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. 

From November 28 to January 4, Smithfield Square will be transformed into a Christmas wonderland whimsically named TwinkleTown. 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 otehr 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 3 to 7 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 (€12) can be bought online or at the door.

On December 7, head to the Liberties for the Stillgarden Christmas Market, which will showcase handmade skincare, unique arts and crafts and homewares from Dublin 8 and beyond. Continue to show your love for the Liberties the following week at the Digital Hub's annual Christmas Flea Market on December 14. 

If you're looking to celebrate the holidays in an eco-friendly way, make your way to the National Botanic Gardens on December 13 and 14 for their annual Sustainable Christmas Craft Market. Shop for ethically-produced and sustainable gifts from the over 80 stalls set up throughout the gardens all weekend. Another ethically-friendly market to add to your list is the Sustainable Christmas Fair at the Rediscovery Centre, an annual event which is taking place on December 6.

On Christmas Eve something will happen that you would simply not find anywhere else in the world. For many years, Bono, Glen Hansard and a host of their rock and roll friends gathered at the top of Grafton Street to busk in aid of the Simon Community. It returns to the top of Dublin’s main shopping thoroughfare, close to St Stephen’s Green. As in previous years there’s no actual guarantee as to who might show up, but the magic never fails to deliver.

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. Farmleigh House and Estate is hosting a series of Christmas markets and events over the first three weekends of December and will run from 10am to 5pm.

On your way to or from the market, 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 'The Wild Kaleidoscope' (this year’s theme) of colour is a lovely way to spend a couple of hours. Adult tickets are priced at €26.

If you want to feel like you're in Lapland without having to leave Dublin, head over to Alpine Skate Trail Dún Laoghaire for a day on the ice. Running from October 31 all the way to January 18, you have plenty of time to visit Ireland's newest and biggest ice rink located right on the harbour. If you're an undiscovered Olympic ice-skater, don't worry, with two separate rinks for various skill levels you won't be slowed down by children or complete newbies. Alternatively, if you fear you'll be like Bambi on ice, there are plenty of adorable penguin skate aids to help you find your glide. 

Creating wonder in their own way, Broken Theatre is taking over Lucan House for their Christmas Circus of Wonders and Curiosities. From November 21 to January 4, visitors can take in the festive carny and marvel at mind-bending acrobatics fun circus performances, all sprinkled with a little Christmas spirit. 

On December 19, 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 €35; 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 9 to 11. Book your ticket in advance to catch the cathedral choir perform Christmas classics (tickets €32.50).

Not to be outdone, the National Concert Hall is hosting its own season of Christmas concerts. On December 4, the Goethe Choir will perform four incredible settings of the biblical canticle 'Magnificat' by Johann Sebastian Bach, Sir Michael Tippett, Heinrich Schütz and Claudio Monteverdicantata (tickets €25). Then on December 10 and 11, Our Lady’s Choral Society and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra will take on Handel's Messiah (tickets from €25).

Then on December 14, 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 €31.

If you're more of an opera fan, head to Celine Byrne's Christmas Celebration on December 14. The Bord Gáis Energy Theatre welcomes the accomplished soprano, alongside the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, as she performs beloved Christmas carols, as well as some operatic favourites.

Starting the festive season off in a slightly unconventional direction, Rascals Brewing Company in Inchicore are bringing Tim Burton's quirky '90s classic Edward Scisscorhands back to the big screen on December 4. If you fancy yourself a cinephile, test your Christmas film knowledge with your friends at their festive quiz night on December 21. Or head to the Light House Cinema in Smithfield on December 5 for a Christmas version of BBC 1 journalist Ali Plumb's Untitled Film Quiz. 

On December 15, the NCH are hosting an evening at the movies filled with timeless classics from the most Christmassy of films, proving that it is indeed a most wonderful life and giving you no excuse to stay home alone.

Why settle for a simple drink in a pub when you can craft your own? Take part in the Whiskey and Warmth Irish Coffee Class at the Pearse Lyons Distillery and learn from the whiskey experts how to make the perfect Irish coffee. 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 jewellery makers, you can forge your own traditional Claddagh ring or make a festive-themed pendant, either for someone you love or as a small Christmas gift to yourself. 

No home's decorations are complete without a Christmas wreath hanging proudly on the front door. So, why not make one for someone special? For two evenings only, on December 4 and 10,  the National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street is hosting a special wreath making workshop where you can design and craft a Christmas wreath from scratch.

If you have a few foodies in your life, show them love with handmade edible treats. Spend an evening making tasty stocking stuffers like spiced chutney, sweet truffles and festive biscuits at the Dublin Cookery School's Edible Gifts Social. You'll learn tips and tricks on how to best gift wrap your flavourful creations, plus you even get tasty bites and a glass of fizz for your efforts.

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. Female trad group BIIRD, Irish indie singer Florence Road and DJ Shelly Gray will take to the stage for the Countdown Concert Matinee at Dublin Castle, but as the curtain comes down on 2025 you can expect Inhaler to take you into the new year with rock tunes from their critically acclaimed third album, Open Wide. To add even more dazzle and flare to the night, there will be an incredible fireworks display lighting up the skies above Dún Laoghaire Harbour and Howth Harbour. 

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