Dublin is a capital city that heaves throughout the year with people and the hustle and bustle of daily life.  At Christmas time the only difference is that it’s even busier and the city has that little bit  more colour and has an even bigger smile on its face than it does for the rest of the year.

A visit to the traditional shopping area of Grafton Street is a great place to start your Christmas gift hunting.  The shops are stocked full of festive treats and your walk down the street will see you entertained by buskers and choirs of carol singers.

Grafton Street and Henry Street are definitely the place to shop for your more run of the mill high street brands and designer labels.  To cover all bases it’s well worth a visit to the Dundrum Town Centre shopping mall.  It has 165 shopping outlets, plenty of places to eat, and you can even round off your busy day with a visit to the cinema or the theatre.

One thing to remember about shopping in Dublin over Christmas is to consider the 8 December.  If you’re in Dublin for a few days it’s best to avoid this date for shopping as it’s a religious holiday and signals the start of the Christmas season. People from all over Ireland descend on the capital city to shop and experience the holiday cheer.  To say it’s a bit crowded would be an understatement!

As with any major city it’s not hard to stumble across a Christmas market in Dublin. Moore Street is a great place to start as it’s famous for the banter of its street vendors throughout the year.

The Docklands traditionally hosts a European market which sells classic Christmas food from all over the continent, as well as mulled wine and hand crafted presents.

The infamous Temple Bar is well worth visiting in the day as well as the night at Christmas time as it transforms itself into a Fairtrade market.  There are handicrafts, jewellery, clothes, gifts and food from all around the world and all from Fairtrade sources.

If it’s a specialist food Christmas market you’re after head on over to the Farmleigh Food Market which will have plenty of Christmas food on offer.  You can even take time out to see some celebrity chefs preparing some Christmas fare.  A great place to pick up some tips for the big day.

Dublin has everything for the discerning Christmas shopper.  Whether you prefer department stores and shopping malls, small boutique outlets or open air markets, or even if you’re just looking for a pub to hide in whilst the other half shops, Dublin has something for you.