One Direction's Niall Horan photographed with his parents

Maura Gallagher wanted to make sure the One Direction singer and his older brother Greg had "every present on their lists."

She told the new UK issue of Star magazine: "I remember trying to convince him he could hear Santa's reindeer on the roof! When they're young Christmas is fantastic.

"It's always a big deal. Niall loves a family Christmas and all the food. We keep it very traditional, with turkey, ham and all the veg. I spend the day steeping the peas and mash and roast potatoes!"

Maura misses Niall, 20, when he's away from his Irish home and touring the world but said they keep in regular contact via text messages.

She said: "As a mother, you miss being able to do things for him. When I moved to London, I loved doing his washing and cleaning around the house.

"But I felt so alone there. I was miserable and realized I had to get home."

She said the rest of the band - Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne - are the "loveliest lads", calling Harry the "charming one" and Zayn "quiet and mysterious."

Maura doesn't think they will go off the rails and says Niall is very grounded.

She added: "When he comes home to me, he's the same as always. To me, he'll always be my little Niall."