Celtic beat Motherwell 4-0 to return to winning ways despite a poor run of form in the Scottish Premiership.
After pulling a gap on Dundee United last time out, the Hoops were looking to move further up the table with their 15th league win of the season.
It was a tough start for the champions with Motherwell calling for a penalty when Tawanda Maswanhise went down under Hyun-Jun Yang's tackle early on, but VAR cleared the forward.
Celtic's Hyunjun Yang is brought to Motherwell goalkeeper Aston Oxborough
Yang then won a Celtic penalty just before the break when he collided with Well 'keeper Aston Oxborough. Arne Engels confidently took the spot kick.
Daizen Maeda nodded in his second after the break, while Nicolas Kuhn and Reo Hatate came off the bench to add to the scoreline to make it more comfortable.
Celtic remain clear at the top of the table with 47 points. Motherwell are 21 points behind in fifth place.
Who can stop Celtic?
Reo Hatate (R) and Nicolas Kuhn came off the bench for Celtic and scored
Both managers made four changes for the first Boxing Day game at Celtic Park since 2010.
Celtic brought Cameron Carter-Vickers back from injury, while Liam Gordon was among those who dropped to the Motherwell bench.
An early flashpoint came in and around the Celtic line when Yang ran into the back of Tawanda Maswanhise, who went down. Referee Ross Hardie flagged the Motherwell forward for simulation and play quickly moved on.
Motherwell's Tawanda Maswanhise falls under the challenge of Yang
A lengthy VAR review ensued at the other end after Kofi Ballmer raised his hand as the cross flew out for a goal-out. The referees took their time looking for a handball, but the touch was not visible.
Oxborough made their first save on 20 minutes after Maeda sent a loose ball towards goal.
The Premiership leaders had the better of the chances after Motherwell wasted two chances to set things up in quick succession, Lennon Miller's slip inadvertently leading to a counter-attack.
Maeda's shot was saved by Oxborough with his foot, and the keeper and several defenders eventually pushed the ball to safety.
Motherwell generally looked solid and Adam Idah couldn't make the most of two half chances.
Engels scores a penalty for 1-0
The half-time team talk was altered when Hardie pointed to the spot after Yang had jumped in front of Oxborough, knocked the ball wide and collapsed to the floor as the keeper reached out to collect the deflected cross.
The award stood after a VAR review and Engels sent Oxborough the wrong way from the spot.
There were more penalty appeals after the break, with Balmer getting away with a risky touch on Maeda as the winger came out of the box and Maswanhise making a strong appeal for handball on Carter-Vickers.
Celtic had a big mistake when ex-Hoops striker Tony Watt inadvertently blocked Marvin Kaleta's goal-line header, and the hosts soon scored from a corner in the 57th minute. Liam Scales latched on to Engels' delivery and Maeda ran in to head home from close range.
Daizen Maeda headed Celtic into a 2-0 lead
If the Motherwell players still held out hope of getting something out of the game, the sight of Kuhn, Hatate and Kyogoo Furuhashi entering the field in a triple substitution in the 63rd minute may have tested their belief.
Kaleta showed plenty of ambition when he fired at Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, but the Motherwell sub dragged his shot wide of goal.
Arne Engels opened the scoring for Celtic from the penalty spot
All doubts were extinguished in the 74th minute when Kuhn collected Anthony Ralston's square ball and fired home from 25 yards to deny Balmer a great shot and deceive Oxborough.
Hatate entered the action in the 81st minute. The Japan midfielder created space 22 yards out after a couple of quick passes and fired into the bottom corner.
A 'comfortable' win for Rodgers
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers
Celtic the manager Brendan Rodgers talk to Sky Sports News:
“I'm really pleased, we had to be persistent today. I thought Motherwell were very well organized in that first half and we had to move them and work on them. When the team is fresh, then of course it's a long game. you play
“We get a penalty before half-time, which is a good time to score. Arne finishes it really well. In the second half I thought we really dominated the game and picked up the pace and had chances to score.
“We did that and could have had a few more. So overall, to keep a clean sheet, score four, create the chances we did and dominate like we did, then that's very pleasing.”
Kettlewell frustrated by 'soft' penalty
Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell
Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell he Sky Sports News:
“We know we gave the ball away, but I thought we defended decisively, we were well organized. We were fine, out of possession.
“Celtic obviously won a penalty at the time – at first glance I felt it was really, really soft. I might see it from a few more angles but I certainly didn't think it was enough to justify the way the Celtic player went down.
“It's a big moment for them, isn't it, a half-time kick. And I was frustrated with goals two and three.
“We have to park this one very quickly because it becomes a different game. It's an equally huge task to play against Rangers in a few days.”