It's Christmas!
Your annual guide to the best toys, fashion, travel, food and drink for the season
‘Get in, get out, get warm’: Advice for your Christmas swim
‘Don’t stand around chatting in your togs’: Practical tips from Irish Water Safety
10 of the best Christmas swims, walks and outdoor events
There is no shortage of events to ensure you get your outdoor fix over the festive season
‘I can speak Irish!’ A Syrian child’s Christmas in her home from home
Serene Ibraheem (4) is taking online fame in her stride as she awaits Santa’s arrival
Fintan O’Toole: My first Christmas as a grandfather and my first as nobody’s child
There are times when the wonder of death and birth seems overwhelming
‘It’s all bags’ says street trader as Christmas wrapping paper sales collapse
Last-minute shoppers warned that train and bus services wrap up earlier than usual
Cork teenager celebrating Christmas after life-saving tumour operation in US
Aaron McMahon (18) underwent surgery after terminal diagnosis from Irish doctors
Demand for electricity in December up by 10 per cent since 2014
Demand up nearly 100 megawatts this year compared to the same period in 2017
Help wanted: a holiday roster that everyone can live with
The office festive leave rota generates a huge amount of resentment and anger
Volunteering on Santa’s steam-powered express in Dublin
Railway Preservation Society of Ireland’s volunteers bring Christmas magic to the rails
What if ‘Love Actually’ is actually not that bad?
The uneven comedy has become as much a Christmas tradition as the ire it provokes
Santa prepares to go on air for Radio Foyle’s 'Late Late Toy Show'
Time for children to phone up and share their songs, poems, stories and . . . those lists
Beware the ghost of Christmases past: Nostalgia can be oppressive
Psychologist warns against being too attached to tradition and leaving work pile up
Last-minute Christmas gifts: Conor Pope’s ultimate guide
From Andy Warhol socks to skydiving and Exploding Kittens: 37 ideas for every budget
2018: The year in podcasts
Break out the selection boxes and settle down with some of the best podcasts of the year
Santa stop here: homeless families to receive magic fireplaces
Focus Ireland makes urgent appeal for Christmas donations as demand for services rise
Balance out the Christmas indulgence with these festive greens
Having good vegetable-based side dishes can offer respite from all the butteriness
This Christmas, let’s nominate our A**hole of the Year
It’s the sheer resilience of human beings that makes the heart a wonder
Giving at Christmas may be good for you but it's a complicated business
Giving conveys caring and generosity - but it can undermine feelings of worth in recipients
Bees, bikes and books: give the gift of charity this Christmas
Charity gifts help donors and recipients visualise the type of help provided to others
At Christmas time the return of an adult child can be stressful as well as joyful
People who travel back into their own past may come among us as strangers
‘On Christmas Eve my husband will ask what we got his mother’
Irish Times readers share their experiences of taking on the ‘emotional load’ of Christmas
Ethical gifts
Give a gift they’ll love and do your bit for the planet at the same time. It’s a win-win
Foreign foodies
We meet three expat foodies keen to reinterpret the traditional Christmas dinner this December
Christmas dinner: The ultimate guide to getting through the big day
These recipe suggestions from Ireland’s top chefs will help you plan an epic festive feast
Christmas kitchen gifts: gadgets for food lovers
This Christmas it’s all about upgrading your kitchen with the latest smart appliance
Women’s emotional labour at Christmas: ‘My husband must think Santa does it all’
If you’re a woman in a heterosexual relationship, chances are you’re doing most of the work
Christmas gifts for sports fans: trips abroad they'll never forget
From rugby to racing, the gift of a trip abroad will have sports fans cheering
‘Young Offenders’: ‘Who knew little old Cork would travel so well?’
The comedy’s enormous success surprised everyone, not least its stars Alex Murphy and Chris Walley
Panto review: Alice: The Musical at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast
A big, blousy performance that hints at Theresa in Brexitland
Panto review: Jack and the Beanstalk
Folksy visuals combine with 21st century stage technology in this dazzling show
Panto review: Aladdin at the Cork Opera House
Trevor Ryan crafts a show which is any-time-of-the-year marvellous
Panto review: Cinderella at the Everyman Theatre, Cork
The more implausible the better in this fresh, colourful and wildly funny pantomime
Keep them turned on: Ten top gifts for gadget geeks
Present picks for tech-savvy folks, from the classic Play Station to the new iPhone
Children’s books: what were the standout titles of the year?
Peter Donnelly’s ‘The President’s Cat’, Louise O’Neill’s ‘The Surface Breaks’ and more
Fun and games: Six great gifts for gamers this Christmas
From stocking stuffers to no-expense-spared, there are plenty of ideas to fit most budgets
Top Christmas gifts to delight children – and parents
From Fabulous Beasts Lego and Poopsie Unicorn Slime Surprise to sparkly party clothes
Stefanie Preissner: ‘My ideal Christmas dinner guest? Jürgen Klopp’
Stefanie Preissner, screenwriter, playwright and actor on her favourite things about Christmas
Season of goodwill: check out your charity shop for a Christmas bargain
Instead of buying expensive, unwanted gifts, you can help some great causes
The farms that let you choose and cut your own Christmas tree
Ireland faces a Christmas Tree shortage in seven years after the 2018 heatwave
What’s the story? The books we’d like to get this Christmas
Readers and writers share the titles they’re hoping to get – and giving – this year
The Snow Queen review: Gaiety panto’s rambunctious take on Frozen
The Christmas show’s sheer spectacle makes up for a few weaknesses in the plot
Five-star festivities: how to give your home the luxury Christmas look
Take your cue from some of Ireland’s leading hotels, which go all out for the festive season
Gift ideas for the man in your life this Christmas
From ethically produced T-shirts to Donegal gin and a Seiko Save the Ocean watch
Gift ideas for the woman in your life this Christmas
From blinging bags and silk scarves to jewellery and skincare
