Remembering a Dublin City Centre Christmas
Thursday the 12th of November 2009
Growing up in Ireland in the dark, not-so-distant days of the 1980s, the treats were few, but they are probably more fondly remembered for that very reason. In my family, the undisputed highlight of every year was the one day at the start of December when we’d all pile onto the early train in Kilkenny station, and arrive in Dublin for our annual Christmas visit.
It was a day for visiting Santa and plundering the stores, where my brothers and I would spend the day mentally tagging toys as if compiling a gift registry, in between buttoning up against the cold to wander the streets, soak up the general bustle and cheery noise, and gawp at shop windows, all sustained on a hearty diet of tea and cake (and perhaps something a bit heartier for my parents).
We never did sun holidays back then, but this Christmas tradition was sacrosanct. I still get that same childish thrill when I walk through Dublin city centre this time of year. It’s hard not to as soon as you see the streets illuminated by the twinkling lights (designed by the same company who provide the lights for the Eiffel Tower, no less), adding a further glow to all the shoppers busily but merrily seeing to their festive duties.
The beauty of Dublin city centre is that it’s compact and manageable. On a practical level, this means it’s easy to get in and out of the city by bus, DART and Luas, and, yes, by car, thanks to ample parking (10,000 spaces must go!) and traffic management.
Once you’re there, Dublin can - nay, should! - be navigated by foot. The two main shopping areas on the north and south side of the Liffey are less than 10 minutes walk apart, and there are so many little side-streets on the way - offering terrific off-the-beaten-track treats - that would be missed otherwise. On that note, keep an eye out for the Christmas markets at Cathedral Street, beside St Mary’s Pro Cathedral, and Coppinger Row (both from December 3).
Also the 12 Days of Christmas runs at Dublin’s Docklands from December 12-23rd, featuring 100 market traders, fairground attractions and carol singers.
The choice for shoppers is immense (4,000 shops and 10 department stores & shopping centres, in case you’re wondering), meaning you can make your money work a lot better for you - this country’s mantra anymore. Plus nearly all stores in the city centre are open late night right up until Christmas Eve, so don’t be stressing about trying to cram all your shopping in to a manic lunch break. Relax. Pace yourself. Soak it all up. ‘Tis the season to be jolly, after all.
It’s not just about shopping though. It’s also about the social aspect of Christmas, and, let’s be honest, who does socialising and entertaining better than the Irish? Let’s deal with the kids first: their most important task of the year is getting their wish-list into the Man in Red (Santa that is, not Satan), and there are many grottos dotted throughout the city centre, notable in Arnotts, Clerys, the Ilac Centre, Jervis St Centre and St Stephen’s Green. For bonus points, try to fit in a visit to Santa’s Workshop at City Hall from November 28-December 22.
December 8, of course, is the real Yuletide starting-date for many Irish families, and, accordingly, this year December 8 is Family Day in Dublin city. The live crib is opened in the Mansion House, there are street performances on South King St, Christmas carollers will be serenading the masses at key points, and there are special offers and discounts available too (see www.dublincity.ie).
There’s more. Dublin On Ice returns to Smithfield (located on the Luas stop) from November 20-January 10 and there are live puppet shows at weekends in the Ilac and St Stephen’s Green centres (November 15-December 12, www.dublincitybid.ie). The Hugh Lane Gallery (www.hughlane.ie) and the National Gallery (www.nationalgallery.ie) are also running family-friendly Christmas events throughout December.
Christmas is also panto season in Dublin, and this year’s crop include Cinderella (Tivolli Theatre, from December 16), Robin Hood (Olympia, from December 19), and Jack and the Beanstalk (Gaiety, from November 29). Check out the Gate Theatre (www.gatetheatre.ie), The Ark (www.ark.ie), and the National Concert Hall (www.nch.ie) for more jolly fun.
For those of us too old for a visit to (or from) Santa, Christmas is the one time when all the old buddies, and gallivanting family members all seem to make their way home. The atmosphere around the city is always a heady, good-humoured brew of nostalgia and fun - the perfect underscore for reunions that are often sentimental and emotional (rising to ‘very emotional’, as the night wears on!). Make the most of it: it’s your Christmas, and your capital city. I don’t plan on missing any of it.
Christmas memories:
Anna Nolan, broadcaster: There is nowhere else I’d rather be than in Dublin city for the festive season. As a child, the big trip into town on the 19 bus from Rialto to visit Santa was the second most exciting day of the year, after Christmas Day itself. My father would carry me on his shoulders as we traipsed through the city, taking in the lights of Henry St, the singing of Temple Bar, while I was mentally preparing my writing of my official Santa letter that evening.
Alan Hughes, TV presenter and star of Cinderella panto: “For me, it only felt like Christmas ever started when the lights went on in Henry St, and all the traders were out selling their stuff on the streets. Henry St always did it bigger. It had the wow factor.”
Sean Munsanje, Xposé presenter: “Christmas in Dublin is all about friends and family. It's the only time of year that I suddenly think my usual is a hot port as I cosy up to fires in pubs in Dublin’s city centre. I'm always in Dublin for it as if I was anywhere else, it just wouldn't be Christmas.”