celebration to a more wholesome time.

One of the few countries in Europe that continued to give gifts on St Nicholas Day was the Netherlands, who brought the tradition over to North America along with stories of Sinterklass, which was what they called St Nick. This would become our idea of Santa Claus by the 19th century, with American poems such as Old Santeclaus with Much Delight and A Visit from St. Nicholas (both published in the 1820s) creating a lot of the popular imagery around Santa and cemented the night before Christmas as being the day he would arrive to give presents to children. The popularity of both of these poems is what helped normalise Christmas Eve or Christmas Day as being the days gifts would be given and opened.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert Influence

The 1800s would see the popularisation of many other common Christmas traditions still in use today. With Christmas trees first seeing use in Britain in the early 1800s thanks to Queen Charlotte, who brought the tradition over from her home country of Germany. The royal family would continue to decorate a Christmas tree every year and the 1840s saw the publication of an illustration ofQueen Victoria and Prince Albert decorating a tree with their children. This illustration was very popular and is believed to have helped popular Christmas trees in Britain, spurred on by the industrialisation of Britain allowing for decorations to be made quickly and cheaply in large numbers. This same decade also saw the beginnings of the first Christmas cards
The Victorian era also saw the establishment of Christmas as a holiday period from work and education, with workers being granted Christmas and Boxing Day off work, thanks to industrialisation allowing for more time off work and the labour movement of the era pushing for greater reform in work laws.

That took some explaining, but from all this you can see how Christmas evolved into what we have today. It really makes you wonder what new Christmas traditions we might see emerge over the coming years (we’ve already had the Elf on a Shelf start to gain popularity over the past twenty years) and what it will look like centuries from now!

By Matthew Ferrie

We have lots of festive posts to keep you entertain this Christmas.

 

 

 

 

Christmastime Edinburgh

Christmastime in the City of Edinburgh

14/12/2025 / / 0 Comments

Christmastime in the City of Edinburgh

 

 

 

It’s that time of year again where Edinburgh City Centre becomes a bustling hive of activity as well as a glorious winter wonderland. With it’s yearly Christmas markets, festive food and drink stalls, live outdoor events and the dazzling light trails being showcased within the Castle of Light and Botanic Gardens, the City of Edinburgh an ideal place to spend to get into the festive spirits and make wonderful Christmas memories with family, friends and partners. Read on if we have sparked your curiosity regarding what EdWinterFest has to offer this year!

 

Edinburgh’s Famous Christmas Markets…

 

Edinburgh’s world-renowned Christmas Markets are back this year! Stalls ran by various independent retailers and artists will have now filled the east side of Princes Street Gardens, as well as many festive food and drink stalls, fairground rides and of course, the iconic big wheel will be lit up and running for the occasion! A wide range of items and gifts are sold yearly at Edinburgh’s Christmas Markets including woolly scarves, hats, gloves, bags as well as hand-crafted jewellery, ornaments, toys and various other miscellany. Hungry, or have a thirst that needs quenched? The food and drink stalls also serve a variety of hearty options including mac and cheese, haggis, Yorkshire pudding wraps, and loaded fries, as well as mulled wines and ciders, hot drinks including hot chocolates, and soft drinks. Room for dessert? Some of the stalls also giant stuffed cookies, waffles, pancakes and warm churros as well.

 

The west side of Princes Street Gardens also hosts the yearly Santas Stories event – a magical experience for both children and their parents to meet Santa and have the magic of Christmas brought to life with stories of the North Pole as well as other festive tales. This event takes place inside a small cabin, with warm blankets and hot chocolates also provided! All sessions last for up to 20 minutes in total. The Starflyer ride is also close by and located in the west side of Princes Street Gardens, making this end of the Christmas markets very family-focused and orientated.

 

Christmas Lights and Light Trails…

 

One of the most magical parts of Christmas is indeed when the Christmas lights come on all throughout different cities and local towns – including the City of Edinburgh! Victoria Street in particular is famous for it’s dazzling Christmas lights and the picturesque way they look against the charming, architecturally unique cobblestone buildings. It provides the perfect scenic background for festive photos and strolling through shops whilst doing your Christmas shopping. Edinburgh also hosts dazzling light trails in both the Royal Botanical Gardens and Edinburgh Castle with illuminated and colourful walkways which also provide scenic backgrounds for photos or simply walking through to take in the festive magic. Festive music is played and food is also provided at the Royal Botanical Gardens Christmas lights trail.

 

The Torchlight Procession…

 

The festivities do not end after Christmas Day! Hogmanay approaches not long after and as part of this, the City of Edinburgh hosts both a Torchlight Procession on the 29th of December and Street Party on the 31st just before the New Year kicks in! The Torchlight Procession is a family-friendly event which takes place annually on the 29th of December where at least 15,000 torches are lit and carried through the streets of Edinburgh. It is also a charitable event as the torches are carried in aid of national and local charities such as Social Bite and One City Trust. Street theatre and fire performers also fill the streets of Edinburgh as well, ultimately establishing a carnival-like atmosphere.

 

The City of Edinburgh certainly knows how to celebrate Christmas and get everyone in the festive spirit!

 

By Rachel Downie

It’s festive time at the library blog

 

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