Christmas 2016

Christmas is special at the best of times but when there is a four year old around then it's extra special.  Ben was right in the zone for Christmas 2016.











Things got of to a fun start in mid December with a trip to Santa's Village in the North Pole (Lurgan).  Here is Ben getting his face painted by one of the elves!!











Adam was all smiles after getting his face painted too. 














As were Emma and Dee.














Ho-ho-ho!














Ben looking the part at Santa's Village ......














...... and hanging a star on the Christmas Tree.














Ben and Adam sitting attentively in the front row.  Two good wee boys!!













Ben soon found the roasted marshmallows and was quick to sample a couple.













Jude, Marguerite and Ben having fun at Santa's Village.  This was just outside Santa's house.  Ben was full of excitement and anticipation as he prepared to meet Santa.  Then moments later .......











....... he got to go in to see Santa.  This is a nice pic showing Ben in one of those great 'like butter wouldn't melt' moments.  And of course Ben was on the 'good' list!    











And for that he won this cool present. 















Family pic with Santa ..... 2016.  Amazingly this is the 5th one of these pics this little family now has.  Plans are to squeeze in the full 10 before Ben gets too cool for school and that.  Gotta love these moments and capture them!










The funniest thing about this Santa was that he took a shine to Adam's Granny Janet.  Talk about chatting someone up!!!  Everyone was in giggles, including Janet hherself.  Very funny indeed. 










Fast forward a couple of weeks and it's Christmas eve.  Here is Ben sitting playing his toys, including the snooker table he got for Christmas last year!











Ben likes making his own version of Santa's sleigh, complete with Rudolph up front. 













The Clarke family tradition is that everyone is allowed to open one (ok, maybe two) presents on Christmas eve.  Among other things Ben has  a love for Star Wars men and stuff and whatnot ..... and that's without ever having seen any of the films!

The excitement at this stage was real.  

Only one more sleep to go.






Throughout the night strange things happened ......... Santa managed to squeeze down the chimney, knock all the logs out of the fire, stack 'em all up again, walk around the house leaving stuff in different rooms and make good his getaway, all without Ben hearing a thing.  Brilliant!!!








So the scene was set. 














The one item Ben keep asking Santa for in 2016 was a Power Rangers costume ...... and seeing as he was a good boy throughout the whole year ........ well Santa came up with the goods big time!  Ben went straight for the costume and one it went and on it stayed (for weeks and more).









And off course Ben had lots of other gifts ........














...... which he promptly got stuck into.














Ben studying his Star Wars book ........














........ before spending the next 30 minutes chasing Jude around the house.













Thankfully Santa had the wit to also bring Ben a Power Rangers T Rex Morpher do-ans too.  This made the deal actually, completely topped things off, and had folk mumbling words like ....... 'thank goodness that was not forgotten'. 










Ben main gift was this super cool Batman go-kart. 













Actually, the chimney must have been knocked down and re-built in super good time and utter silence in order to get this yoke in without so much as Ben batting an eyelid of his pre-Christmas morning sleep.  But that's exactly what happened. 

As it was Christmas morning and quite chilly outside for now Ben just got to ride it around the hall. 





Next stop was Mass at Clonard before scooting across town to Ben's Granny and Granda Crossan's house. 

When going to Mass Marguerite tried and tried again to get Ben to remove his Power Ranger outfit ....... but he was having none of it.  Jude's view all this was simple -  'All God's creatures got a place in the choir, some sing low and some sing higher, some sing out loud on the telephone wire ....... and some wear their Power Rangers outfits! 



Michael's baby son Finn was having his first Christmas ...... and charming everyone in the process with his cute wee way!













Cousins and super buddies Ben and Ruairi were having plenty of fun.














Finn with his Granny and Granda Crossan, Michael and Marguerite.













Crossan clan Christmas family pic 2016.















Ben is all smiles as he carries out some starters while Riona opens one her many gifts.













Cracker time - take 1.  Ben and Jude. 

A couple of weeks earlier ...... wait, it was mid November, but Jude took Ben to a Cliftonville football game.  So the game day routine involves going into the local shop and letting Ben pick one thing.  That day he picked a box of crackers.  Folks you can't make this stuff up but in mid-Nov Ben and Jude sat and pulled a full box of these yokes right their in the stand at the game. Wha?  Folk were looking and all ......  sure ..... as long as Ben's happy!!!




Cracker time - take 2.  Adam and Ben.















It sometime around 4pm on Christmas Day and Ben's beginning to feel the pace ..... you see when you're four you never think of pacing yourself on days like this ......  no way ...... you gotta go 100% hog mad at it from first light!!!!  Catches up around 4ish!! 









For others though the party is only getting started.  Marguerite, David and Fra are all set.













A little while later the music came on ........ you know, the Christmas songs and stuff ...... well just like Lazarus ........... Ben was up and chucking down his best breakdance / rock n roll moves. 











Much to everyone's amusement. 














The next day, Boxing / St Stephen's Day was spent at home where leftovers from the previous day's Christmas dinner were gratefully munched up by Jude, Marguerite and Ben.












Boxing day was a lovely day weather-wise .....














......... and so Ben got to spend the whole day playing with his new toys. 













A couple of nights later Jude and Marguerite hosted a Pizza & Prosecco party.  The usual suspects were there of course, including .......












........ Paula and Mary.  The funny thing about this pic is that apparently both Paula and Mary were on Facebook the next day wondering how they were hungover, they were rambling on about - 'I only had a couple of drinks', the usual lines.  Well here's the evidence that they were supping Prosecco from the ...... and this was only one hour in!!  Wha?







Kevin, Marguerite, Paula, Michael and Aisling enjoy the craic (with Jude in background).













During the party Ben and Cormac had some fun with one of Ben's games.  Note Ben still has the Power Rangers outfit superglued to himself ...... this is now 28th  December.  Sure ....... it's Christmas!










Jude and Kevin enjoying the craic.














Now it's the next day (ehhh the 29th) and you've guessed it ...... Ben still has his Power Rangers outfit on. Thankfully Ben's good and loving parents were changing away at his underlayers (unda-lay, unda-lay, unda-lay  ........ anyone? anyone? ..... unda-lay?)  Ok moving on .......
  









He did however manage to peel it off in time for his game of golf today with Jude.  They went to the Par 3 course at Down Royal.  Check out Ben's swing ...... 











 ........ and his putting ......














........ and his mad celebrations!!!!















 After 7 holes he lay down on the bag and demanded to be taken home ....... because his wee legs were tired apparently. 












Finally ...... later that night he was back in his Christmas 2016 outfit and busy playing with one of his new Jig-saws.  

So that was Christmas 2016 folks.  Roll on lots of fun and games for all in 2017.