A complete guide to a jolly good Christmas in Dublin

In the run up to Christmas on any year, a stroll through Dublin city is a lovely experience with the festive lights brightening up dark winter streets and good cheer enveloping the city. Dublin in December is indeed a magical place, a time for meet ups and celebrations, and overdue catch ups with those you haven’t seen for the longest time.

And of course while you are in the city centre celebrating togetherness and being blinded by the lights, it would be remiss not to pop into a few shops along the way. Brown Thomas and Arnotts, in particular, have gone all in on Christmas – with window displays and decorations aplenty. 

Meanwhile, the whimsical Christmas wonderland that is TwinkleTown will take over Smithfield Square from November 20 to December 31, and St Patrick's Park from November 27 to December 32. Hosted in partnership with Dublin City Council, the event will feature panto performances, an ice rink and a Christmas market for festive food and drink, artisanal crafts and other gifts. If your feet get tired from all the exploring, you can rest up with a view of the city on the fairground's Ferris wheel. 

Gifted - The Contemporary Craft & Design Fair at the RDS in Ballsbridge will be back from December 2 to 6 with hundreds of designers, makers and artisan food producers setting up their stalls for your delight. The contemporary craft fair is the largest of its kind in Ireland, and tickets (€16.85) can be bought online or at the door.

We Love Markets is bringing the festive rendition of their monthly markets to the Market Bar on Fade Street on December 6, 13 and 20. Whether you're looking for something to jazz up your own wardrobe, or a unique gift for someone special, you're not likely to leave empty-handed.  

If you're looking to celebrate the holidays in an eco-friendly way, make your way to the National Botanic Gardens on December 12 and 13 for their annual Sustainable Christmas Craft Market. Shop for ethically-produced and sustainable gifts from over 80 stalls set up throughout the gardens all weekend. Another ethically-friendly market to add to your list is the SoCircular Christmas Market at Dublin City Hall, running from 11am to 7pm on December 6.

On Christmas Eve something will happen that you would simply not find anywhere else in the world. For years, Bono, Glen Hansard and a host of musical friends have gathered outside The Gaiety for a charity busk in aid of Dublin Simon Community. Following Hansard's untimely passing, this year's gathering will be especially poignant, celebrating his music and community spirit. 

While a Christmas dip in the sea might give many people nightmares, it is a wildly popular activity in Dublin (and increasingly around Ireland’s coast) with the Forty Foot at Sandycove Beach hosting the most popular Christmas Day dip again this year.

Away from the city centre, there is all manner of happenings in the Phoenix Park. First of all, you will want to check out the herd of fallow deer that roam freely about the park. There aren’t many cities in the world that are home to hundreds of wild deer, and spotting them is never more magical than it is in the run up to Christmas. As majestic as they are, it’s best if you don’t try to get too close; after all, they are wild animals who are also pretty shy and like to keep to themselves.

From wildlife to Wild Lights: the Phoenix Park is also home to Dublin Zoo, which hosts a nighttime spectacular that is a must in the run-up to Christmas. The zoo’s pathways are lined with oversized, illuminated creatures, both past and present. While it is primarily aimed at families, wandering the zoo at night and soaking up this year's theme of 'Passport to Wonder' is a lovely way to spend a couple of hours. Adult tickets are priced at €26.50.

The Guinness Storehouse is pulling out all the stops for their 'Home of Christmas Moments' event. Save your appetite for the festive menu at the onsite restaurant, 1837 Bar and Brasserie – think a sharable baked bán brie and turkey & ham pie – or welcome Galway staple Handsome Burger by ordering one of their juicy creations at their pop-up. If you fancy yourself a fashionista, you can also browse a number of limited-edition collections from well-known independent brands such as Mason London, Lazy Oaf and De Bruir. For those interested in delving deeper into the storehouse's fascinating history, book a spot on the Brewery Experience. Unlike tours held during other times of the year, you'll have the chance to venture into the brewery's underground tunnels where the real black stuff is kept. 

If you want to feel like you're in Lapland without having to leave Dublin, head over to ON ICE Dundrum for a day on the ice. Running from October 23 all the way to January 24, you have plenty of time to brush up your skating skills, soak up the twinkling Christmas lights and savour the festive bites, If you fear you'll be like Bambi on ice, there are plenty of adorable penguin skate aids to help you find your glide. 

The RDS will continue to spread the festive cheer from November 25 to January 3 with its new experience, Everwinter. Alongside an extensive collection of market stalls showcasing Irish craft and design, there will also be live entertainment, an ice rink, delicious food and drink, as well as a vintage fairground to explore. 

Sprinkled with festive cheer from November 15 to December 23, Dublin Loves Christmas at the RDS will feature a full covered ice rink, a sky-scraping Observation Wheel and exhilarating fair rides. Browse the Christmas market for some tasty festive treats before heading to the Spiegeltent for the packed programme of live performances. 

If the twinkling lights are your favourite part about Christmas, then be sure to take in the Dublin City Council Dublin Winter Lights from early December to St Brigid's Day weekend in February. Across the city centre, you'll find some of the capital's most well-known locations dazzling in light, with previous years seeing the GPO and Meeting House Square drenched in colour.

On December 18, the Choristers and Lay Vicars of St Patrick's Cathedral will belt out festive classics in celebration of A Saint Patrick's Cathedral Christmas, where the marvellous acoustics make for the most magical of experiences. Tickets start at €30; booking in advance is essential.

Kicking off its season of annual festive concerts, Christ Church Cathedral will become a hub of Christmas cheer from December 8 to 10. Book your ticket in advance to catch the cathedral choir perform Christmas classics (tickets €35).

Not to be outdone, the National Concert Hall is hosting its own season of Christmas concerts. On December 6, the Dublin County Choir will mark their 50th anniversary with their Christmas Celebration. Sit back and enjoy a mixture of classic festive tunes, dance pieces and orchestral numbers (tickets from €30). Then from December 7 and 9, Our Lady’s Choral Society and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra will take on Handel's Messiah (tickets from €25).

Then on December 15, the NCH brings joy to the world with a sublime concert of Candelit Carols and seasonal classics, staged in an evocative candle-lit style setting. There will be two concerts – one in the afternoon and one in the evening – with ticket prices starting at €32.

If you're more of an opera fan, join soprano Celine Byrne for 'A Christmas Celebration' in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. For one night only, on December 14, she will be joined by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra for an evening filled with beloved Christmas carols and some operatic favourites.

Starting the festive season off in their own way, Rascals Brewing Company in Inchicore are bringing John Landis' '80s comedy Trading Places back to the big screen on December 17. If you fancy yourself a cinephile, test your Christmas film knowledge with your friends at their festive quiz night on December 6. Or head to the Light House Cinema in Smithfield on December 13 for a screening of the Royal Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker. 

On December 14, the NCH are hosting an evening at the movies filled with timeless classics from the most Christmassy of films, whether it's kids getting up to mischief in Home Alone and Polar Express, or sparks flying in Love Actually. 

Why settle for a simple drink in a pub when you can craft your own? Take part in the Tinsel and Tonic – Christmas Gin School at the Pearse Lyons Distillery to design, distil and bottle your own personal gin. Or step up your cocktail-making skills just in time for the festive party season at the Sip and Sleigh Cocktail Experience. The festive spirit is also alive and well at Jameson Distillery on Bow St, where they're hosting their own Christmas Cocktail Class. Learn from their expert mixologist and craft three Christmas-themed cocktails like a pro.  

For those that are looking to create something that'll last a lifetime, you'll love the variety of workshops on offer at Silverworks on Drury Street. With the help of expert crafters, you can forge your own enamelled Christmas ornament, either for someone you love or as a small Christmas gift to yourself. 

Want to step up your Christmas cards this year? On December 12, you'll have the chance to sit down with members of Mellor and Rose, an accomplished family of lettering artists, for their Christmas Calligraphy Workshop at the National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street. This beginner-friendly class will teach you everything you need to know, from how to hold the pen and creating pressure strokes to designing festive illustrations that will make your Christmas cards pop.

If you have a few foodies in your life, show them love in the form of food. Spend an evening making some of your favourite festive dishes at the Dublin Cookery School's Festive Night Supper Club. Get hands-on in the kitchen with a glass of bubbly before retiring to the dining room to enjoy your feast. 

Dublin will be going big for New Year’s Eve with the New Year’s Festival, which will take place across two stages around Dublin city. There’ll be DJs, street entertainment and all kinds of foodie delights to keep the crowds happy. Indie Irish group The Academic, Limerick-born band THEATRE, singer-songwriter KK Lewis and DJ Shelly Gray will take to the stage for the Countdown Concert Matinee at Dublin Castle, but as the curtain comes down on 2026 you can expect Aaron Rowe to take you into the new year with his folk-infused pop tunes.

To really make the most of Dublin over Christmas, check out our guide to all that's on over Winter in Dublin.