24 Dec 2023
We ask a different figure from the local community to choose 10 questions to answer from a list of 50. This time: It’s the man in red himself, taking a break ahead of the Christmas Eve madness to explain why St Albans is always on the nice list…
What’s your favourite St Albans pub?
Ho, ho, ho! There are just so many fine hostelries across the district that it’s hard to pick, but as I usually access properties via the chimney I’ll pluck for the one with the finest flue, and that has to be Ye Olde Fighting Cocks (and I still remember when it was built!).
Have you ever been arrested and if so for what?
Fortunately I seem to get away with what is effectively breaking and entering on a grand scale every December 24.
Do you speak any foreign languages?
Well I don’t like to brag, but yes, all of them, plus a number no longer widely used like Aramaic and Latin. I’m very widely travelled, and have been around rather a long time…
Wednesday or Saturday market?
I’m going to be rather controversial and say Wednesday, as there aren’t so many crowds so it’s easier to get around, especially when you’re trying to remain incognito as I prefer!
Have you ever had a nickname?
Why of course! There’s Saint Nick, Santa Claus, Kris Kringle, Agios Vassilis, Babbo Natale, Sinterklaas, das Weihnachtsmann, Kanakaloka, Père Noel, Dun Che Lao Ren… Wherever the spirit of Christmas can be found, you can be sure there’s a name for me!
What’s your favourite St Albans car park?
Anywhere I can park my sleigh really, which means the multi-storeys are ruled out. Keyfield Terrace is nice and out the way, but offers easy access to Cottonmill, so shall we say there?
What’s your worst habit?
Well I am rather partial to the odd mince pie and glass of brandy on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately for my waistline there are a lot of them left out for me. My magical constitution means my blood-alcohol level remains zero thankfully, so no drinking and flying!
What’s the first thing you do after you’ve woken up in the morning?
Give Mrs Claus a big kiss, stick the kettle on and check the elves are working hard and have cleaned out the reindeer dung.
Which three people, living or dead, would be your ideal dinner party guests?
Richard Curtis, who wrote probably my favourite Christmas film of all time, Jesus Christ, for starting me off in this line of work back in the Middle Ages, and Charles Dickens, for reviving interest in Christmas in Victorian England and shaping the themes attached to it.
What super power would you like to have?
Ho, ho, ho! I think I have rather a few already! I’m effectively immortal, I can squeeze down compressed spaces like Mr Fantastic and speed across the world like the Flash, I have the innate ability to tell if children have been naughty or nice, I possess a sack of presents which is bigger on the inside than the outside like the TARDIS, and I use flying reindeer for transportation! I’m not sure I have much call for any other powers on top of these!
