Business arranges for Santa to leave touching tribute to bereaved families in Cumbernauld

Michael and Jennifer Keane, who own and Run Phoenix Academy of Dog Training and Behaviour in Abronhill, have spent the last month hatching plans with Santa to leave a little memento at the graveside of under 12s as a means of providing comfort to grief-stricken families at what can be a very difficult time.

Explaining the concept, Michael said: “The children are given a bag with a candle in it and a gift tag that says ‘Santa didn’t forget your child’.

"This is laid upon the gravestone so that when the family comes for their Christmas visit they have something they can go home and share with their relatives about their child who is no longer with them.

"They also have the candle to light and as it brings warmth and light into their home hopefully good memories are shared.

"We also take a picture of Santa leaving the package at the grave so that should any family want the picture all they have to do is contact us via or website or Facebook page. We we could be doing with help getting the word out that we do this as last year some people missed out.”

However, Santa’s duties to not end there as he is also taking to the road in a quest to spread festive cheer and our readers are being strongly advised to look out for him.

Michael revealed: “Santa also does drive-bys past local nursing homes shopping centres and houses surprising people. Making people laugh and smile is the most important thing. This costs nothing.

"We want to give back to a community that has done so much for us and we want to support the people who have lost and give them back a little of the magic of Christmas.

"Last year we went to visit a child who has a bad heart condition as well as having Down’s Syndrome. We keep in contact and managed to pop in on him and his family before Christmas. He was stunned! They still keep in touch with us, so we don’t want anyone to miss out!”