Children across the country will find it hard to concentrate with schoolwork today, as thoughts of tonight's Late Late Toy Show fill their heads.
To discuss the Irish institution, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, host Ryan Tubridy spoke to Pat Kenny, who knows all there is to know about the Toy Show, having hosted it 10 times himself.
"It's the biggest day of them all," says Tubridy. "The build up, the excitement, the people looking for tickets... it's strangely like Christmas morning."
Almost 300 children will be taking part in the performance, more than ever before, and that, he says, is where the charm lies: "I love kids - I think they're more interesting than adults."
The host remained coy when questioned about how many outfit changes will be involved. Tubridy confirmed at least three, but said he had been sent in about 15 unsolicited Christmas jumpers, any number of which might make an appearance.
The shows isn't so much about the toys themselves, he says, "it's the kids showing the toys where the craic happens."
Pat warned about the "challenging technical environment," remembering a time when long-time host Gay Byrne threw a malfunctioning toy washing machine across the set.
Some of the Toy Show's most memorable incidents over the decades come from these inevitable cock-ups. "There's fun in the machine not working, something collapsing in a heap," says Tubridy.
The talk show's Christmas special is inherently aspirational, Tubridy believes, but it "should be more about the probable than the possible."
There has been a conscious decision at RTE to limit the amount of expensive toys presented since Ireland entered recession. With many families across the country still struggling financially, the prodicers are keen to avoid the "creeping cockiness" that boom times are back.
Tickets are in just as high demand as ever but Tubridy denies any plans to expand or move venue: "The magic is contained in the size of it - almost like a Santa's grotto, it's got to be intimate and magic."
Pat ended by wishing his successor another momentous night hosting the most popular Christmas programme on Irish TV:
"May all the batteries work, and may all the the remotes work as they should, and may you enjoy a nice aftershow posion."
