The house is filled with children’s laughter, the smell of turkey wafts through the air and there’s wrapping paper in every nook and cranny – yep, it must be Christmas morning.
From romantic proposals to a miracle recovery, Irish celebrities have been through it all over the festive period.
We caught up with some of our favourite stars to hear more about their standout Christmas memories – both good and bad!
Ryan Tubridy
I absolutely loved going down the stairs on Christmas morning. One Christmas, my father had gone ahead of us and he went straight into the room and he closed the door with a bang and said, “Santa, Thanks a million, appreciate it, see you next year!” and Santa went up the chimney! And then we were allowed in and our piles of presents were there! That stays in my mind. It’s just such a beautiful memory. I almost met Santa, I just missed him there was a bit of magic dust still in the air.
Kathryn Thomas
One of my abiding memories of childhood Christmasses was spending so much time in the good room which at any other time of the year was off- limits! Usually it was cold and soulless because the radiators were always turned off, but at Christmas with all the decorations, the lights, the fire blazing the big table set…it came alive and it was magical. I would jump out from behind the couch and perform plays and songs to anyone who would listen to me – which in hindsight was really only my dad, God love him! This is Ellie’s first Christmas, I can’t wait. My sister is coming home from the States and my brother from the Isle of Man, so we will all be together. It will definitely be one to remember.
Miriam O’Callaghan
I absolutely love Christmas, especially Santa coming – his impending arrival has always been so exciting for my children. It’s hard to choose one Christmas over another. However if I had to choose one, 2005 stands out because I was pregnant with my son Jamie and because I had a placenta previa and nearly lost him, I had been in Holles Street for weeks and got out to spend Christmas at home with my family, so that was very, very special. Jamie arrived safe and sound into this world six weeks later!
Celia Holman Lee
The memory that is so precious to me is midnight mass in the Redemptive Church with my mother. For me it is a memory that never leaves me. It continues every year when Christmas comes round, that memory comes into my head. So when I think of Christmas I think of midnight mass. That was huge and still is. The second memory is the first Christmas the first grandchild spent here with us. It was so special. It was like a whole new beginning of life at Christmas.
Amanda Byram
Julian (my husband) and I were on an adventure holiday around Argentina and Chile. We got to Patagonia on Christmas Eve and we had planned to hike up a mountain to a glacier (a four hour hike there and back!) on Christmas morning. However, we woke up on Christmas day to torrential rain fall. Julian was upset about the rain, which was odd as I suggested we just leave the hike for another day. But he insisted we start the hike and as soon as we did, the rain turned into snow! It was magical, with blankets of snow everywhere. When we made it to the top and reached the glacier, he got down on one knee and proposed. I then understood his annoyance at the rain potentially ruining his big plan. But it all worked out perfectly in the end.
Lucy Kennedy
Like everyone, I have lots and lots of happy Christmas memories but one always stands out. We would go to my granny and granddad’s house every year, she lived in Cheshire. On Christmas Eve when I was seven or eight, myself and my two sisters Anna and Gemma were in bed and I heard bells. I jumped out of bed and ran over to the bedroom window but I couldn’t see anything. Santa must have just gone! My older sister Anna told me to go back to sleep, so I did! That year he brought me my favourite big baby doll and I called her Amy. I adored her.
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