"I have a great plan this year," 10-year-old Brian Costello told the Irish Voice as he awaits the arrival of Santa Claus on Christmas morning.

"I'm going to borrow my dad's camera, if he lets me, and I'm going to stay up all night and watch for Santa," said Brian, whose father Donnchadh hails from Co. Kerry and his mother Angela from Co. Cavan.

Serious about making the Santa discovery this year, Brian (pronounced Breen the Gaelic way) is going to leave out Cheese Doodles for Santa to munch on Christmas Eve.

Brian explains his method carefully. "You see, the Cheese Doodles are crunchy so I will listen at the door, and then I might hear him eating and gulping the milk."

Not to be underestimated, Brian has another trick up his sleeve. He is calling on the family dog, Hunter, to aid him with his undercover operation.

"I'm going to have Hunter by the front door all night, and when Santa comes in Hunter will start barking and I will know he is there then," smiled the ever so clever boy, who is certain his plan will work.

Michael, his five-year-old brother, on the other hand, isn't too confident of his success. "You will probably fall asleep," he tells his older brother as they begin to discuss in depth what they are going to get off Santa this year.

"Well, it all depends really," adds Brian. "I'd like a wrestling game for the Nintendo DS, but we'll see what I get."

Also on Brian's list is a skateboard, something that may have to be used in his home in Yonkers until the snow outside clears, if Santa delivers it.

Pausing for a moment to think about what else he asked Santa Claus for, Brian puts his hands on his face in thought while Michael interjects to say he has asked the burly man in the red suit to bring him a Ben 10 alien toy and a Super Mario game for the Nintendo DS.

"Now I remember, I nearly forgot," said Brian. "I'm also getting a spy car," he said, delighted.

Elaborating on what a spy car does in the era of James Bond and Batman, Brian said it's a way to "see what the car sees and hear what the car hears. It comes with an eye patch and an ear thing."

Brian, the soon to be spy of Yonkers, is careful not to leave anything else out.

"Oh ya and one last thing I asked Santa for," he adds, clicking his finger in thought. "A Nerf blaster," he said.

"Me and Michael will go out because I don't think we can play it in the house because it shoots darts and we are getting two, so we can play with each other."

Just thinking about Christmas, Brian repeats numerous times. "I can't wait."

"Me too, me too," exclaims Michael as he claps his hands in excitement.

Although receiving gifts on Christmas Day is an integral part of Christmas for the Costello brothers, something else excites them deeply.

"On Christmas Day we are allowed eat candy all day long!" smiles Brian from ear to ear.

"Candy, candy," chants Michael. "I'm going to have candy for my dinner if my mommy allows me," he adds.

Brian quickly reminds him that he asked his mother that last year and he was told that he had to eat all his dinner first.

On December 25, the Costello brothers will join their aunts and uncles and their newborn first cousin Ken for Christmas dinner in their house.

"I'm so excited, it's only a few days away and I also don't have to go to school so it's even better," explains Brian.

Two-year-old Jesse Collins appears shy from the outset. Cuddling into his mother Katrina's arms, he raises his head only to tell the Irish Voice of his favorite television character, Elmo.

While repeating Elmo's name a few times to make sure it is understood he wants an Elmo doll from Santa on Christmas Day, his one-year-old brother, Quinn, whose big smile is an exact copy of his mother's, gently tugs on her leg.

Katrina Collins asks Jesse what is it that Santa Claus will gift Quinn with, and Jesse said "digger."

Surrounded by trucks and tractors in their Uncle Joe's home in Yonkers last week, Jesse climbs down from his mother's arm to demonstrate to Quinn what a digger will do.

While they play peacefully together for a few minutes with their trucks, right beside the blow up Santa, Mammy asks Jesse would he like another baby from Santa Claus. He was quick to respond with "No."

Jesse and Quinn are the children of Co. Kerry-born Tony Collins and Glasgow-born Katrina, whose mother is from Co. Donegal.

Jesse, who by this time has given up showing Quinn how to drive a truck, toddles into the kitchen and shouts "Lady," to get their dog's attention. He arrives back a minute later with dog treats in his hand and carefully gives Quinn a few.

He calls Lady again and this time she comes running. Quinn, with a burst of giggles, outstretches his little hand and puts one of the dog biscuits into Lady's mouth, not before having a sneaky lick himself.

"Elmo," said Jesse again, this time pointing toward the television.

Seven-year-old Gracie Gleeson, who is the image of her mother Bernie O' Sullivan from Co. Kerry, is all about computer games this year. Gracie lives in Manhattan with her mom, dad, Jimmy, and her one-year-old baby brother James.

Gracie has asked Santa for games she can play on her Nintendo DS and her Nintendo Wii.

"I also asked for a white iPod so I hope I get that," smiled Gracie, who was dressed pretty in pink at a party in Westchester recently.

Gracie plans to spend Christmas Eve looking out her window to catch a glimpse of Santa Claus and his reindeers. Hoping to get as lucky as she did last year, Gracie tells the Irish Voice she would love to see Santa again this year, maybe even meet him face to face.

"I saw him last year, I did. He was up in the sky and I heard his bells and I saw Rudolph," said Gracie with excitement, counting on her hands how many days away she would have to wait for Santa Claus.

Not forgetting her baby brother, Gracie said that she had asked Santa to bring James some drums and a rocking toy "that he can chase after because he likes to run now."

Looking back on last Christmas, Gracie said it was extra special because she got to spend it with her Granny O'Sullivan who was visiting from Kerry. Sadly, Gracie said, her granny passed away this year, but she had the pleasure of sharing her most memorable Christmas to date in her granny's company last year.

"This year I am going to my aunt's house and I am going to see my cousin Maeve and baby Jack and all my family. I can't wait," she said, jumping up and down.

"I'm so excited," she squealed while running off to find her baby brother, who was heading towards the brightly lit Christmas tree.

James Gravius, whose mother, Ann, is from Co. Tipperary, is an only child. His dad Steve was born on Long Island, and it's where the trio resides.

James, like every child at Christmas, is bursting with excitement at the thoughts of Santa Claus coming bearing gifts. Allowed four gifts on his wish list, James tells the Irish Voice that he is hoping to get a Nintendo DS and Lego.

"I love Lego. There is so much I can make with it," he said, as he begins naming out the plans he has for the new bundle of Lego he hopes comes his way this Thursday.

Every year, not only does James celebrate the birth of Christ, he also celebrates his birthday on December 27.

"I will be nine this year," he said proudly.

James, who is very active with sports and enjoys visiting his grandfather in Tipperary every summer, said one of his favorite things about Christmas is spending time with his Granny Gravius in her house in Massapequa Park.

Not forgetting the most important part of Christmas, James is quick to point out, "We must also remember the birth of Jesus and his birthday on Christmas Day."

James will attend mass on Christmas morning with his family. In the afternoon he will travel to Yonkers to spend the remainder of the day with his mom's brother and his family.

In the Hess household in Yonkers, it will be a busy Christmas morning, when three little boys will wake up to a bunch of goodies under their creatively decorated Christmas tree.

Keegan, 3, Nolan 2 1/2, and Brian, 3 months, will be overjoyed on Christmas morning when they receive the gifts they asked Santa Claus for.

Keegan, the oldest of the boys, tells the Irish Voice that he hopes to get a racing car, a hurling stick and a Buzz Lightyear robot from Santa.

Keegan, who is a few inches taller than his younger brother, Nolan, pulls him into a hug and spoke on his behalf.

"Nolan is getting a speed car too," he informs the room.

After spending the morning at St. Mark's kindergarten in Yonkers, Keegan enjoys coming home to his two brothers, his mom Kathy, whose Irish roots lie in Co. Roscommon, and his dad Jerry, whose family hails from Co. Tyrone.

Not forgetting his youngest brother, who watches the playacting between the curly blonde haired Hess brothers on the living room floor from his swing chair, Keegan said, "Brian has to get toys too."

He later elaborates that it would be fitting for Brian to get a baby driving wheel so "he can learn to drive."

Nolan, who loves to wrestle with his brother, added that he is a big fan of "Toy Story's" favorite character Woody, and he hopes Santa might also be kind enough to bring some Woody toys to his home this Christmas.

Keegan has been learning about the birth of baby Jesus in school and told the Irish Voice he recently made a manger out of popsicle sticks.

"He was born when it was snowing," shared Keegan.

As soon as the word candy is thrown around the room, both Keegan and Nolan admit they love candy canes.

"I will eat candy canes," said Keegan. While thinking carefully about how many candy canes he just may eat on Christmas Day, in walks their pet cat, which Nolan tenderly strokes.

Keegan, not wanting anyone left out this Christmas, said they are also going to get a gift for the cat.

"Will we get him a mouse?" asks Mommy. "Yes," smile both the boys in unison.

Getting back to the Christmas wish list, after spending a few minutes in a locked wrestle hold with Nolan while baby Brian smiles down on them, Keegan said he wants a hurley so he can play it in Gaelic Park.

The Hess boys are no strangers to Gaelic Park in the Bronx. The boys, during the summer, can often be found on the field having some fun with hurleys and sliotars (small ball).

But if that fails, Keegan said he also loves hockey and wouldn't mind a hockey stick either from Santa Claus.

Thinking about his requests, Nolan steps in front of his older brother and says "I want a robot that shoots like this," as he points both his index fingers and makes a shooting noise while at the same time demonstrating his ability to "fly like Spiderman" off the stairs.

After successfully jumping down two steps, much to his mother's panic, and landing on top of Keegan, he gets up and decides he is more fitting as another kind of hero.

"I'm the same as Buzz Lightyear," he shouts proudly.