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Santa helps man propose to Christmas-loving girlfriend

“This Christmas will be extra special,” said Barry Clarke.

ByABC News
December 18, 2017, 3:52 PM

— -- This unsuspecting Santa visitor must have been on the nice list this year.

Barry Clarke of Dublin, Ireland, enlisted Santa’s help to propose to his longtime girlfriend, Suzanne Kellett, on Dec. 14.

“She is Christmas-obsessed. That's when I decided to hatch a plan with our 2-year-old son, Cameron,” Clarke, 34, wrote to ABC News in an email.

PHOTO: Barry Clarke of Dublin enlisted Santa's help to propose to his longtime girlfriend, Suzanne Kellett, Dec. 14, 2017.
Barry Clarke of Dublin enlisted Santa's help to propose to his longtime girlfriend, Suzanne Kellett, Dec. 14, 2017.

After learning that Kellett had secured a ticket to visit the beloved Santa at Arnotts department store in Dublin, Clarke said he knew time was of the essence.

“We rushed into the city centre before Suzanne had finished work,” he said. “We got a direct line to Santa Claus, and we asked if he would help with the proposal! He obliged. So we went to meet Suzanne after work and then went back to the department store again without Suzanne knowing we had just been there!”

Santa was happy to grant the couple’s Christmas wish to love each other forever.

“Thanks to Santa for being so professional with the engagement,” said Clarke. “We now have a video which we can show Cameron when he gets older.”

PHOTO: "She is Christmas obsessed. That's when I decided to hatch a plan with our 2-year-old son, Cameron," Clarke told ABC News.
"She is Christmas obsessed. That's when I decided to hatch a plan with our 2-year-old son, Cameron," Clarke told ABC News.

Clarke said they have no date set for the wedding yet, they are "just recovering from the social media frenzy."

Although Clarke and Kellett have been together for 10 years and 11 Christmases, he explained, "This Christmas will be extra special."