Santa’s sleigh has been fitted with a new highly powerful rocket booster and he expects to arrive in Inishowen ahead of schedule this year so local children have been warned to be in bed early!

Last year Fr Christmas arrived in peninsula to deliver presents at 12.06am and in 2006 he didn’t reach Malin Head until 1.12am. But the new technology in his sleigh is expected to save him hours on travelling time.

“I expect to be in Inishowen no later than 11pm and I don’t want to see any awake children,” Santa told the “Inish Times.” 

“But me and the reindeers will be very hungry so all milk, cookies and carrots are welcome,” he added.

Speaking about the new time saving equipment the jolly fat man went on: “Ho ho ho, this equipment is top of the range. Better than any aeroplane. 

“We’ve got some extremely technically minded elves in the workshop and they made it especially. I had a few trips around Lapland just to get used to it and it’s a smooth ride.

“I can tell it’s going to save me tonnes of time and the wife’s delighted. I can get back to Mary Christmas for dinner earlier.

“The reindeers are happy too. It saves them a lot of hard pulling.” 

Santa and the reindeers begin their annual delivery service of toys at the Christmas Islands in western New Zealand and travel west through New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Europe then Britain and Ireland before continuing west to Greenland and the Americas.

Commenting on the journey Mr Claus quipped: “It’s a big world and while Rudolph’s nose is very bright it didn’t stop us getting lost! 

“Years ago we were forever taking wrong turns but now I just plug the SatNav into the sleigh and I don’t have to worry. Technology really is a wonderful thing.”

Speaking about the naughty list he concluded: “Inisowen children are mostly very well behaved but if they have to be on extra-special good-behaviour tonight or they’ll only get a bag of coal!”