While the vast majority of us remember visiting Santa’s grotto as a child, it looks like one set of siblings from the States now have an extra special reason for reflecting on that all-important moment with the man in red.
Under the impression their father, who had been on duty with the Navy for the past year, was still abroad, these three siblings were given the most incredible Christmas surprise when he arrived home early in order to join his gang for the annual festive photo.
Rob Stella, who has been in the Navy for 23 years, admits that leaving his wife and children for the Middle East is an incredibly difficult part of his job.
“You feel so bad when you have to leave and you feel like you’re breaking their heart. The hardest thing I’ve done in years is telling them I’m going away," he admits.
Having learned that he had the opportunity to arrive home in time for Christmas prep and festivities, Rob decided to keep the news under wraps – informing only his wife of developments.
Rob and his wife organised the surprise with the help of a mall manager, with the doting dad explaining: “I could hear my kids’ voices. The signal for the lady taking the picture was going to be ‘1, 2, 3′. Then I’d know they would be looking at her so I could pop up and be in the background.”
The stunned, but overjoyed reaction Rob’s three children had to his early arrival is certainly something for the Stella family album.
Take a look!
