With just one more weekend to go, Christmas is coming, so you have plenty of time to get out there to meet Santa and get involved in some of the many Christmas activities taking place all over the country.
You may have noticed queues around department stores in every town in Ireland, with very excited children and some very patient parents. Going to see Santa in his grotto is a must for many young people, and once you get into the grotto, it is well worth the wait.
There are a lot of questions that need to be asked when you do meet Santa; like what he’s going to leave under the tree; how he manages to get around all those houses and exactly what he wants left out for him on Christmas Eve.
Interview with Santa
Santa has a grotto in Dublin’s Powerscourt Centre. He is there every Saturday and Sunday and has already seen thousands of boys and girls around the country. He told me us how he is getting ready for Christmas:
There were a lot of young children there to see Santa, who wanted to tell him what they wanted this Christmas and to prove to him why they should be on the nice list, rather than the naughty one. This is six year old Emily. She told us what she was going to say to Santa:
#SANTAFACTS
- Santa will deliver gifts to about 1.6 billion children this year.
- This requires visiting 5,556 homes a second and eating 150 billion calories
- Thanks to the different time zones and the rotation of the Earth (and as we are reliably informed by the man in red himself, a sprinkle of magic) Santa has 32 hours to work with.
Christmas Markets
Ireland has a rich tradition of markets and so it’s no surprise that we have fully embraced the Christmas markets. All around the country, markets and festivals are taking place offering enough festive fun this Christmas to keep all the family entertained.
Claire Collins was on hand to tell us about some markets and festivals currently underway...
WATERFORD: Winterval, Waterford, winterval.ie Nov 29-Dec 23 and Dec 27-31.
Waterford’s festival and market is really harking back to medieval times. With it being Ireland’s oldest city, everything is set in the middle of the Viking triangle
The market has hundreds of stalls all filled with delicious foods, crafts and toys for you to enjoy
They’ve taken the best they’ve seen on the continent, mixed it with Lapland and created a magical Christmas experience for people
They have created a trail that links the Viking triangle to the retail heart of the city. So people are brought on a journey through Waterford city on either a sleigh led by Clydesdale horses or a Christmas train so you get to see all the sights in comfort
This is Barry Moynihan who is the chairperson of Winterval and he told me about the highlight of the whole festival...
CORK: Glow - A Cork Christmas Celebration glowcork.ie Nov 29 to Dec 23.
Christmas can be seen everywhere in cork city this year. The Christmas market can be found on Grand Parade where you’ll get all the best artisan food.
Christmas runs down the South Mall Boardwalk where there are snow effects to keep the spirit of Christmas alive. Latest thing they have done is a 3D light show which is projected onto the facade of Brown Thomas. It really brings the building to life
Valerie O’ Sullivan, Director of Services of Corporate and External Affairs in Cork County County who is organising the Glow told me about the Ferris wheel and how they have transformed Bishop Lucey Park this year...
DUBLIN: Farmleigh House, Pheonix Park, Dublin
The Christmas festival at Farmleigh has magic shows, puppet shows, storytelling, carol singing and a different choir each weekend. There is a Barbershop group that walk the grounds of the estate and sing as they go
There are horse and carriage rides on Sundays to enjoy the estate in style. Of course at the market there is plenty of different artisan foods for you to taste.
What sets Farmleigh apart from other markets and festivals is that you get an amazing Victorian experience and see what Christmas was like back then. Event co-ordinator Linda Moran told us more...
GALWAY: Galway’s Continental Market (Nov 22 to Dec 22)
Set in Eyre Square, this market is the closest you’ll get to the real Continental markets that were held centuries ago.
There is every type of food available from hog roasts to pretzels, crepes to fudge. There are plenty of pastries, mulled wine and every sausage you can imagine. There are stalls with craft from wooden games to knitware and nuns selling icons from Belarus to toys from Lapland. As ever, a German beer tent sits at the heart of it all, with enough Bavarian brews, sauerkraut, and lederhosen
Marie Moynihan Lee is the producer of the market and she picks out a few things that are a must see...
Other stuff:
All aboard a festive train ride to visit Santa
Hop on the Santa Express at Waterford and Suir Valley Railway's Kilmeaden Station any weekend this month () or take a trip through magical woodlands for a lesson in Elf school and chance to meet reindeer at the Santa Train at Rathwood, Co Carlow
Fly into Lapland
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to ride in Santa’s sleigh you can hop on a simulation called Santa's Christmas Eve sleigh ride at Atlantic Airventure in Shannon. Older children interested in flight can get behind the controls of a Boeing 737 for an arctic adventure, while younger children can opt to meet Captain Claus on the flight deck. For prices and more information see www.atlanticairventure.com or www.discoverireland.ie
Getting into the Christmas spirit with a classic festive film
The Irish Film Institute has a super season of winter wonders lined up including It's a Wonderful Life, When Santa Fell to Earth, Bad Santa and Scrooged. See their website for times and prices.
Plunging below ground
For an extra-special visit to Santa in his subterranean workshop at Aillwee Cave, Co Clare. Join in face painting and puppet shows and discover secret passages.
Rodeo Reindeer
Meet Rudolph and enjoy storytelling with Mrs Claus at the Northwest Christmas Wonderland, Donegal
A Dublin zoo visit
To see Santa in his magical grotto where reindeer and elves are working hard and festive fun takes place on the lawn with Christmas arts and crafts, face painting and tasty treats, until December 24.
