The Highlight of Christmas
By David Hayes
The excitement and anticipation were written – figuratively, not literally – all over the children’s faces. They couldn’t wait to get to Magical Blarney to see Santa. The two oldest children were wondering aloud what toys they would get and were also guessing what their younger twin siblings would get.
This visit was definitely the highlight of Christmas for …
Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted at the North Pole Check-in Desk by a couple of Santa’s elves – dressed in very fashionable red and green costumes – who escorted us to the Elfvator. The two oldest children joined in the singing of Jingle Bells – which blasted out from the loudspeakers after the lift door had opened – and that added to the excitement. Not to be outdone, the twins danced wildly.
This visit was definitely the highlight of Christmas for …
The build-up to seeing Santa moved up a gear when the family members exited the Elfvator and joined the short queue outside Santaland. We listened attentively to the instructions of the courteous elf assigned to our group. The children were fascinated by the eye-catching, multi-coloured decorations which hung over the entrance to Santaland. Within minutes, we got the call to enter and the children received their magical wristbands which would be needed later for a very important appraisal.
This visit was definitely the highlight of Christmas for …
At each elf station along the way, the children gave all their attention to what they saw, heard and participated in. The elves were brilliant in how they sparked the children’s imagination in all things Christmas – and the subsequent engagement of the children with the elves heightened the expectation of what was to follow. This engagement included artwork where the children coloured in decorations and hung them on the Christmas Tree, solo-singing of their favourite Christmas songs and the suspenseful checking of the naughty-or-nice list on scanning their wristbands – all three of which resulted in the ecstatic approval of both the hard-working elves and the animated children.
This visit was definitely the highlight of Christmas for …
And then, the call came through from Santa’s grotto that it was our turn to meet Santa. The initial warm welcome by the chief elf set the children completely at ease, and the hearty greeting by Santa triggered an outpouring of curiosity, fascination and wonderment – and set the tone for an experience that the visiting children and adults appreciated immensely. The exchanges between Santa and each of the children regarding their Santa presents on Christmas Eve were memorable, resulting in smiles and laughter all round.
Even Santa and the chief elf laughed at one or two of the children’s jokes, especially the one about a child who told her friends that she thought her aunt had said to her that “I am bringing you to see a Christmas pal of mine in the theatre” when, in fact, she was bringing her to see a Christmas pantomime in the theatre. And the children laughed uncontrollably at the way Santa laughed out loud. An added bonus was the sing-song which followed on. Santa’s “Ho, Ho, Ho” was responded to enthusiastically – and loudly – by the children singing “Oh, Oh, Oh”, a hilarious two-line jingle which was repeated a number of times.
This visit was definitely the highlight of Christmas for …
The chief elf handed the presents – which had been eagerly awaited – to Santa to give to the children, but these had to remain unopened so as to be included in the family photograph with Santa which was taken by the chief elf … a cherished photograph which told its own joyful story. And so, the visit ended with the children showing their immense gratitude to Santa and the chief elf – and Santa asking the children to leave something nice for him and for Rudolf the reindeer near the Christmas Tree in their house on Christmas Eve night, a request that elicited a most favourable response from four delighted children – as well as from the adults who nodded in agreement.
This visit was definitely the highlight of Christmas for …
While Christmas is an occasion centred mainly on children – and rightly so – it also has so much to offer all generations. For teenagers and adults alike, events like carol concerts / services, the switching-on of a community’s Christmas lights, Christmas parties, Christmas decorations, Christmas Eve preparations, school nativity plays, a possible Santa snowman, the opening of Christmas presents on the 25th. of December, religious ceremonies and the New Year’s Eve celebrations all make for social and spiritual experiences that live long in the memory.
However, this visit to see Magical Blarney’s Santa and the elves was an opportunity not to be missed. On the way out, the adults told Santa that they were simply over the moon to see the elation, the intrigue, the satisfaction, the sense of adventure and the excitement of the occasion etched all over the children’s faces. The happiest of emojis wouldn’t hold a – Christmas – candle to the real Magical Blarney deal.
A delicious Christmas meal in the Blarney Woollen Mills Hotel was the perfect ending to an unforgettable day. And the children’s presents were the icing on the – Christmas – cake, so to speak.
On the way home, one of the twins asked the adults what it was like being “over the moon” and wondered if they would all meet up with Santa and the reindeer on a drone high in the sky on Christmas Eve. One of the adults explained to the children that the meaning of “over the moon” was simply an expression of joy. The adult was interrupted by one of the children. “So, ye literally weren’t flying high over the moon … is that right?” What followed was the loudest laugh of the day.
