BI noo, maist o the population will hae hane enough o turkey rolls an probably dinnae even ken fit day o the wik it is. Still, for mony, the joyfu Yuiltide spirit will haud gaun for at least anither puckle o days through the tradition o Yuil mercats across the kintra. Haein a daunder aboot toon while heatin up yer haunds wi a cosy cup o mulled wine an daein the last o yer buyin is the ideal wye tae keep that festive feelin gaun. But, as Ah hiv lairned fae ‘ears o warkin ahint the scenes at sic mercats, aire’s mair tae them than fit meets the ee - it isnae aa skimmerin lichts an smilin physogs. Trouble coud be steerin for Yuil mercats.

Fan it cams tae Yuil mercats nae aabody is a fan, an some Scots fowk wad mebbe even be glaid tae see the back o them. But aire is ae reason fit why even a bigsie Scrooge shoudnae want oor Yuil mercats tae dee oot. Ower recent ‘ears oor shoppin habits hiv chynged affa, an aamaist ivery day it’s on the news that yet anither high-street retailer is in trouble. Anither steeple fit seems tae hae jist aboot dissapearit fae oor toons is the smaa, local businesses that gie them personalities. Aye, it’s mair convenient tae order aa yer praisents aff o Amazon athoot even haein tae leave the comfort o yer jammies, but ye dinnae really ken far the products ye buy cam fae, or bi fas fair haunds they were made bi, unlike at Yuil mercats far mair aften than nae the person sellin ye their product is the ane that made it. An aye, it’s true that wabsites sic as Etsy allow for us tae keep smaa businesses gaun, an is a braw wye tae support them, but sae is gaun tae yer local Yuil mercat. Nae anely div Yuil mercats gie a boost tae the wee businesses fa trade at them, they also get fowk oot ontae the streets, makkin it mair likely that they micht dae some shoppin on the high-street at the same time – a win-win for aa retailers in the local community.

Yuil mercats micht be a guid wye tae help fecht for oor high-streets an support local traders, but jist like oor local high-streets an traders they micht be in need o savin ina. Saftey is aye a big concern wi sic events; the amoont o risks associatit wi haudin them is as lang as ma airm.

Mair recently, in Europe, Yuil mercats hiv been the target o a haundfae o terrorist attacks. Jist a few wiks ago an Islamic extremist killt five innocent fowk, an woundit mony mair, in a shootin at a Yuil mercat in Strasbourg – an undeemous tragedy. Although there hasnae been ony attacks on Yuil mercats in Scotland as o yet, mercats across the kintra are appearently on alert for ony that could be attemptit. Iver since a truck driven bi a terrorist deliberately rin doon shoppers at Berlin Yuil mercat in 2016, fowk richt here in Scotland hiv been feart tae gaung an enjoy oor Yuil mercats. This isnae a problem wi Yuil mercats though, it’s a problem wi the warld fu o fear that we bide in.

READ MORE: Terror suspect charged for Strasbourg Christmas market shooting

Then aires the nae sae serious risks, fit are ayeweys present fan ye hae sae mony fowk thegither in confined spaces – pushin, shovin, fechtin – it can aa get a bit ower muckle for some. Ye jist hae tae add in aa o the alcohol that we tend tae ower-indulge in at this time o ‘ear an ye hae a recipie for mishanter. The bottom line is that Yuil mercats can bring joy tae mony, an can be great for Scotland’s local economies, but if fowk are feart tae gaung, then they jist winna. The problem wi Yuil mercats doesnae stop there though.

Scotland’s best kent, an arguably best oweraa Yuil mercat is Edinburgh’s ane, an international mercat, far ye can treat yersel tae delicious meat, drink an ither products fae aa ower Europe. The same is true o Aiberdeen’s Christmas Village, and for the past few Yuiltimes aire’s been the German Christmas Market ootside Union Square ina. Fit will Yuil mercats in Scotland be like then fan we’re bidin in post-Brexit Britain? Will oor successful international mercats wi European traders sellin genuine European goods continue tae exist? Or, will it jist be sae-cawed British products fit may weel hae been imported fae China on offer?

At the mínty mony Yuil mercats are a celebration o oor European neighbours an their presence here in Scotland – fit a shame it wad be tae lose that. As suin as this ‘ear’s Yuil mercats are ower an dane wi, mony organisers will stairt plannin next ‘ear’s anes. Wi Mairch 29 loomin, organisin 2019’s Yuil mercats will be nae easy task – international traders winna want tae confirm that they will be attendin wi the current political climate an local traders micht be sceptical aboot the success o the mercats athoot the European traders tae draw fowk in, sae aire’s a chunce that they micht leave confimin their attendance tae the last minute, or micht even decide tae nae bother tradin at a Yuil mercat at aa – that wad be a catastrophe for mercats across the kintra.

For the sake o oor high-street an local businesses we need tae keep oor Yuil mercats safe – safe fae terrorist attacks, an safe fae the shambles that is Brexit. Foo ironic it is that mony fowk votit for Brexit acause o scaremongerin that it was the anely wye tae prevene radical Islamic terrorism, an noo, as a result o Brexit, nae anely are we likely gaun tae be mair vulnerable tae Islamic extremism, if we leave athoot makkin a deal, but the twa are warkin thegither tae dae damage tae oor Yuil mercats ina.