Revisiting our Christmas traditions

WHAT’S your favourite Christmas tradition? From staying up to watch The Late Late Toy Show to the Finnish custom of visiting the graveyard on Christmas Eve, the history of festive traditions is as long as Santa’s present list. We asked celebrities for their favourites.

Pat Shortt, Actor/Comedian

“In the world of showbiz, it’s not unusual to work on Christmas Eve, and even Christmas Day. I have done it myself in the past, and while there was always a great atmosphere in the hotels where we played, sometimes you wouldn’t get home on time for Christmas Day. Once the children came along, I vowed not to work over Christmas and just enjoy the festivities with them. Although they’re getting older and harder to entertain now, when the kids were younger, every Christmas Eve, after they had gone asleep, I would leave a trail of sweets from their room down the stairs to the Christmas tree. And in the morning the children would wake to would find Santa’s footprints in snow around the fireplace. The children’s reaction on Christmas morning will stay with me forever.”