Divided families go hi-tech to share the Christmas joy

Even amid a pandemic the sight of little Dianna and Charlotte racing out of bed to see if Santa had visited them during the night was Christmas magic.

Claire and Will Fealy with excited twins Dianna and Charlotte. Picture: Sam Mooy

Even amid a pandemic the sight of little Dianna and Charlotte racing out of bed to see if Santa had visited them during the night was Christmas magic.

Claire and Will Fealy, of Belrose, enjoyed a “relaxing” Christmas at home on Friday with their 20-month-old twins after their usual festivities of “10 to 15” visitors were pared down to just four from Will’s family.

The northern beaches family was devastated on Wednesday after NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the region would be split into two zones. The decision meant Claire’s mum Margie, who lives in Newport in the troubled “red zone”, was forbidden from visiting them on Christmas Day.

“It’s my mum who is really upset. She called me crying as soon as Gladys made her announcement,” Mrs Fealy said. “I’m 27 and we’ve never had a Christmas apart for 27 years.”

Instead she filmed their daughters opening presents to send to her mum and spent “half the day on the phone” to family around opening gifts and cracking into Christmas lunch.

“(Mum) called me up crying, saying it was the best Christmas present to see them opening their presents and getting all excited,” she said.

Mr Fealy said despite the absence of loved family members casting a shadow over celebrations, they still enjoyed every minute including watching the girls “run down and start hacking into presents” in the morning.

“They didn’t even look at the labels or ask if this was mine ... to see the joy on their little faces was amazing,” he said.

Meanwhile, Avalon grandmother Ilya Levy spent her first Christmas alone on Friday while in self-isolation after she went to the Avalon RSL last Wednesday.

“I took my dogs downstairs to go to the bathroom — that’s all I’m allowed to do — and I Facetimed my daughter and her kids as they opened their presents.

“A kind neighbour has dropped a bottle of Champagne at my door and I have a McCain frozen roast dinner and I’ll just try and enjoy the rest of Christmas. Each day I’m a step closer to my release date.”

Avalon mum Michelle Rovere decided to cook up the “massive turkey with all the trimmings” she had bought to share with extended family before visitors from outside the “red zone” were banned. Although disappointed, she says “these are first world problems, especially in the face of a pandemic”.