It’s the most wonderful time of the year but the most costly too; and yet there are many wonderful things to do for free or on modest budgets. With a little foraging, imagination and a flask of tea, you can have great adventures and fabulous experiences. Here’s a selection to get you on your sleigh.
Newgrange, winter solstice – December 21st
To celebrate the solstice at Newgrange you need to be among a lucky handful of lottery winners to witness the sun “standing still”. Access to the ancient passage tomb and to that at Knowth at other times is strictly via tickets. However, nearby Dowth is freely accessible as it is a non-excavated site, though there is no public access to the interior chambers. heritageireland.ie
Stargazing
The skies above us are available free of charge too. And with a chill in the air and the right conditions you can observe and ponder the universe. Use a telescope and/or apps such as SkyGuide or Sky Tonight to help decipher what you see and identify planets and constellations. The Geminid Meteor shower (until December 23rd) is expected to peak around December 13th. Under ideal conditions, you could see up to 120 meteors an hour. Astronomy Ireland hosts its Christmas lecture on December 9th. astronomy.ie
Dublin Port Tolka Estuary Greenway
Ireland’s newest greenway is a new shared cycling and pedestrian route linking EastPoint Business Park to the ferry terminals at Dublin Port. Check out the stunning vistas of Dublin Bay and hear the cries of migratory birds for which the area is a port of call if not a permanent home. Look out for brent geese, bar-tailed godwits and common and Arctic terns.
[ Tolka Estuary Greenway: First look at 2km Dublin Port cycle and walking routOpens in new window ]
Birdsong
It was a lockdown thing to start with, but now we’re all attuned to chirping. It’s been elevated in 2024 by ornithologist Seán Ronayne and his Birdsong project and documentary. Birdwatch Ireland is hosting a series of events around the country where you can listen, watch and note. birdwatchireland.ie
- A Visit to Killala and Ross Strand – December 7th
- An Outing to Bull Island – December 7th
- A Visit to Magheroarty and Falcarragh – December 14th
Wreath making
This is a craft anyone can do at home with friends or family. The cost-effective secret is to do them in bulk, which also means you can gift them, and draw gasps of appreciation. The Design & Craft Council of Ireland has an online tutorial on its YouTube channel and there’s countless others online too. The results can be stunning.
Create for Christmas workshop takes place in St Catherine’s Church, Thomas Street, Dublin 8, on Saturday November 30, 12pm-2pm, €20 including greenery, freshly baked goods and coffee.
Christmas Lights Vehicle Parade
Every community supports worthy causes at this time of year. As usual, the more novel the idea and the bigger the scale, the better the bucket shake. The Christmas Lights Vehicle Parade in Cavan is one such spectacle. It’s bound to be illuminating; the occasional horn honk may be heard too. clvpcavan.com
Carolling
Acclaimed a cappella Dublin choir Cantóirí, perform a selection of Christmas songs in the Chester Beatty on December 18th, at 7pm. Watch out for numerous carol-singing fundraisers on the streets too. chesterbeatty.ie
Skinny Dip
We are blessed with sea-swimming spots all around the country; there is nothing more petrifying and reviving than taking the plunge and shocking your senses before sensing that restorative calm. Embrace your inner Nordic by plumping for a skinny dip. From Marble Hill Strand near Dunfanaghy in Donegal to Rosslare Strand, there’s a place to disrobe and brace/embrace yourself. Check out sites such as wildswim.ie
Last post to the North Pole
The most important letter of the year needs to be considered and sent in style. The postal address is Santa Claus, North Pole, The Arctic, The World, The Universe. Make a little occasion of pushing it into the post box and treating yourself and the eager writer to a hot chocolate with a melty marshmallow.
Magical North Pole post boxes return to Dún-Laoghaire-Rathdown at dlr Lexicon in Dún Laoghaire, Marlay Park in Rathfarnham, Deerpark in Mount Merrion, and Cabinteely Park.
If you go down in the woods today
Walks in the woods bring all the sensations of the season – the crunching of leaves and snapping of twigs, that nip in the air as the sun glints through branches overhead. New, upcoming and upgraded woodland attractions include Belleek Forest in Co Mayo, with its Wood Pond Rejuvenation Project, the Walking Trail Project in Dublin’s Slievethoul Woods, Kilrush Recreation Forest in Co Clare and Dromore New Recreation Trail in Co Kerry. Also worth a mention is Rossmore Forest Park in Monaghan.
William Tilly’s Christmas Lights Display
19 Bath Avenue Gardens, Dublin 4
William Tilly has been festively festooning his home and garden for almost 30 years. Following the death of his wife, the 89-year-old started the tradition of fundraising for Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, raising more than €219,000 to date and bringing cheer to even the most Scrooge-like among us. “[My] kids do be saying to me, ‘Da, will you give it up?’ but the joy this gives me, I can’t describe it,” says Tilly. It takes three weeks to set up and Tilly does most of the wiring and repairs himself as he was a helper to electricians in the ESB for 32 years. “In recent years I’ve concentrated on decorating the garden and directing operations. I let my grandchildren take to the ladder to tackle the house and roof.” Wise man.
On Saturday, December 7th, the lights will be switched on (usually around 5.30pm). There’ll be a visit from Santa on the same day (either by horse or motorbike). Drop by from then until early January, make a donation and consider a toast to the times with a hot toddy in The Bath pub nearby.
Guinness Year Change – New Year’s Eve
Amid the festive hubbub, this rather simple ceremony took on even greater meaning during lockdown. A simple gathering of people observing a tradition – changing the board with the year on it at Guinness’s St James’s Gate Brewery, with the peal of bells from Christ Church in the background heralding the new year.
The Wren in Dingle
As sure as night follows day, there will be a report on the RTÉ News on St Stephen’s Day about the Wren pageant. An annual tradition akin to the Palio in Siena, it brings together musicians, dancers, strawboys and hobby horses, all colourfully clad. dingle-peninsula.ie/wren-s-day
The Snowman
We’re walking in the air ... we’re floating in the moonlit sky ... the people far below are sleeping as we fly ...
- Free at St Patrick’s Cathedral, December 23rd at 4pm. stpatrickscathedral.ie/event/snowman24/
The Moving Crib – November 28-January 5
The enduring attraction of this beloved Christmas tradition is evidenced by the intergenerational mix of people who make the trip to see it. The Crib remains a symbol of nostalgia and a time-honoured tradition. Of course, there is the live version at the Mansion House too. St Martin Apostolate and Chapel, 42 Parnell Square West, Dublin stmartin.ie/crib/
Kris Kindle
It’s not just an awkward office thing – Kris Kindle can be enjoyed by all. And, as is often the case, the smaller the budget, the more imaginative the ideas. Get involved.
