Recently by Scott Marley

Christmas is always an expensive time of the year but in the midst of a global recession, we are all feeling the pinch a bit more.

Countless parties, demands for the latest games console or hot new toy and pressure to make the day perfect mean its impossible to get through the holiday season with your bank balance unscathed.

Earlier this week, charity Save the Children warned that hundreds of thousands of Scottish families will fall into debt to make ends meet this year.

So the Glaswegian took to the streets to find out if people in Glasgow have cut back on their spending in the run-up to the big day.

Glasgow's 2014 Commonwealth Games is hoped to be the biggest event the city has ever seen.

But organisers have admitted this week that the cost has shot up by £81million, taking the total bill to £454 million for taxpayers.

Are Glaswegians still behind the Games despite the shortfall?

Next week marks the annual date we always remember - the 5th of November.

In recent years, it has become known more for rogue fireworks being set off by youths and photos of horrific injuries to people and pets as a warning to play it safe.

But should shops be stopped from selling fireworks and leave the colourful explosions to organised events such as the annual public display on Glasgow Green? David Andrew, 49, a joiner from Partick, said: "I just think organised fireworks events are safer. I go to them myself, usually.

"Fireworks are too dangerous to be sold to the public. Too many children are getting their hands on them.

"And they're better when organised anyway."

We find out why people voted and why they didn't

LESS than a quarter of Glaswegians bothered to cast their votes in the European Elections.

The world of politics has been rocked in recent months with revelations of MPs claiming extravagant expenses and questions raised over the leadership of the Labour Party.

But this week's European election results showed only 23.9 per cent of Glaswegians bothered to vote.