Launching on Saturday, December 4 is Glovebox, an exciting new cultural space on Level 5 of Trinity Car Park; it’s bound to become one of the coolest places in Dublin. Visitors can expect visual art, good food, interesting drinks, talks, events, music and surprises. Opening Wednesdays through Saturdays, with a live DJ on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the unique space was designed by Toby Hatchett, while the selection of art on exhibition is curated by Ronan Dillon. Chefs Niall Davidson and Hugh Higgins have created the delicious drinks and snack pairings – including smoked Gubbeen fries, lamb shoulder with crispy potatoes and crème fraîche, tempura soft shell crab with kimchi, and lobster rolls. Ticket prices for Glovebox cost €20 per person, redeemable against snacks and drinks purchased, with the snacks menu ranging from €8 to €14. Follow @g.l.o.v.e.b.o.x on Instagram for updates on how to book.

Are you worrying (already) about cooking a vegan Christmas dinner for guests? Then sign up for two new online cookery courses by Holly White, which will help you to prepare an epic Christmas dinner and perhaps make the transition to a vegan lifestyle. White switched to a vegan diet seven years ago due to health reasons and since then her quest for knowledge about veganism has taken her all around the globe. She holds a certification in Plant-based Nutrition from Cornell University and has trained with some of the world’s best vegan chefs, including The Wild Food Café in London and PlantLab in Los Angeles. White has used her expertise to develop two vegan online cookery courses that make creating tasty nutrient-dense meals at home effortless. “A Very Vegan Christmas Dinner” is €32 per person and can be booked online now at www.holly.ie. Recipes for the live Zoom class, on Wednesday, December 15 from 6.30pm – 8.30pm are sent out in advance and those taking part will need to source and weigh out their own ingredients.

Looking for some Christmas food and wine inspiration? Erica Drum and Aoife Carrigy are hosting a special evening of Christmas canapés and wine tasting with Rías Baixas wines on Wednesday, December 8 starting at 6.30pm at Warehouse Food Market. Each wine will be paired with a Christmas canapé demo from chef and food stylist Erica Drum. With her signature bright and energetic teaching style, guests will leave the evening party-ready and full of inspiration. Tickets for the evening are €55 per person. To book visit www.eventbrite.ie.

Do you want to take in a Christmas show? The Gate is hosting the world premiere of Mabel’s Magnificent Flying Machine, written and directed by Louise Lowe and starring Caitriona Ennis. Running until December 24, Mabel must, with the audience’s help, repair her radio connection, put Santa’s sleigh back together, and find her way home.  Speaking about the show, Lowe explains: “This is a perfect pop-up Christmas adventure that will be enjoyed by the young… and the not-so-young. It’s less of a presentation and more of an occupation of the Gate Theatre. Mabel reminds us of what’s important, of not losing our sense of self, and of understanding the joy and potential that exists in each of us.” After the show, attendees will receive an email containing a special video message from a Very Important Person. Tickets for both shows are now available from the Gate Theatre Box Office and www.gatetheatre.ie. A Lot Like Christmas is on at University Concert Hall, Cork and features a screening of the iconic, animated film The Snowman, with live narration, plus some Panto Pals including Richie Hayes and Myles Breen. Expect a large helping of mayhem, music and lots of laughs. The show runs until Thursday, December 30 with two showings daily 2.30pm and 5.30pm. Tickets are €20 for adults and €18 for children.

So many office parties may be cancelled, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t visit restaurants and take in some new venues and menus. For a sustainable dining choice consider ALT Bar & Restaurant at Wren Urban Nest which offers low-carbon luxury dining without sacrificing taste. It features a casual menu of light bites and heartier dishes created by South African head chef Ronato Palmer; www.wrenhotel.ie. Bullet Duck and Dumpling, on Mary Street Little in Dublin 1, has completely revamped its kitchen team, menus and drinks list. Central to a new smaller menu is a five-course Peking Duck Banquet. The entire Peking Duck is served across a menu of duck and winter melon broth, Cantonese roast duck dumplings, rainbow shredded duck stir fry, duck fried rice and the highlight, duck and steamed pancakes with hoisin, cucumber, scallions and pickled daikon! www.bulletrestaurantco.ie 

Christmas shopping is uppermost in many minds – do pick up a copy of THE GLOSS where you’ll find over 200 ideas for even the most particular of recipients. Should you want to shop sustainably, visit Gifted, taking place from December 1 – 5 at RDS Dublin. As Ireland’s largest craft and design fair it’s a chance to shop local and meet the makers too; www.giftedfair.ie. There are plenty of other festive pop-ups taking place too. There’s still time to visit The Design Collective at Ballymore, Top Floor, Huguenot House 35-38 St Stephens  Green – the entrance is to the left of McNally Opticians – where you’ll find some super local businesses including The Designed Table (pictured), Landa, Niamh O’Neill, KDK and Glenda Gilson. Also supporting Irish design retailers is Dublin Design Bloc – two shopping events taking place on December 9 and December 16 – a collaboration of boutiques all on the same block. These include Designist, Hang Tough Contemporary, Industry & Co., Irish Design Shop, Om Diva, The Kind, The Collective and We Make Good. Each shop is located in the block that runs from South Great Georges Street around onto Exchequer Street, Drury Street and Fade Street in the heart of Dublin 2. These boutiques have organised discounts, giveaways and refreshments, so do pop in and have a look.

For music lovers: Handel’s Messiah is as timeless today as it was when it premiered in Dublin in 1742. As one of the greatest oratorios ever written, it is a composition that has never waned in popular and critical appeal. Irish Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir Ireland are performing Handel’s Messiah in a series of one-off performances in Wexford, Dublin and Kilkenny from December 2 – December 4. The combination of period instruments and full chorus will reveal this work in all its original colour and splendour. Less high brow but equally enjoyable is the series of performances at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre which has a line-up of festive entertainment for its customers. Celebrated and emerging Irish artists will perform on the Western Plaza. This weekend sees singer-songwriter Sam Clifford take to the mic on Saturday, December 4, before Rosie Byrne treats shoppers to a medley of Christmas songs and feel-good anthems on Saturday 11. Famed for their powerful voices and rich harmonies, Dublin Gospel Choir will deliver a rousing performance on the last Saturday before Christmas; www.liffeyvalley.ie.

For Christmas cocktails, there are two interesting pop ups. Roe & Cosy’s Winter Terrace, opens on December 2, at its distillery on 92 James’s Street, The Liberties, Dublin 8, and promises hot toddies, and other whiskey-inspired drinks and indulgent bites. Crepes in the City will be serving up a menu of sweet and savoury artisan crepes and Churros. For a more interactive experience Taste of Christmas at Roe & Co is a cocktail making masterclass where you’ll learn how to create the perfect pre-Christmas Dinner Cocktail, by pairing a selection of premium Roe & Co whiskeys and bespoke local artisan chocolates, specially curated by Flow Chocolates. Guests will finish this experience with a decadent Roe & Co Chilli hot chocolate served with toasted marshmallows and chilli Chantilly in the Powerhouse Bar. €15 will secure your table and includes your choice of luxury crepe and a Roe & Co Christmas drink. The Roe & Co Premium Experience is operating Thursday through Saturday at 8pm from December 2 up until Christmas. Priced at €55, guests will enjoy a welcome cocktail, cocktail masterclass and drink, whiskey and chocolate pairing, and hot chocolate in the Powerhouse bar. Visit www.visit.roeandcowhiskey.com to find out about tickets and the masterclass.

Baileys have collaborated with Dublin pop up allta, for its immersive Winter House, to reimagine the traditional Irish Coffee just in time for the festive season. The allta X Baileys Irish Coffee can be enjoyed as part of the allta €95 twelve-course food and drink experience as an after-dinner drink, or as part of its €65 pairing menu where it is perfectly paired with their mouth-watering crème brûlée doughnuts; www.alltawinterhouse.ie.

What to watch on large and small screens? From 20th Century Studios, The Walt Disney Company will release West Side Story in Irish Cinemas from December 10, and will be accompanied by a 21-song soundtrack too. This reimagining of the musical stars Ansel Elgort (Tony), Ariana DeBose (Anita) and David Alvarez (Bernardo) among others and was produced by Steven Spielberg, so expectations are high. Don’t Look Up, is to be released on Christmas Eve on Netflix and was written and directed by Academy Award winner Adam McKay (The Big Short). It has a blockbuster cast of Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Mark Rylance, Ron Perlman, Timothée Chalamet and Ariana Grande among many others. The plot revolves around two lowly astronomers who embark on a giant media tour to warn mankind of an approaching comet that will destroy planet Earth. On the small screen, make sure you have the halls decked in time for And Just Like That – the hotly anticipated ten-episode sequel to Sex and the City, which will be available from December 9 on Sky Comedy and streaming service NOW. The first two episodes will premiere on December 9, and the following eight episodes will be available weekly on Thursdays.

For festive family experiences, Wonderlights, at Malahide Castle and Gardens is an immersive experience bringing magical themes to life: visitors can wander through the Enchanted Forest and experience the Wildlife by Moonlight before marvelling at the Woodland Wonder and The Walled Garden. Entry times are every 15 minutes from 5pm-8pm, every Thursday – Sunday and tickets are priced from €16.50 for children; www.wonderlights.ie. Santa’s House Express Drive-Thru Christmas is back at Palmerstown House Estate, Naas, Co Kildare. A festive route takes you through the grounds of the Estate, past Elf Town, Santa’s Toy Factory and the Reindeer Stables. There’s a free funfair, with festive snacks and hot chocolate also available. It’s priced from €5 for children; www.santashouseexpress.ie.