This is the fourth year that Edinburgh’s brightest indie-poppers Kid Canaveral have staged their Christmas Baubles (Portobello Town Hall, Sat 14 Dec) event, but it’s the first time they’ve taken it out of the city and to the atmospheric seaside surroundings of Portobello. Ice creams on the promenade probably won’t be an option, but you can console yourself with the very special headliner Edwyn Collins, as well as reconvened sometime Chemikal Underground post-rockers De Rosa. That same night in the west, meanwhile, another fine young band are putting on their own celebration, with Domino’s The Amazing Snakeheads Christmas Party (Kinning Park Complex, Glasgow, Sat 14 Dec) also starring Future Glue, The Rosy Crucifixion and grnr.

There are plenty of national tours taking in one or both cities throughout December, but a bunch of them come complete with their own festive vibe. For example, look out for Patrick Wolf’s A Night of Winter tour (Òran Mór, Glasgow, Wed 18 Dec), The Twilight Sad performing their suitably titled Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters album (Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Sat 14 Dec; King Tut’s, Glasgow, Fri 20 & Sat 21 Dec), ska-punk survivors Bad Manners headlining the Citrus Club Christmas Party (Citrus Club, Edinburgh, Fri 20 Dec) and the Pogues’ traditional pre-Christmas lurch around the country (Academy, Glasgow, Tue 17 Dec).

In a more traditional vein, there’s Phil Cunningham’s Christmas Songbook (Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Mon 16 & Tue 17 Dec; City Halls, Glasgow, Thu 19 Dec), a hot toddy of a night of seasonal music from a folk and roots ensemble featuring Eddi Reader, Karen Matheson, John McCusker and Kris Drever. There are also plenty of themed classical concerts going on, but the best of them all looks like being the RSNO Christmas Concert (Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Sat 21 Dec; Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Sun 22 Dec), featuring a live score to The Snowman accompanied by a special guest narrator.