Edinburgh Winter Makers Market

The Edinburgh Winter Makers Market takes over the ground-floor Warehouse of The Fruitmarket on 5 and 6 December, with over 40 independent makers filling the space. It's run by Endless Love Creative, and the stalls cover ceramics, jewellery, prints, knitwear, textiles, botanicals and homeware. Among the names listed are Carolyn Sara Designs, Stillpoint Ceramics, Mondnah Jewellery and Thundercliffe Press.

It's not just about browsing, either. Across the two days, the makers lead workshops like perfume making and bookbinding, so you can actually get stuck in rather than just looking. If you're after something specific for Christmas, it's a good spot to find things you won't see in the high street shops.

To give you a bit of context, this is one of 12 markets and fairs that make up Edinburgh's Christmas, the city's winter festival that runs across the capital from Princes Street Gardens to venues in the New Town, Old Town, Leith and the Southside, and even out to a country house and a sculpture park in West Lothian. The main market in the gardens opened back in 1999 as a German Market selling sausages, waffles and pretzels alongside crafts, and this edition brings the makers' side of things to the Fruitmarket, a contemporary gallery on Market Street right next to Waverley station.

Entry is free, but you'll need to get tickets via endlesslovecreative.com. A few practical things to keep in mind: the site is cashless, you can't bring your own alcohol, and only assistance dogs are admitted. If you fancy a break between stalls, the Fruitmarket café serves a seasonal menu.