1st January 2008 The Loony Dook, South Queensferry, nr Edinburgh. To celebrate the first day of every new year, a growing number of hardy souls leap into the freezing waters of the Firth of Forth at South Queensferry - fancy dress welcome, wetsuits not allowed and all monies collected go to local charities. You don't have to be loony to join in but it helps... To find out more about this fun event please visit www.theloonydook.co.uk

2008 dates to be confirmed, Celtic Connections, Glasgow. The biggest winter music festival in the world, Celtic Connections features artists from around the globe alongside the very best Scottish talent at venues across the city. From concerts, ceilidhs and club-nights to drums, drams and dancing, January evenings will never be dull again! www.celticconnections.com

Aviemore Sled Dog Rally (Dates to be confirmed) Glenmore Forest Park, Aviemore. At this time of the year , mushers from throughout the UK gather in the area around Aviemore for one of the most challenging and prestigious of the British Siberian Husky Club's series of rallies. Hopefully the weather will proide plenty of snow to make it a real arctic experience. If there is no snow at ground level for the event, the races will still go on with mushers using a three-wheeled rig that looks like a bike without a seat. The program of events can be found at www.siberianhuskyclub.com

1st and 2nd January 2008, Loch Ness Hogmanay Festival, Drumnadrochit. Thousands of people enjoy a fun-packed festival which includes daily guided walks, shinty and football matches, tea dances, a duck race and cookery demonstrations to name but a few. The highlight of the festival is the open-air ceilidh on Hogmanay, starting with a torchlight procession behind massed pipe bands. Full details can be found at www.lochnesshogmanay.co.uk

1st and 2nd January 2008, The Land, The Light and The Locals, Various venues in the Borders. The Scottish Borders' New Year festival features over one hundred musicians and performers from across the region in concerts and ceilidhs, as well as the numerous informal afternoon music sessions and other daytime events. www.thelandthelightthelocals.com lists full details of the programme

21st January 2008, Christina Mairi Lawrie, Piano Recital, Oban Music Society, St. John's Cathedral, Oban. A recital will take place from 7.30pm further details can be found at www.christinalawrie.co.uk

17th January 2008, Tommy Sampson Big Band, Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline. Sampson delights in the big band sound today just as much as he did in the post-war years when his band was the best in Britain. Testament to the skills he learned in the most unexpected place a POW camp. Full detailsl can be obtained from www.carnegiehall.co.uk.

26th January to 2nd February 2008, Art and Craft Exhibition, St Andrews. An exhibition and sale of works by members and friends of the St Andrews Preservation Trust. Items for sale include paintings, photographs, knitwear, embroidery and pottery. For more information contact www.standrewspreservationtrust.org

29th January 2008 Up-Helly-Aa, Lerwick, Shetland. Britain's biggest and most spectacular fire festival features a torch-lit parade of almost 1000 people, dressed either as Vikings or in all manner of crazy fancy-dress costumes, the spectacular features the burning of a Viking galley, ceilidhs and all-night partying. Contact www.up-helly-aa.org.uk  to find out more.

30th January 2008 Photographic Workshop, Pitlochry Festival Theatre Pitlochry. A one-day workshop with professional photographer Ian Sadler, which explores the challenges of winter photography and looks at how they can be solved through the versatility of digital equipment. Bring your own digital camera and lap top, if you have one, and learn new techniques of composition and enhancement. Full details can be found at www.pitlochry.org.uk