Andy Park (Mr. Christmas)
Encyclopedia
Andy Park is an electrician from Melksham
, Wiltshire, England
, who styles himself "Mr. Christmas" after claiming to have celebrated Christmas
day every day since July 1993.
In 2001, it was estimated that since he started celebrating he had got through 30 artificial Christmas trees, 10,000 m of tinsel and 10,000 balloons, at a (then) estimated cost of £100,000. In 2005, he released a single entitled "It's Christmas Every Day", with a video featuring Mike Read
and produced by Andy Whitmore
. There were suggestions in the media that much of the information released by Mr Park was false, and simply to attract publicity for the single:
He claims that each day he eats breakfast (turkey sandwich and mince pies), then goes to work, until returning around at lunchtime to eat a full roast turkey dinner before watching a recording of the Queen's
Christmas speech
, sherry in hand. In 2006, it was reported that the Queen had politely declined an invitation to broadcast her speech from his house.
In an interview published in 2006, Mr. Park was quoted as saying that, over the previous 13 years, he had consumed 4,380 turkeys (one a day), 87,600 mince pie
s (20 a day), 2,190 pints of gravy (half a pint a day), 26,280 roast potatoes (six a day), 30,660 stuffing balls, 219,000 mushy peas
, 4,380 bottles of champagne, 4,380 bottles of sherry
and 5,000 bottles of wine. However, in 2001, he was warned by his doctor that the diet was affecting his health after his weight increased to 19 stones (120.7 kg).
He claims that, on the 25th December each and every year, he does not celebrate Christmas.
programme Saturday Live, Andy confirmed he was still celebrating every day.
On 25 November 2008, the Daily Mail
reported he had to change his celebrations somewhat due to the credit crunch.
The Christmas 2008 episode of Have I Got News For You
got contestants to find a picture of Andy on a sixpence inside a Christmas pudding
.
On 28 August 2009, Park appeared as a contestant on Ken Bruce
's BBC Radio 2
quiz PopMaster
. He lost.
On Monday 21 December 2009 on BBC Three he was the butt of one of Russell Howard
's jokes on the Good News Xmas Special
On 22 December 2009, he appeared on talkSPORT
radio. He was a guest on the Ian Collins
' Late Show to discuss his lifestyle.
Melksham
Melksham is a medium-sized English town, lying on the River Avon. It lies in the county of Wiltshire.It is situated southeast of the city of Bath, south of Chippenham, west of Devizes and north of Warminster on the A350 national route. The 2001 UK census cited Melksham as having 20,000...
, Wiltshire, England
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, who styles himself "Mr. Christmas" after claiming to have celebrated Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
day every day since July 1993.
In 2001, it was estimated that since he started celebrating he had got through 30 artificial Christmas trees, 10,000 m of tinsel and 10,000 balloons, at a (then) estimated cost of £100,000. In 2005, he released a single entitled "It's Christmas Every Day", with a video featuring Mike Read
Mike Read
Michael David Kenneth Read is an English radio disc jockey, writer, journalist and television presenter.-Early life:...
and produced by Andy Whitmore
Andy Whitmore
Andy Whitmore is a British Keyboard Player and Record Producer from London, UK. He works from his own studio Greystoke studios in Ealing, West London. Whitmore has produced 14 UK top-ten Hits including "Flava" by Peter Andre and "I've Got A Little Something For You" by MN8...
. There were suggestions in the media that much of the information released by Mr Park was false, and simply to attract publicity for the single:
"His local newspaper, “The Wiltshire TimesWiltshire TimesThe Wiltshire Times is a weekly newspaper published in Trowbridge, Wiltshire in South West England. The paper serves the west Wiltshire towns of Bradford on Avon, Trowbridge, Corsham, Chippenham, Warminster, Westbury and Melksham as well as many of the small villages in the west Wiltshire...
” tell us it has given up trying to do any stories on this man. Apparently, their photographer has shown up at his house several times, unannounced, in hopes of catching him celebrating. Yet, Mr. Christmas has not even let him in the door. So what exactly is going on here? This might shed some light. His latest video for his latest Christmas single. And it is just about as bad as his Christmas sweater. So there it is Andy Park, media hustler. We're obviously outraged on behalf of ourselves and all other media giants who got even slightly taken in by this clown."— Keith OlbermannKeith OlbermannKeith Theodore Olbermann is an American political commentator and writer. He has been the chief news officer of the Current TV network and the host of Current TV's weeknight political commentary program, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, since June 20, 2011...
He claims that each day he eats breakfast (turkey sandwich and mince pies), then goes to work, until returning around at lunchtime to eat a full roast turkey dinner before watching a recording of the Queen's
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
Christmas speech
Royal Christmas Message
The Queen's Christmas Message is a broadcast made by the sovereign of the Commonwealth realms to the Commonwealth of Nations each Christmas. The tradition began in 1932 with a radio broadcast by George V on the British Broadcasting Corporation Empire Service...
, sherry in hand. In 2006, it was reported that the Queen had politely declined an invitation to broadcast her speech from his house.
In an interview published in 2006, Mr. Park was quoted as saying that, over the previous 13 years, he had consumed 4,380 turkeys (one a day), 87,600 mince pie
Mince pie
A mince pie, also known as minced pie, is a small British sweet pie traditionally served during the Christmas season. Its ingredients are traceable to the 13th century, when returning European crusaders brought with them Middle Eastern recipes containing meats, fruits and spices.The early mince...
s (20 a day), 2,190 pints of gravy (half a pint a day), 26,280 roast potatoes (six a day), 30,660 stuffing balls, 219,000 mushy peas
Mushy peas
Mushy peas are dried marrowfat peas which are first soaked overnight in water and then simmered with a little sugar and salt until they form a thick green lumpy soup. They are a traditional British accompaniment to fish and chips and sometimes mint is used as a flavouring...
, 4,380 bottles of champagne, 4,380 bottles of sherry
Sherry
Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the town of Jerez , Spain. In Spanish, it is called vino de Jerez....
and 5,000 bottles of wine. However, in 2001, he was warned by his doctor that the diet was affecting his health after his weight increased to 19 stones (120.7 kg).
He claims that, on the 25th December each and every year, he does not celebrate Christmas.
In the media
On 15 December 2007, in an interview on the BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
programme Saturday Live, Andy confirmed he was still celebrating every day.
On 25 November 2008, the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
reported he had to change his celebrations somewhat due to the credit crunch.
The Christmas 2008 episode of Have I Got News For You
Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
got contestants to find a picture of Andy on a sixpence inside a Christmas pudding
Christmas pudding
Christmas pudding is a pudding traditionally served on Christmas Day . It has its origins in medieval England, and is sometimes known as plum pudding or plum duff, though this can also refer to other kinds of boiled pudding involving dried fruit.-Basics:Many households have their own recipe for...
.
On 28 August 2009, Park appeared as a contestant on Ken Bruce
Ken Bruce
Kenneth Robertson Bruce is a British broadcaster known for his programme on BBC Radio 2, which is broadcast on weekdays from 9:30am until 12 noon.-Early life and career:...
's BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
quiz PopMaster
PopMaster
PopMaster is a popular music quiz on the Ken Bruce Show on BBC Radio 2. It usually takes place at around 10:30 a.m. on weekday mornings.-Structure:...
. He lost.
On Monday 21 December 2009 on BBC Three he was the butt of one of Russell Howard
Russell Howard
Russell Joseph Howard is an English comedian best known for his TV show Russell Howard's Good News and his appearances on the topical panel TV show Mock The Week...
's jokes on the Good News Xmas Special
On 22 December 2009, he appeared on talkSPORT
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
radio. He was a guest on the Ian Collins
Ian Collins (radio presenter)
Ian Collins is a British radio and television presenter & journalist. He was the presenter of The Late Show on national talkSPORT Radio. The show was non- sport and took a comedic/observational look at news & current affairs...
' Late Show to discuss his lifestyle.