The annual event
On Friday night, the entire nation and Irish community around the globe tuned in for the annual festivity of the Late Late Toy Show. The Toy Show is a rite of passage into Christmas. It’s the one time of year the kids can stay up until midnight, families don matching PJs and cuddle up on the couch, the Christmas decorations are pulled from the attic, festival cheer bubbles and the Twitter commentators await with bated breath for what’s ahead.
However, the commentary took an altogether different tone this year as the Toy Show unfolded; one that we were not expecting. It began with two princesses in a castle and Ryan Tubridy transformed into Olaf the Snowman in a ‘Frozen’ spectacular. What started as a panto soon became what everyone is praising as “the best Toy Show in years,” if not ever.
So what changed?
The first hint of a Toy Show scaled back on flashy toys was the appearance of Ryan wearing a fluffy pink hat with long earpieces; one which could easily be picked up in any toy or joke shop. From humble beginnings soon emerged two-and-a-half hours of breathtaking vulnerability, as the global Irish shared an emotional connection; without a dry eye in the house.
Gone were the flashy toys and expensive gadgets, replaced with joyful children who were kindness personified. Each one came out with their personality shining, all in for showcasing what they got to play with. From the simple ‘whoopie cushion’ creating a spectacle to everyone’s favourite, ‘Lego’, we saw easy, affordable, fun toys.
Beautiful, kind, authenticity
Of course, the Toy Show this year wasn’t about the toys; it was about allowing the children to share their reality through raw emotion. We watched as Denis brought us all to tears with his rendition of ‘Grace’, following which he shed his own tears of joy and relief from a powerful performance. Having not broken our hearts enough, he continued to tell us his parents were in New York on their honeymoon “seven years late” and unable to watch him live; sealing the unanimous outpouring of love.
Young Tom from Carrick-on-Shannon captured the hearts of the nation as he walked out in his colourful cardigan, carrying a briefcase of yarn. With a smile to brighten the darkest of days, Tom spoke with great pride of his love for “Granny Pat” and her “bacon and cabbage” dinners.
Tom made the simplest of things seem like the best craic, going back to basics with jigsaw puzzles and knitting which he said “it’s something to take your mind off”; mindfulness tips from an eight-year-old. Tom and Granny Pat instantly became national heroes in a display of true kindness and love. It reminded us how much we all love our own grannies and how precious the time we have with them is.
The importance of family remained the theme of the show. We saw a family reunited with Alex surprising young Lee and the whole family live on TV as the Toy Show brought her home from Australia for Christmas.
Vulnerability was truly the key to connection on Friday night as young Sophia spoke about being bullied. A young woman who is so in tune with her own identity, Sophia’s authenticity was refreshing as she carried a powerful message. She explained how her “worry stone” helps her when she is feeling bad about bullies as they “kick me, they call me weirdo and they slag my hair”. In an astounding display of empathy, Ryan applauded her individuality as he said “difference is a badge of honour. If you didn’t look like that, you’d look like everyone else and that would be boring. It’s gorgeous who you are.” The wisdom from Sophia continued as she said “don’t let the bullies stop you from doing the things you want to do. Life would suck if everyone was the same.”
Embracing empathy, creating compassion
Carrying this empathy and compassion forward is so important as we create a society of understanding rather than “good people vs bullies”. A compassionate society is one which understands that bullies come from a place of fear, misunderstanding and troubled backgrounds. While bullying must not be condoned, the more empathy we share, the more inclusive a society we create; a society which understands difference, applauds authenticity and celebrates diversity.
Because in an Ireland where children live in hotel rooms, where families are mixed, where culturally we’ve grown but where people still struggle to make ends meet, we can do without the latest gadget but revert to spending time together. We can practice inclusion while connecting with real emotion. We’re not breeding a country of “snowflakes” but a brave, resilient generation of empaths, awakened to the deeper understanding that the greatest gift we have in life is our relationships. We need to see the beauty in the vulnerable; the necessary sharing of emotion to create a bond of belonging.
This years’ Toy Show not only broadcast the true meaning of Christmas but the true meaning of being human, sharing emotion, authenticity and the importance of family and friends. It would do us good to remember that we should embrace the opportunity of connection more often than this one time of year.
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