'All I want for Christmas' New York Irish kids on what Santa Claus will be bring this year

April Drew catches up with old friends during the holiday season

“Let’s try to do something as simple as lighting a candle or giving our elderly neighbor a hug,” said Lisa. 

Every night Lisa and John pray with their kids. “We pray each night for all the sick boys and girls with broken hearts. I want the kids to be aware of how lucky we are to have what we have,” she added. 

In January Lisa and Adam will do the New York City Heart Walk. They have asked people through Facebook to sponsor this cause. 

“It’s close to our hearts and we are always trying to spread the word about congenital heart defects being the number one birth defect,” she said.

Erin and Peter McGlynn are very excited about Christmas this year. They became parents to their daughter Maeve earlier in the year and have their Yonkers home decked out for the Christmas celebrations. 

Maeve will spend her first Christmas in Long Island with her grandparents and cousins. Her dad Peter hails from Donegal. Not wanting to leave out the Irish relations, they plan to spend part of their Christmas day Skyping with family in Ireland. 

“This year we are extremely thankful for a beautiful, happy and healthy baby girl and wonderful families on both sides of the pond,” Erin told the Irish Voice. 

Santa will bring Maeve her first baby doll, clothes and some extra fun toys. 

“We have met Santa twice, both times she cried when she sat on his lap. Hopefully next year she will warm up to Santa,” said Erin. 

Maeve visited her Donegal cousins last August for two weeks, and the McGlynns plan to bring her back again in the not too distant future. 

Keegan, 7, Nolan, 6, and Brian, 4 are the sons of Kathy and Jerry Hess, both who have families from Roscommon and Tyrone.  The Hess family holiday traditions starts Christmas Eve when Kathy’s whole family gets together. 

“The tradition we have had as family is to spend Christmas Eve with my family at my Aunt Mary Beth’s house. She and Uncle Paul would put out a spread that you would need to starve for a week to have enough room to eat,” said Kathy.

“Last year we had my whole family together so it was an especially wonderful Christmas Eve. Early in the spring, she passed away so we will be starting another tradition for our family this year, with our lost families in our thoughts and prayers.”

They will have Christmas dinner at Kathy’s Parents house up north in Stormville, New York.

Although little Keegan is most excited about getting toys for Christmas he has one worry. 

“What if I’m on the naughty list?” 

He asked for an R/C camera airplane. 

When asked what he plans to do to get back on the nice list Keegan said, “I’m going to listen to my mommy and daddy.”

Keegan said he is thankful “that we have money and we are alive.” 

Kathy notes that Keegan has collected some money this year to give to the poor. She is very proud. 

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Nster.com