Christmas

Irish households were snowed under by packaging this Christmas. Here are some tips for reducing the burden in 2026

CSO data shows households can save thousands annually by cutting everyday habits

Some social security workers ‘offended’ by card from local Sinn Féin office thanking them for their work

Our bowels move well on their own, but perform even better when we move

We don’t get much practice at Hannah Arendt’s version of solitude these days, with all the phones and Netflix and tubs of ice cream to distract us. But we should try it

Sing in a choir, make something with your hands, shoot real or clay pigeons, go to a church, dance if you really must

As much as 430mm of rain fell, leaving householders stranded and knocking out power for thousands

Being grateful for our bodies and the way they enable us to experience the world can be an act of quiet rebellion

I’m taking a break from the ‘gradual erosion of self-worth’ and staying firmly in outie mode

The going was yielding, the punters soft-to-heavy after Christmas excess

With five minutes to go before opening, a queue suddenly formed outside Brown Thomas, with menswear proving the most popular

An influx of refugees to Cahersiveen in Kerry brought challenges but many benefits to the local community

Four in 10 consumers never include a gift receipt when giving presents, survey finds

Television: Christmas is about excess and familial angst, but also tenderness and tears, and all of the above are combined in perfect portions here

Newborns bring festive joy to families

Around 400 people attend event in its 101st year, organised and run by more than 200 volunteers

Leo laments conditions for homeless across globe and conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, Mali and Thailand and Cambodia

High waves at Forty Foot see bathers move to nearby Sandycove and the ‘absolutely freezing’ water of Dublin Bay

Coogee’s seafront filled with those missing home and family, waiting for morning to arrive in Ireland to call home

Irish actors to appear alongside new series cast members Rebecca Ferguson and Tim Roth

Christmas Number One, a short story from the award-winning Greek-Irish author Soula Emmanuel

When I was almost 13, I faced the festive season in stoic silence, knowing loss for the first time

Tony Clayton-Lea reflects on a phenomenal year in the annals of Irish music

There’s an understanding that we’ve done all we can for now. It’s a time for standing still and seeing out the year

Road fatalities total 186 as of December 23rd, 19 more than in same period in 2024

Where is Santa now? Track his journey as children worldwide count down the hours to Christmas morning

We can see with our own eyes how unmitigated ignorance, hatred and dehumanisation can turn a democratic country into a polarised hellscape in just a few years

Margaret Brown (80s) from Sandycove has been organising a festive feast for those in need since 1986

We go to treacherous lengths in pursuit of ‘feeling Christmassy’. But what are we actually looking for in all of these baubles?

I’ve always fantasised about being the kind of woman who is given or buys herself precious things. It’s just not me, though

Demand has never been greater, according to The People’s Kitchen founder and co-ordinator, Paul McCusker

From Tipperary to Sligo, get your steps in our Irish countryside and discover those stories behind the scenes

Making a song list and checking it twice? Some well-known names from the music world on their perfect festive tunes

From ramekins of gravy for dipping, to white bread purists, to each their own perfect sandwich combination

Be it animated adventures, a ghost story, comedy or music, there’s plenty to see on the festive entertainment roster

Logistics dilemmas, stress and sparing people’s feelings: what it’s like to be a child of separated parents at Christmas

As with much local history, discrepancies have emerged

After 10 years at the top, Holly is no longer the most popular girls’ name for babies born in December

Singer-songwriter manages animal rescue centre on farm she co-owns with husband Neil Hannon

Airport saws hugs aplenty as loved ones reunite for the festive period