In pictures: Scotland's amazing Christmas trees

They are one of the biggest symbols of the season and Scotland does not disappoint when it comes to Christmas trees.

From beautifully decorated royal Christmas trees to lavish restaurant trees and trees that are not trees at all.

We have put together some of Scotland's finest trees of 2022.

Whether they are traditional, modern, quirky or not even grown in the ground, they are sure to evoke some festive cheer.

The Ullapool creel tree must be one of the most unique and distinctive of Scotland's best-loved trees.

The 9m (29.5ft) "tree" is made from about 400 fishing creels and lets the west Highland village celebrate the town's close links with the sea.

First constructed in 2016, it is now a well-established tradition and has spawned other light celebrations around the town.

Another fascinating tree that's not a tree can be found in the Scottish Borders.

As the home of one of Scotland's greatest storytellers, Abbotsford is a house built on books.

The Christmas tree, constructed in the bow window of Sir Walter Scott's beloved library, is lovingly constructed from hundreds of research books relating to the life, literature, and legacy of the author in the world today.

It is even topped off with an angel with a literary twist.

Scotland's castles were pitched against each other in a battle of the Christmas trees this year.

Emma Bowie, regional visitor and community manager (Edinburgh) at Historic Environment Scotland, said: "Visitors to Edinburgh Castle will find our Christmas tree in the Great Hall throughout the month of December.

"Located in the heart of the castle, the Great Hall is one of the most magnificent medieval rooms of the castle and, with its red-painted walls, provides the perfect backdrop for our Christmas tree.

"Every year, we have some fun with our Stirling Castle colleagues by entering into a #BattleOfTheChristmasTrees competition on the Historic Scotland social media channels where we ask people to vote for their favourite festive fir.

"Although it was a close call, I'm delighted to say that the Edinburgh Castle tree was crowned champion for 2022."

Another spectacular royal tree is this year's festive fir at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

The tree in the Throne Room is certainly fit for a king.

A small town in South Lanarkshire is no stranger to the talents of its local crafters.

The Strathaven Combat Crochet and Knitting Ninjas have been yarn-bombing events in the area since 2017.

It has taken 20 people, 75 balls of wool and four years to get the knitted Christmas tree together and this year the dream became reality.

Describing themselves as the "Banksies of the yarn craft world", they put their projects out under the cover of darkness and keep their identities a secret.

The group add crocheted and knitted colour to gala days, Remembrance Sunday and Christmas and the 6ft 10in tree is their biggest to date.

The Ninjas don't stop there. The also carry out an annual "angel drop" where they place hand-knitted Christmas angels around the town for people to pick up and put on their own trees.

The angels gave some much-needed cheer through the pandemic and more than 2,500 have made their way onto Christmas trees in the area and beyond.

Unesco City of Dundee Design team and Dundee City Council put a call out to its creative contacts to come up with ideas for sustainable Christmas trees.

Five winners were chosen and the artists' work has been displayed alongside Dundee's living Christmas tree at Overgate.

Each was made from re-used and recycled materials.

Artist Billy Hutchison made a base from recycled wooden fence panels and covered the exterior with various coloured re-used aluminium soft drink cans.

He said: "The pyramid shape of the tree is inspired by the rooftops of turrets of buildings found in Dundee and the outer look is from 1960's aluminium ornamental vintage Christmas trees."

Artist Caishnah Nevans made a tree that embodies her love of vinyl records with her work surrounding music and memories.

The tree reflects the important part music plays in festive memories as well as giving records a new lease of life.

The vinyl was sourced from record shops and auction sites throughout Scotland.

Lochawe loves Christmas trees so much, it started a festival.

Gregor Davies, 9, and his brother Thomas, 11, viewed some of the 63 trees during the annual Christmas Tree Festival, at Saint Conan's Kirk in Lochawe, Argyll, earlier in the month.

Members of the community, school groups and charities donate, create and decorate trees for the event so that people can share in the heritage of the kirk.

For the wow factor, look no further than The Dome in Edinburgh.

The old Physicians' Hall built in 1775, and latterly housing the Royal Bank of Scotland, became a hospitality venue in 1996.

It is renowned for its lavish Christmas decorations inside and out and its spectacular tree which sits over the bar in the Grill Room.

A wee dram would set visitors rocking around this final Christmas "tree" on the Isle of Raasay.

Built from whisky casks, it was the idea of the team at the Isle of Raasay Distillery.

The Isle of Raasay lies off the West coast of Scotland in the Inner Hebrides, and is rooted in centuries of illicit distilling.

Fortunately this one was constructed at the island's first legal distillery.

All photographs subject to copyright.