Christmas Q&A - Noel O'Farrell,musician and broadcaster

We’re all a bit nosy about what Christmas is like in other people’s houses - so we asked some local people to answer six questions about their Christmases:

1. Are you an organised shopper or a Christmas Eve gift-shopper?

2. Do you have any family Christmas traditions, or maybe ornaments that must go on the tree each year?

3. Who does the Christmas Day dinner in your house? What parts of the Christmas dinner are your favourite?

4. How do you spend Christmas afternoon?

5. What is you r best Christmas memory?

6. What are your favourite Christmas films or songs?

1. Definitely an organised shopper, if only in my head! Like most men, I always end up scrambling around on Christmas Eve for one final piece of the puzzle!

2. Yes, to family Christmas traditions but it’s important to create new ones too. We love decorating the tree, which is always a special trip down memory lane as each ornament has a story. This is always accompanied by ‘Christmas With The Rat Pack’ loud and in stereo!

3. Luckily I’m married to Martina, an amazing cook, who actually enjoys the festivities, including cooking the Christmas Day dinner, so my only job is to keep the fire going and stay out from under her feet! To be honest, I love everything about Christmas Day dinner, the turkey and ham, the stuffing, the 15 types of potato and veg and even the sprouts!

4. Christmas afternoon is always spent in the company of my family… along with Jimmy Stewart or Judy Garland.

5. My best Christmas memory is no individual one, rather every single one since the arrival of Síofra and Cian and the sheer joy and fun they continue to bring us each year since.

6. Don’t start me on music or we’ll be here all week!

Some of my favourite Christmas songs include anything by Bing, Deano, Frank or Nat. Saying that, it doesn’t actually feel like Christmas until I’ve heard George Michael’s ‘Last Christmas’ and John Lennon’s ‘Happy Christmas, War Is Over’.

Christmas is a reflective time for me. I thank God for all the blessings throughout my life and I think fondly of all my loved ones who are no longer here. Peace and Goodwill to all Westmeath Examiner readers.

Keep singing – Noel