Sharon Tobin has plenty of fond memories from her childhood Christmases, but attending Christmas mass is always a standout.
The RTE News presenter enjoys the Christmas season with her children, daughter Hannah and son Tobin, but has reflected on years gone by.
Christmas mass and hearing the choir sing is a childhood memory most of us can relate to.
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Sharon said: “One of my abiding memories of Christmas growing up was the Christmas service in St. Brigid’s Church in Blanchardstown.
“10 o’clock mass was known as the one ‘with the best choir’ so everyone would arrive early to make sure they got a good seat in the church, which meant you also had time to find your friends in the church, eye up their Christmas clothes or find out what Santa brought.”
‘O Holy Night’ is Sharon’s favourite carol as it brings her back to her younger years with her sister.
She told the RTE Guide: “The choir’s rendition of O Holy Night would have everyone reaching for the tissues and then be followed by a rapturous applause that would last a good five or ten minutes.
“This always made my sister and I go into a fit of giggles, all that public display of emotion in a church, being a bit novel!”
Sharon and her kids live in Westmeath, having relocated from Dublin in 2020.
The Six One anchor was previously married but they separated about seven years ago.
She opened up about co-parenting, telling the RTE Guide in 2022: “My kids now have two worlds because their dad lives in Dublin so that's great for them, a house in the country and a house in Dublin.
“I think being a parent is challenging enough, what with childcare and all that craic so you have got your wall planner and your stickers to tell you who needs to be where and on what day.
“That’s every parent and every family. Every parent must do it; we just do it in different places.”