Kay Kaye and her sister Carol picked up the Home Truths audio diary equipment and went travelling with a purpose...
In the summer of 1998, Carol and Kay’s mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness. It was a tremendous shock to family who had known her always as a lively, vibrant person. The family’s plan to make that Christmas the best ever was sadly not be, as their mother died a few days before Christmas. This year Carol decided that sad memories should be replaced by a strong, happy memory, and she gave her sister Kay and her husband two tickets to accompany her and her 8 year old daughter Clarissa, to Lapland to rediscover the spirit of Christmas…
The magic starts on the aeroplane, with a clear clear sky and a full moon straight ahead and Kay is on the flight deck with her microphone as captain announces, "We just heard from air traffic control that Santa is doing a test run on his sledge for Christmas time… boys and girls keep your eyes open." Clarissa’s cautiously impressed. More interestingly, and believable, for Home Truths listeners, the First Officer says, "John Peel is my hero, my grandfather listened to him, and my father, and now I listen to him - he’s an old institution of the Â鶹Éç!" Grandfather?
In Lapland, the snow crunches beneath the feet and the elves are ready to meet the visitors who’ve flown in to re-discover Christmas. Kay and co. spend the day racing around the dark forest at the speed of light on a skidoo, "It was absolutely stunning, it’s an incredible contrast to the same day two years ago when mother died. It’s worked - my sister and I were talking about her all day, knowing she’d have loved the reindeer sleighs and the magical-ness of the whole experience… we did have a moment, but we’re menopausal, so what do you expect!"
Next - Father Christmas! "We've just travelled through the forest on a skidoo sled, to the most beautiful spot - there’s a log cabin, a roaring log fire, reindeer tethered to a post and… Oh! it’s an elf!" Kay and Carol are as excited as Clarissa… A soft-spoken Santa introduces himself …
Later - "It was superb," says Carol, "The whole thing is absolutely truly magical - there’s this lovely cuddly old man in there - speaking perfect English! Funny how he couldn’t speak Finnish when you asked him, though..." The two sisters dissolve into giggles.. Santa or not, it seems the magic was real.
