Abbey Blooms as cool as the North Pole

Abbey Blooms in Multyfarnham is as cool as the North Pole now that the 2025 Christmas season has opened.

This is the third year of the event, and the organisers are expecting it to be the busiest yet. The North Pole Event opened on Saturday, November 22, and the trail features more than 120,000 lights giving the gardens a festive atmosphere.

Working on setting it up began in October, and the team, led by garden maintenance manager David McDonald, constructed illuminated structures and arranged displays and Christmas decorations.

“It just gets bigger and better every year,” said Terrie Perry, café and events manager at Abbey Blooms Botanical Gardens, who oversees all the planning alongside David and other organisers.

Local transition year students from Mullingar and Multyfarnham also play a significant role, and return each year to support the event by dressing up and performing as Elves.

Visitors can expect a fully immersive Christmas journey. Guests begin at a welcome dome before moving through themed areas, including Elf Customs, the Dome of Light, and the Elf Assessment, where the “naughty and nice” elves await. Mrs Claus greets families along the route, and a new addition for this year, the Candy Cane Elf, promises extra excitement.

Children collect wooden reindeer tokens throughout the trail, which they can exchange for candy canes at the end of the trail before meeting Santa. A new craft zone has also been introduced, giving families the option to participate in arts and crafts with the elves.

“It’s a huge amount of work, but there’s lots to do, and the team really comes together to make it happen,” said Terrie.

The festive celebrations continue on multiple days until December 23; see abbeyblooms.ie for details and to find out more about the competition they are running in conjunction with the Mullingar Park Hotel.