Global News Podcast - The Happy Pod: The magic of festive airport reunions

Episode Date: December 20, 2025

Videos capturing the joy and emotion of families reuniting at Dublin Airport for the festive season have received thousands of views online. We speak to the team behind the cameras to find out why they wanted to share the messages of love. Also: meet the 'bubbliest' wedding judge in Texas. Judge Adam Swartz has gone viral for his ceremonies. We visit two rare grapefruit trees serving as a memorial to a community elder, who brought them from Grenada to the UK. Plus, a new world record for the number of golden retrievers in the same place at the same time and... knock, knock... it's time for a Christmas carol. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.Presenter: Celia Hatton. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. This is the Happy Pod from the BBC World Service. I'm Celia Hatton and in this edition... Sometimes, to be honest, I'm there with the camera and I'm trying to wipe away the tears so that we don't miss the reunions. It gets really emotional. It's a real privilege to be able to capture that and call it a job. The airport workers spreading the joy of festive,

family reunions. A rather unusual U.S. judge. More bubble guns the better, I think. For me, I provide something that no one else seems to be able to, and I love doing this. Performing courthouse weddings with a difference. A rare tree continuing the legacy of a much-loved community figure. They used to knock on the door and, you know, ask Marley, what is this tree? Can I pick her fruit? And she would actually be very punch and so, you know, you can get the broom and get that one or you can pick if anything's on the floor. And many people mentioned that the event was like heaven on earth, that if heaven was something that we could see, that was it. A record-breaking gathering in Argentina. The arrivals hall in an airport is always filled with family and friends

eagerly awaiting the return of their loved ones. Imagine bunches of flowers and handmade welcome home signs. In the lead-up to the festive season, Dublin Airport has decided to capture these intimate moments of joy and reunion, and it's no surprise, these videos have won over the hearts of thousands of people online. Two people stood behind the camera are Dana Baker and Graham McQueen from Dublin Airport's social media team. They've been speaking to the Happy Pod's Holly Gibbs. Ireland is full of people who are from other parts of the world who live here, and then there are Irish people all over the world.

So Christmas is magic because there's a lot of reunions happen around that time. So we want to tell that story. There's lots of colour and excitement and tears and happiness in the terminals and the arrivals. So we'll try and capture as many stories as we can, putting people at the heart of it. We know, Connor, coming from Sydney, Australia. We love you so much and so happy to have. have you home for Christmas. She need Lee and my daughter is coming home from Sydney, Australia and we're having a wedding

next week. So we're really looking forward to. I think it resonates with a lot of people in Ireland because a lot of us have loved ones living overseas who we love to see and love to see coming home. So we try and capture all that and bottle it all up. And these videos have gone far and wide. What has the response been like? Yeah, it's been really good. I think we always get some really good stories and we usually get some really big reunions happening. We'd won a couple of years ago where we had a brother and sister meeting up for the first time. She'd discovered them. It's kind of like a long-lost family stories. He traveled over from New Zealand. They met a couple of days before Christmas and then the arrivals hall in Terminal 2 and they were both in their 70s and they met for the very first time. We've had people coming back from Australia for the first time in three years. They've got grandkids with them, that have never met their grandparents. Our daughter, Alma, our grandson, Erin, and our granddaughter, Erin. Their grandchildren have never been to Ireland.

Our daughter is 14-year in Australia. Oh, so excited. It's getting overwhelmed now. Give each other a big hug. And how does it make you both feel that people are getting emotional watching these? When I was watching them, I was looking at the comments, and people were saying that it had them in tears watching these really emotional. reunions. Sometimes, to be honest, I'm there with a camera and I'm trying to wipe away the tears

so that we don't miss the reunions. It makes me feel really happy. And also for the people themselves, we had a mom last year who collected her daughter and her son on the same day and I was there for both of them. And afterwards, she sent me a really nice message just saying that, you know, it really made her Christmas and she now has that memory forever. My name's John Paul and we're here to welcome Claire and oil back to Australia with their three kids. I'm Claire's ma'am. I'm the granny out of three grandchildren

coming home. So yeah. It's going to get emotional. I'm Maria and I'm here to greet Nile who's coming off for Christmas first time in 17 years. You have to look away at times. There's a bit of a running joke in the office that if you're

going to the terminals in December you need to take a packet of tissues with you because it gets emotionally. You see grown men dads meeting their sons and daughters and they can't keep it in. It's just really, really emotional. It's a real privilege to be able to capture that

and call it a job. What's been the most memorable interaction that you have captured? What is the one that will stay with you forever? I think for me, I think it was last year's one. There was a dad who was unwell and his daughter just knows that and she was coming back to him.

And that reunion for me, I was bawling and I think it would always stick with me seeing the little girl and the dad reuniting was just absolute magic for me. We're so lucky because we get to meet so many great people and great families. Honestly, some of them I want to go home with and have Christmas dinner with in the end and you become part of that story. And we see in the comments as well, you know, people who have loved ones abroad and they're saying, you know, these videos make me so emotional, but they're also, you know, really happy for those other families. So I think from our side, it's bringing some joy this time of year but it's also really relatable I think everybody has somebody that's away and it's such a magic time of year I think it's just lovely

I can't get her away from the airport at the minute I keep telling her to go home but every time I turn around she's found another family that she wants to talk to it gets in on you and yeah we have to remind ourselves to go home at times says the guy who's just about to go back to the airport

from home to meet more meet more families. But yeah, like, we love it and how could you not? Dana Baker and Graham McQueen speaking to Holly Gibbs. Has this story reminded you of a special reunion? If so, we'd love to hear from you. The address is Global Podcast at BBC.co.uk. Now, it's safe to say that most people's dream wedding scenarios don't usually take place inside a municipal government courtroom.

But in the U.S., one judge in Texas is proving that simple and practical marriage ceremonies don't have to be dull. The happy pods, Riley Farrell, went along to find out more. I'm standing inside the Dallas government center on a chilly Monday morning. At first glance, it's a typical courthouse. Fluorescent lights, hum overhead, and metal detectors beep as people paying fines file through security. Bureaucracy in action. But something here is different. On the third floor, music spills out of Judge Adam Schwartz's courtroom.

Couples can come here for a quick practical marriage ceremony. But what they get is a moment when love meets legality. Today, I'm here to witness it all. The vows, the laughter, and the... bubbles that turn a government building into a party. Y'all ready? Yes. Here we go.

Judge Schwartz has officiated about 3,500 weddings since being elected in 2022, and he's armed, with bubble guns. More bubble guns, the better, I think. Once they say their idios, I get a chance to pronounce them husband and wife. By the power invested in me, by the great state of Texas, I am. I'm so happy to pronounce you. Husband and wife, you can kiss the bride. Here comes the bubble gun, and it's just hugs and love at that point.

That's really the goal is to make sure that the day feels the way everyone thinks the day is supposed to feel, whether or not that's what they expected in a courthouse. My opinion was always that the amount of money you had shouldn't dictate your access to justice or happiness, right? If money can't buy you love, it can at least rent out the courtroom for 15 minutes. And the internet has taken notice of this judge's particular style. A viral video shows Schwartz pronouncing a couple, husband and wife, then firing bubbles into the air as they kiss. I can't tell you how lovely it really is to get recognized for doing something that you both believe in and feel good about, right?

Particularly when it's making so many other people so happy. For the couples, this is not just a legal formality. It's personal. Happy, emotional, and thankful. It's a very special day for me. I feel great. I'm excited. I love her.

It's all it really is. I could tell he was very nervous because he immediately was laughing, crying. Just very nerve-wracking. I mean, we've been together for eight years, so we didn't think we were going to be as nervous. But he did make it a little bit more fun for sure than anything, because that's what we were nervous about. And it was just going to be straight with, like, just that. And that's why I did request for the bubbles. He brought a lot more, in a sense, community and unity doing this whole court stuff.

Not as scary. Not as scary. Yeah. Weddings at a courthouse are like anything else. You get out of it, what you put into it. And for me, I provide something that no one else seems to be able to. And I love doing this. Being able to come together just for a second as a community.

and sharing a moment of uplift helps stitch the fabric of the universe together just a little bit every time. In a world where weddings often come with a big price tag, sometimes all it takes is a courthouse, a positive attitude, and yes, a bubble gun. Riley Farrell reporting. A story from here in London now

and a grapefruit tree, two trees, in fact, that have been given protected status thanks to a team of neighbors. There are two of only a few in the UK growing fruit, and they were brought from the Caribbean to southwest London as saplings in the 1980s by one of the streets' residents. During the summer, Marlene Anderson died, but her legacy lives on. Harry Blye went to Battersea to find out more.

Marlene Anderson was 13 years old when she moved to the UK from Grenada, with her auntie and cousins as part of the Windrush movement. She eventually settled in Battersea in southwest London. Years later, Vess moved in upstairs. Marlene was very multifaceted, very lovely, very funny, witty, very straight to the point. So at first I was a little bit like, oh, she's serious kind of thing. But I think it was around maybe four or five years ago when we really got close. I had a fire in my house.

and I literally lost everything and the landlord didn't do anything for four months so I was practically living, washing, cooking at Marlene's house and she was kind of looking after me and that's how I really got to spend a lot of time with her and actually sit with her and listen to her and she used to tell me about the grapefruit tree and her life and so that's how I kind of realise how lovely and kind she is

because she didn't have to do any of that for me but she did and that's kind of how our bond grew but she was really really lovely She helps everybody. Anybody that you see walking here that knows Marley, they call her mum, you know. So, yes, she was loved by the community. She was kind of the community, like the elder. Yeah.

Yeah. Sometime in the mid-1980s, Marlene planted two grapefruit trees outside her front door that had been sent as saplings from Grenada. Honestly, as soon as I saw the grapefruit tree outside, I said, I've never seen anything like this. nowhere in a world. So yeah, I took the flat just because of the grapefruit tree.

Hi. Hello. How are you having a look at? I have. I can't believe how many there are. So it's unbelievable. It's quite a good view from the top as well because we've got loads of baby ones growing. This is for you. I saw it. Thank you so much. It smells so good. Oh, wow. This tree is very tall. So there's two trees.

People don't realize it. They think it's one. But if you look underneath the leaves, It's actually two trees, so it's a male and a female. The leaves are very shiny, shiny green. It actually looks like an evergreen. I didn't, you know, most people that walk past them don't know it's a grapefruit tree, so it looks like just a big green bush that you see everywhere. Marlene had feared that in the future, when she was gone, these trees might be cut down by whoever moved in next.

With the help of her neighbours, though, the trees were given protected status by the local council. meaning they can't be cut down by future residents. And it's constantly blooming and blossoming. So it starts off as little white flowers and then they literally just grow into big, great fruits. But yeah, it's very big, tall, round and green. Very green.

Very green. Very green. Hundreds of fruits. Are more than hundreds. I feel like right now there's maybe about 200 up there, but obviously with all the tourists coming around and shaking the tree and picking everything up, there is a little bit less now, yeah.

And tell me about the picking etiquette. Right. That is a funny story. So there are people who are very polite. They used to knock on the door and, you know, ask Marley, what is this tree? Can I pick her fruit? And she would actually be very kind. She would say, you know, you can get the broom and get that one,

or you can pick if anything's on the floor. However, if she does see you vandalising the tree, she will be out there with her walking stick and she will be cursing. So she was fair, should we say. Yeah. Vess helped to install a plaque on the wall next to the tree. The plaque reads, a gift from her homeland, Grenada. It bears fruit year round.

Her essence lives on in its roots. That report by Harry Bly. Still to come in this podcast, To be honest, I was expecting the worst. You see five kids, bikes, that clothing, hoodies. The teenagers who've gone viral after defying expectations with their video doorbell message. It's 5.23 p.m. One of your kids is asking for a snack.

Another is building a fort out of your clean laundry. And you're staring at a half-empty fridge and thinking. what are we even going to eat tonight? Or you could just hello-fresh it. With over 80 recipes to choose from every week, including kid-friendly ones, even for picky eaters, you'll get fresh ingredients

and easy step-by-step recipes delivered right to your door. No last-minute grocery runs. No, what do we even have, fridge staring? And the best part, you're in total control. Skip a week, pause anytime, pick what works for you. It's dinner on your terms. The kids can even help you cook. Yeah, it's going to be messy.

But somehow they tend to eat the vegetables they made themselves. Try HelloFresh today and get 50% off the first box with free shipping. Go to HelloFresh.combe, dinner 50. That's hellofresh.ca promo code dinner 50. HelloFresh.C.A. HelloFresh. Canada's number one meal kit delivery service. To Buenos Aires next,

where Argentinians have been attempting to set a new world record. More than 2,000 dogs have had a very happy outing to Berlin Park in the city in an attempt to break the number of golden retrievers gathered in one place. Sean Le has been speaking to Flavia Fidipaldi, whose partner started it all with an appeal on social media. It started a couple of years ago when we went to one gathering in Barcelona. It was 150 golden retrievers. And then he started with this idea of doing it in Argentina.

And he created a Google Docs form. And as soon as he created the dogs, it was like 700 golden retrievers enrolled. And it grew day by day. People from all over the country came. It was just an event to bring more happiness to a day. Yeah, describe to me what was going on. It must have been slightly chaotic, wasn't it? Yeah, we went very early and it was like a beautiful day

with a couple of dogs and family around. And then suddenly, everywhere, it was too many, too many people and dogs. What was the favorite thing you saw? My favorite thing, it was like a couple of golden retrievers in the kind of a pond. And they were just very dirty. Extremely dirty, but happy. Yep. And they were shaking after swimming, imagine.

What was the noise like? It was quiet at times. And then suddenly one started and it was just. complete madness for one second. But it was like bells, you know, already. It's like when you have a dog that is just part of your life. It's a sound of happiness for dog owners. It's not always the sound of happiness for other people.

It was amazing to hear that many people mentioned that the event was like heaven on earth, that if heaven was something that we could see, that was it. You know, all these dogs, all these dogs and families there. It was just heaven on earth. Now, that's the heaven bit. The hell bit, I guess, could be potentially clearing up after so many dogs. Did you have that organized as well? Yes, yes, yes. Families were very organized in that aspect, too. They collected everything. They didn't leave anything behind. It was just very clean and organized because the city didn't give us the park.

We didn't have to ask for anything to the government or stuff like that. The only requirement was to leave everything in perfect conditions. Now let me ask you the key question here. We've kept the audience waiting with baited breath for this one. The unofficial record was set in Vancouver was 1,685 golden retrievers in one place. How many did you manage in Buenos Aires? We did 2,397. Wow, you have set quite a target to beat.

Oh, yes, yes. I mean, you obviously love golden retrievers because you have one. But what would you say to somebody who doesn't know the breed? What makes them special? They are just the best company ever, and they want to play all the time. They are upbeat. They jump into pools. I mean, it's just happiness all the time.

Flavia Fitapaldi, speaking to Sean Lay. Some happy health news for you now. Since their invention in the 1950s, ultrasound scans, have been an important tool in monitoring the health of pregnant. women and their babies, providing a safe, non-invasive way to look inside the womb. But many expectant mothers in developing countries still don't have access to these machines. In Africa, more than a third don't get any scans at all. Now, though, handheld scanners have been developed that can show images on a computer or mobile phone.

500 of the devices were donated to midwives in Kenya, and in just two years, they were used to perform more than 200,000 scans. Dr. Grace Katermo from Kenyatta University led the program. Before they had ultrasound, they could only use their hands to check how the babies lie, whether they are multiple pregnancy or single pregnancy. They could not know the amount of amyotic freed or where the presenter is, but not with the ultrasound, they are able to check that. When a midwife is equipped with a skill, with their knowledge, and also the technology,

They are having a better outcome and they're able to make more informed position. I think that has given me a lot of joy and satisfaction. They are still in use, and midways, actually some of them are saying that they couldn't imagine how it could have been without the ultrasound. The handheld scanners cost just $2,000 a lot less than the large machines. Davis Ojiamba went to see one being used at a clinic in one of Kenya's largest cities, Nakuru. I'm standing just outside Lanette Health Centre in Akuru East sub-county, a small but busy health centre. I get talking to Miriam Masuka, who lives locally. She was unable to afford scans for her first two children.

However, she was able to get a free scan for her third child at the centre. Now heavily pregnant, with her fourth child, she has already had earlier scans, and is hoping this is her final one. The first time I was told about the device, I was a bit scared, and I thought maybe it will harm my baby. But when I saw it for myself, I realized it's actually useful. She is greeted by midwife, Lide Nyboke, who is wearing a white uniform and has a big welcoming smile.

She invites the man to be to lie down on her. a bed and then picks up the ultrasound device and powers it on. She applies some gel to Miriam's stomach and places the butterfly probe on the skin. An image flickers to life on the tablet computer. And this is the back, the spine. If you look at the screen there, and back to the head, the baby is very active moving. As Lydia moves the probe in a circular motion, she tells me she is checking the baby's position,

the placenta and fluid levels. And then we hear... It is a simple moment, the rhythmic sound of a fetal heartbeat in a quiet room. Miriam breaks into a smile as she listens to her baby. The scan is over the heart chambers that are pity like that. The heart pit is okay. The scan is over in a matter of minutes,

and I asked Miriam how she feels as she gets up to leave. I didn't feel awkward. I felt comfortable. It's good that the midwife understands what she's doing. Midwife Lydia says the scans have been popular with local press. women. They feel so nice when they get a scan for free. The community that surrounds us, they come from a very low background.

Most probably they cannot even afford to go off to do a comprehensive scan. It has really made me change the decisions that I make, especially to our mothers. And it has been really a success to us. The midwives have noticed an improvement in maternal health since the introduction of the ultrasound. Davis Odiamba in Nakuru. As children, a lot of our listeners might have taken part in that age-old practice of knocking on a random door or ringing a neighbor's doorbell and then running away. But now, a group of young people in Scotland has gone viral for approaching a total stranger's door and doing something else, as Stephanie Prentice reports. We can't answer the door right now.

A pre-recorded message on the doorbell of a house in Scotland. The video recording linked to it shows five boys, all dressed in black, standing at the top of a residential driveway. Erin Chalmers lives there, but she was at work and got an urgent message from her husband. My husband had just sent a message saying, you need to look at the ring doorbell when you get your phone. To be honest, I was expecting the worst.

You see, five kids, bikes, dark clothing, hoodies. As Erin worried about whether they were up to mischief, and if her plant pots were still there, she wasn't ready for what happened next. If you'd like to leave a message, you can do it now. Last Christmas, I gave you my heart, but the very next day I gave it away. This year, to save me from tales,

I give it to someone special. Show me, this is to get you in. The Christmas spirit. Bye. Love you. Erin couldn't stop watching the clip. She wanted to share the joy with others and find the children. I posted it in TikTok and it just went mental. It was the kids that found the video first.

They were then tagging their friends and they were like direct messaging me being, oh that's me. The video racked up millions of views and the boys last Christmas led to their first TV appearances all around the world. At one porch in Scotland, the lens picking up something a bit more festive and it has gone viral. CBS News, Miami's Tina Krause. Five Scottish schoolboys have become instant online sensations after video captured on a doorbell camera. Have a look at this.

The video, you know, it's now being viewed 1.5 million times. I think it's the accent. I can't do the Scottish accent. Back in Scotland, Erin made contact with one of the Carol's mothers and bumped into one of the gang outside of his house. As I was getting out in my car, one of the kids was walking by, and he was like, oh, mate, I'm going to be on the news tonight, and I've just turned round and went, oh, thanks to my ring doorbell.

And his face just was like, no way, is that your ring doorbell? And I actually met them all, and I have never seen kids so happy. One of them had actually said, because I'd messaged, you know, come back. It's saying, no, we're not doing it for money. We're doing it to make people smile. and one of the mums that I spoke to was like, it's good that it's happened because believe it or not, normally

there might be out causing a bit of mischief etc. She says, but I generally think this is going to make them behave themselves because look at what's happened no even just Scotland like it's global it's went everywhere, Canadian media messaging, someone from Tokyo

messaging saying, can we put this on our news thing? And I'm like, they have made everyone happy this year. And that's all from The Happy Pod for now. If you have a story to share or comment on anything we covered today, the address, as ever, is Global Podcast at BBC.co.com. And you can now watch some of our interviews on YouTube. Just search for The Happy Pod.

This edition was mixed by Chris Hansen, and the producers were Holly Gibbs, Harry Bly, and Rachel Bulkeley. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Celia Hatton. Until next time, goodbye.