When Mrs Claus came to town

As children queue to meet Santa, I surprise them by turning up and asking them what presents they want for Christmas, writes Mrs Claus.

TIP-TOEING through the crowds in a red velvet dress with white fur trims, I see some of my oldest friends waiting for Santa at Clerys department store in Dublin. They’re the grannies and granddads who, when they were young, visited Santa in this store, then carried on the tradition by bringing their children and later, their grandchildren, so they could share in the same joy.

Elizabeth Egan from Walkinstown in Dublin is here. It’s the eve of her 69th birthday and she’s with her son and his family. While her granddaughter is too young to make wishes, her grandson, Darragh (5) is asking Santa for a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Slide this year.