He only looks a bit bewildered because it was 72 degrees out.Alan Regan

Christmas came early this year for Carlow lad Alan Regan.

Regan, 25, is off to Canada today to start a new adventure. Anticipating his absence for the winter holidays, his mom, Joan, was intent on squeezing in one more Christmas dinner.

“When I told her I probably wouldn’t be home for Christmas, she said it might be a good idea to have a Christmas dinner before I go,” Regan told IrishCentral in an interview.

“I kind of thought she mightn’t follow through on it, like it was just one of those things you say off the cuff and don’t truly mean. But no – she was very committed to the idea.”

Regan said he’d been making loads of farewell plans with his friends for the days leading up to his departure, so his mom was “keen to lock in a date.”

Regan and his brothers Damien and Colin were delighted with the delicious meal, which included cake and Christmas crackers.

“Sure enough we broke out the Christmas jumper [sweater],” he said, though it was 72 degrees in Carlow.

“We’re having a bit of a heat wave, hence why I’m looking bewildered in the photograph.”

Regan’s mother has been “glowing” from all of the nice comments on the looks of her beautiful dinner, if not a bit surprised at the attention.

“It was a funny last day,” Regan said, who had been posting live updates from the feast on Twitter.

Regan, who works as a journalist in Carlow, is hoping to go on a few adventures before finding a job in Canada.

Something tells us come December 25 he’ll already be strangely satisfied. Best of luck Alan!