Three Aberdeenshire Council offices will be open over the holidays to field emergency calls.
The local authority’s departments for social work and homelessness, housing repairs, and home care will be available – by telephone – on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s and January 2.
Recycling centres, however, will be closed.
Social work can be contacted on 08458 400 070, housing repairs on 08456 081 203, and home care on 08456 081 206.
Last night, the council’s chief executive, Colin Mackenzie, said: “Although council offices will be closed for the national public holidays over the festive period, there are specific emergency telephone numbers available for those who need assistance.”
The availability of waste collection will also be affected by Christmas and New Year.
Collections due on Christmas Day will be made on December 27, and collections due on New Year’s Day will be on January 3.
Collections on December 26 and January 2 will be as normal in most areas, but residents in Westhill, Skene, Hatton of Fintray, and Kinmuck will be delayed until December 29 and January 5, respectively.
The new recycling service introduced by the local authority will allow, for the first time, 96,000 homes in Aberdeenshrie to discard their turkey carcasses along with their Brussels sprouts.
But the chairman of the infrastructure services committee, councillor Peter Argyle, is urging people to be sensible with what they spend to avoid wasting money.
“Scotland’s homes throw away 630,000 tonnes of food and drink every year. That’s £1 billion a year, averaging out to £470 per household.
“Imagine what you could do with an extra £470 to spend. By making a simple shopping list, you can reduce your food waste, save time at the shops as well as money,” he said.
The new service allows residents to recycle items at the roadside which they would have previously been unable to at this time last year, including plastic tubs and animal bones.