Christmas Abroad: Athlone man John stands in for Santa in Perth!

For our annual feature on local people who won't be home for Christmas, Adrian Cusack compiled interviews with people from the greater Athlone area who are spending the festive season in Canada, England and Australia. Here is our interview with John Flood:

John Flood, from Brideswell Street, Athlone, lives in Perth, Australia, with his wife Phyllis, from Dublin. John was well known in the 2nd Westmeath Scout troop in the 1970s. In more recent years, he and his wife have been playing the role of Santa and Mrs Claus at businesses in the Perth area.

How long have you been living in Australia and what do you do there?

We came here to Australia in 1989, and have been in Perth since then. We moved due to the recession in Ireland at that time, because we thought there would be better opportunities here.

We are both retired now, and I previously worked in the education sector.

Phyllis and I both acted in the roles of Santa and Mrs Claus for the last decade in a large department store and in hotels. Phyllis also features as Mrs Claus in the Perth city Christmas pageant.

What are your plans for Christmas Day this year?

We might head to the beach on Christmas Day. It's going to be mild this year, only 25 degrees Celsius!

What do you miss about Christmas in Ireland?

Everything. We miss family, those lovely cold crisp days, hot fires, Christmas carol singers in the cold, busy decorated streets, and of course my Mammy's Christmas dinners.

Is there any message you'd like to send to your friends or family reading this?

Please send our greetings for Christmas and the new year ahead to the O'Briens from Iona Park, Rosie Thorpe from Wineport, and Vera, Michael, and the Colleran family in Ballydangan.