Published: December 15, 2025
The National Museum (pictured) is a free favourite with lots to see over multiple levels (closed only 25 December). Elsewhere, the various National Galleries of Scotland are open throughout (except 25 and 26 December), and Turner in January (1-31 January) at the Royal Scottish Academy annually displays a selection of Turner’s delicate watercolours while light is low.
Your local council library is a cosy, safe space to stock up on books, CDs and DVDs. They are open up to and including 24 December (closed only 25/26 December and 1/2 January). Check your local library for regular events, groups and resources.
Edinburgh Recovery Activities has a Recovery Lunch (17 December, 11:30am-3pm) and a Christmas Eve social (11:30am-2pm), both in their Community Café at Walpole Hall (St Mary’s Cathedral), before its annual dry New Year Party (31 December, Leith St Andrew’s Church, 8pm-12:30am) for the recovery community and their friends and family.
Social Bite’s ‘Festival of Kindness’ provides dinner, essentials and a gift for the homeless and vulnerable on 24 and 25 December (Rose Street, 12pm-4pm), while Southside Community Centre have a drop-in for the homeless and isolated on 25 December, offering breakfast and showers, followed by games, films and dinner (Nicholson Street, 9am-6pm).
Soul Food offer meals in churches for those in need, 18 December (Grace Church Leith, 5:30pm), 21 December (Central Church, 1pm), 28 December (Central Church, 1pm), 4 January (Life Church, 5:30pm) and 8 January (Grace Church Leith, 5:30pm); Heart of Midlothian’s Big Hearts has its Warm Welcome Lunch (17 December, Eighteen74 Bar, noon-2pm); Hibernian Community Foundation has its Lunch Club (16, 17 & 19 December, 12pm-2pm) and a Christmas Day meal (by referral) at Easter Road Stadium; and Steps to Hope have a dinner, gift and clothing handout on 22 December (St Cuthbert’s Church, 5pm).
You can find our list of Outdoor options here.
Our Help and Support Contacts here.
Our table of Edinburgh Food Bank opening times 2025, with additional non-referral food support.
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