Since March 1, two grandparents have been isolating because of the coronavirus scare.
Barbara, 71, and Clive Walshaw, 73, from Bramley, in Leeds, West Yorkshire were not able to see and hug their grandkids, but thanks to inflatable polar bear costumes, they finally shared a loving embrace.
The couple got to hold their three grandchildren Quinn, Morgan, and Mackenzie for the first time since March, after surprising them with the polar bear costumes.
Barbara and Clive had originally planned to spend Christmas together on a Zoom call with a laptop at the end of the dinner table. But she stumbled upon the inflatable polar bears while shopping online and realised she had found a way to hug her beloved grandchildren safely on Christmas day.
Barbara said it was the ‘best £15 she had ever spent’ as it brought so much joy and a ‘pure Christmas spirit’.
In a heartwarming photo, the couple went to their grandchildren’s home in Kirkstall, Leeds, and embraced them while protected by the polar bear costume.
“At first they couldn’t understand why they couldn’t come round and it was so heartbreaking. The littlest one kept asking if she could come. It was really hard on all of the boys,” Barbara said. “We normally spend Christmas day with them and we wondered what we were going to do with all that’s been going on.”
“We wanted to be careful because if we got poorly it wouldn’t just be us that were poorly, the boys would feel like they were responsible for it – which isn’t what we wanted,” she added. “But the costumes worked really well. Totally enclosed. It was the best idea I’ve ever had I think.”
“The younger boy was a bit overawed by these massive polar bears but when he realised it was us it was so lovely. So many cuddles. It was amazing. It was about six minutes,” Barbara explained. “This year has been so hard. It was out of this world, those six minutes, just pure Christmas joy and something that cannot be described.”
“Everyone was so happy in those six minutes. And we laughed and cried. I loved it!”
Their family normally spend two to three days a week together, and the grandparents even have a spare room for the boys.
Their couple’s son, Neil Walshaw, 45, said it was the best hug his boys ever had and a memory they would ‘never forget’.
On Christmas Day, Neil and his wife Hazel, 44, told their kids that they had heard a rumour that there were polar bear sightings in Kirkstall. When they walked out they spotted their bumbling grandparents bouncing over in a massive polar bear costume.
Quinn was so shocked when he saw his grandparents walk up to their home that he sprinted back into the house and out again to make sure it was real.
“Quinn had to run back into the house and back out to make sure it was real,” Neil said. “Best hug I’ve ever had. The grandkids will never forget it. It was fantastic. It was my amazing mum’s idea.”
“We’ve not had any physical contact since then and it’s been so hard as they’re really involved grandparents,” Neil added. “My mum and dad used to see them multiple times a week and they even stayed over loads. This year has been so tough but after seeing them, we were buzzing all day”.
“They are the best grandparents in Leeds. They’re simply fantastic.”