Six Irish Christmas Traditions Celebrated in 2025

Ireland is gorgeous during the festive season whether it's the lights on the trees in villages all around the country; swims and walks by the coastline or the shops of Grafton Street, Shop Street or Cork city. Dublin airport is set for what it says is its busiest Christmas ever this year with over 1.8 million passengers set to pass through the terminals during the festive period.

Numbers travelling are likely to be up by around 22% and the seven days leading up to Christmas will see around 350,000 passengers arriving in with dozens of local choirs and musical acts lined up to perform in the terminals.

Everyone knows what to expect in an Irish Christmas - with the trees, selection boxes, winter lights trails, candle in the window, Saint Stephen's Day wren boys and carols but these six Christmas traditions will definitely be a feature once again and show no signs of stopping any time soon!

It's a hard one to explain to people from outside Ireland but the Late Late Toy Show is a time when Ireland comes together as families watch children sing, dance and review toys on tv. It kicks off the Christmas season and this year a massive 1.7 million people watched around the world with viewers tuning in from Bolivia, Zambia, Guatemala, Iceland and Paraquay.

The Grinch-inspired show also had 642,000 online views on the RTÉ Player and over €4.6m was raised for charity in the RTÉ Toy Show appeal which brings the figure over the past six years to a mammoth €30 million. Ireland really comes together for this time honoured Christmas event.

Meeting for a festive pint is a big part of Christmas 2025. Colleges are now having a 'Christmas jumper day' early in December which also involves spending the day touring 12 different pubs in the '12 pubs of Christmas' ritual mapping a route and having a pint in each one. Meeting up with friends who have travelled home from abroad is a big part of the pub tradition but most will stand their ground and stay in the one pub!

Christmas dinner is always the centrepiece of the fun but in homes across Ireland turkey and ham still remains the staple or duck / spiced beef - but the love of potatoes still endures and many Christmas dinner tables in 2025 will see potatoes served three ways - mashed, roast potatoes and gratin potatoes (dauphinoise) and love them or hate them - brussels sprouts are always sure to make an appearance!

The Christmas Eve busk on Grafton Street is always a huge hit and happens again in 2025. Started by the Frames Glen Hansard, he has been joined by everyone from Bono and U2 to Hozier, The Coronas and Dermot Kennedy. This free performance raises funds for the homeless through The Simon Community but gets so jammed that it can be hard to get up close especially as it's not announced in advance but it's an unmissable Christmas tradition for many in Dublin.

Sea swimming throughout the year has become huge in Ireland and the Christmas swims are more popular than ever. Even for those not swimming it's traditional to gather to watch the crowds going in - some in swimsuits and some in wetsuits and Santa hats. The screams as people hit the ice cold water add to the atmosphere, along with the hip flasks! Many now do it as a charity fundraiser and there are organised swims across the country at the top beaches and the most photographed spots like Dublin's Forty Foot. Christmas Day or Saint Stephen's Day also sees people run a mile for the charity Goal in their local parks either before or after the feast of food.

Nollaig Shona Duit in Ireland 2025!