Things To Do At Christmas In Dublin

The Christmas markets in Dublin are up there with the best of them, and you’ve got plenty to chose from. You might also like to do some Christmas shopping at Brown Thomas (it’s pretty much an annual tradition to have a browse at least), but nothing beats strolling around the outdoor stalls with a warming glass of mulled wine in your hand. A few of the best are the MART Christmas Market in the beautiful old fire station in Rathmines where you can browse food, art, fashion, crafts, and jewelry - all by local designers and artisans - and the Dublin Christmas Flea Market at the Point Village. Keep an eye out closer to Christmas for what’s on, there will be smaller markets popping up across the city too. 

Sure it’s a classic, but going to see one of the city’s much-loved Nativity scenes is an annual tradition most of us have been doing since we were small. You’ll either be whisked back to your childhood in a Christmas cloud of nostalgia or you’ll be wondering what on earth is going on, but the Moving Crib at St Martin Apostolate shows you how it used to be done. Not your usual Nativity scene, but all the usual suspects will be there - just moving. There’s also the iconic Live Animal Crib at the historic Dublin Mansion House where you’ll find an adorable donkey, goats, and some other four-legged creatures who may or may not have been present at the original Nativity.

 As well as the Dublin Christmas Eve tradition of going for a pint (okay fine, probably more like three, but who’s asking anyway) and going to see Bono busking on Grafton Street (true story, this is real), we’ve got a great Irish tradition called the 12 Pubs of Christmas. This has way more craic than the twelve days of Christmas and its turtle doves and French hens. It’s basically a wonderful, glorified Christmas bar crawl which is best undertaken away from Temple Bar and in a local Dublin neighbourhood like Rathmines. The idea is to get dressed up in your most garish Christmas jumper and embark upon a quest to have a pint in each pub. Of course this sounds wildly excessive, but don’t worry, most of us never bother making it past the sixth pub, and it’s really just about spending time with the lads and sharing a few Christmas drinks to celebrate another wonderful year in Dublin. 

Whether you love them or hate them, another local tradition is to go and see the panto. The only place to really see the pantomime is the Gaiety Theatre, a local institution that has held the Dublin Christmas panto every year since 1873. This year it’s The Snow Queen, so get your hands on some tickets before they sell out. If you’ve never seen a panto before, what are you waiting for? A theatrical performance of a fairy tale involving lots of singing, dancing, joking, cross-dressing, and slapstick humor. A whole lot of audience participation is basically what you’re signing up for - but it only happens once a year, so even if it sounds like the opposite of your vibe, you’ll be in good company since a lot of us locals go. It’s pretty good craic all in all - even if you’re not 8 years old anymore!