Christmastime in Dublin

A light display featuring Christmas bells

Christmas tree on O’Connell Street

Holiday wishes over Grafton Street

One of the many things I love about Dublin is the dedication to holiday decorations. As soon as November began, Christmas lights and garlands took over from spooky Halloween decorations. Soon, the city streets were crisscrossed with festive lights, Christmas music played in every shop, and garlands and wreaths decorated the windows. Holiday celebrations were in full swing during my last few weeks in Dublin; shopping districts like Grafton Street were packed with people buying Christmas presents and visiting on vacation. The spread of Christmas lights and holiday cheer across Dublin coincided with my departure, which left me feeling bittersweet. My three and a half months studying abroad in Dublin gave me memories and knowledge that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

The Temple Bar drenched in Christmas lights, featuring reindeer on the roof!

George’s Street Arcade decorated for Christmas

Holiday decorations on a restaurant exterior

A historic pub decorated with lights and garlands

Dublin’s Christmas light displays are excellent. Larger-scale displays spanning many busy streets, forming words and images through their light, projections on larger monuments like the Spire and the GPO, and pubs and restaurants decked out inside and out. During the early weeks in December it’s common to see large groups of college students wearing ugly Christmas jumpers at pubs celebrating College Christmas. Festive music plays from speakers in restaurants, pubs, and shops. A favorite holiday event of mine was a Christmas flea market inside a winding pub on Grafton Street, featuring clothing, art, and crafts from Dublin artists and businesses. I scored a nice sweater for just six euros and lots of cute stickers! I found Dublin’s holiday cheer to be infectious.

Christmas display inside a pub

A holiday window display at Bewley’s Cafe

Lights and evergreen garlands inside a restaurant 

The early Christmas season in Ireland was also bittersweet for me as my semester abroad came to an end. I’m truly so grateful to the amazing professors and fellow students at IES Abroad who made this experience so incredible, and for the incredible travel adventures, memories, and relationships I built while in Ireland! I can’t wait to come back someday soon.