What's On Scotland 15-22 Dec: Home for Christmas

Treat your compassionate soul to some good ol’ charity gigging this week with Shelter Scotland’s Home For The Holidays two-part album launch, taking place at Summerhall on 16-17 Dec. The record’s a songbook of festive ditties performed by the likes of Withered Hand, Meursault, Ballboy, WOLF, Book Group (pictured), eagleowl and The Spook School and accompanied by illustrations, lyrics and chords. Head down to Summerhall this weekend and catch those featured on the album performing live. 

Image: Kat Gollock

DCA, Dundee, until 19 Feb
Christmas time for many brings with it an Oor Wullie or The Broons annual, comics that are more Scottish than a saltire soaked in Irn Bru. To celebrate their 80th birthdays, DCA Thomson tasks six artists (Rob Churm, Rabiya Choudhry, Craig Coulthard, Malcy Duff, Hideyuki Katsumata and Sofia Sita) to explore their archive. Image: Rabiya Choudhry

Dead Sheep Comedy Christmas Special
The Stand, Edinburgh, 21 Dec, 8.30pm
Dose up on festive lols tonight at The Stand's Dead Sheep Comedy Christmas Special, in which funnybloke Scott Gibson takes up the MC duties to host a night of good old rib tickling. The evening's programme is selected from the biggest comedians booked by Dead Sheep during 2016, so there's no better chance to catch the crème de la crème of stand-up. Image: Jo Donaldson

The Snowman
Caird Hall, Dundee. 16 Dec, 7.30pm 
Is there anything better than The Snowman at Christmas? Well, yes, there is actually. The Snowman, at Christmas, played by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, hosted by Christopher Bell and narrated by Podrick offa Game of Thrones (also known as Daniel Portman). So, yes. That's that established. Shows also taking place at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (17 Dec, 2pm & 6pm) and Usher Hall, Edinburgh (18 Dec, 3pm).

Carol
Filmhouse, Edinburgh. 20 Dec 8.40pm
Treat your eyeballs with something lavish with a screening of Todd Haynes’ award-winning not-quite-a-Christmas-film Carol, starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. Based on Phyllis Nagy’s groundbreaking novel The Price of Salt, it’s full of forbidden love, twinkling lights, fur coats and smudged lipstick – the perfect winter’s eve viewing.

Last Christmas
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, 13-23 Dec, 8pm
Here’s one that might sit well with those who’re reluctantly returning to their hometowns over the jolly season – Matthew Bulgo’s Last Christmas.  Directed by Kate Wasserberg, the play follows protagonist Tom as he finds himself back at home, raking up the past and despairing at how little (and how much) has changed. Nice and bleak, eh?

Simian Mobile Disco
Sub Club, Glasgow, 20 Dec, 11pm
English electronic music duo and production team Simian Mobile Disco take over the Subbie decks for pre-Christmas special, on the back of their latest release Welcome To Sideways. Advance tickets are sold out, but get yourself down pronto to nab a ticket on the door for £15.