Children’s shrieks of glee echoed throughout Strathclyde Lawn, St. Michael recently sending waves of joy associated with the Christmas spirit into the immediate environs.

As they jumped, skipped and frolicked on the attractions such as jumping tents and the vertical rush slide at Children’s Wonderland, an event specially designed and organised for them, the 90 children drawn from the island’s Children’s Homes also partied with popular characters from their story books and cartoons. Minnie and Mickey Mouse were there as well as Cinderella, Jake of the Neverland Pirates fame, and many more.

Perhaps the children, their house parents, uncles and aunties could not imagine more delights were in store at the CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank- sponsored event, but coordinator, Olivia Wilkie had paid close attention to the details and aimed to delight each child.

She made sure they would have a tangible lasting memory of the event, so they each had an opportunity to have their pictures taken in the photo booth, which was equipped with props such as wigs, glasses and hats. The children came out of the booth with three keepsake photos each of themselves wearing their chosen props and posing with their favourite characters.

As the evening drew closer to the end, Santa’s sleigh touched down and his familiar “Ho-Ho-Ho’‘ was met with screams of delight as the children ran to greet him. They were gifts for everyone but Santa did not randomly pull them out of his bag according to age group in a lucky-dip fashion.

Ch’an closed the CIBC FirstCaribbean- sponsored Children’s Wonderland with her melodious vocals and the family event ended with the children, aunties, uncles and house-parents on stage doing the ‘whip/ nae nae‘, radiating the Christmas spirit as one big happy family.