Since launching in the summer, I Work in Town has interviewed some of the city’s most interesting, intelligent, and irreverent spirits.
However, that all pales into insignificance with today’s guest. In a world exclusive — perhaps the apex of this journalist’s career — we have him.
Mr Christmas. The big man. Old Saint Nick. That’s right — we have managed to speak to Santa Claus himself.
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Despite having a packed schedule of organising the elves, feeding reindeer, and managing public appearances at grottos across the land, Father Christmas managed to make time for the Manchester Evening News. He was meeting children — both naughty and nice — at Escape To Freight Island when the MEN managed to catch him.
So, in a special I Work in Town, here’s what Christmas means to Santa, in his own words.
What’s your favourite part of Christmas?
My favourite part of Christmas is seeing all the children happy. And all the adults, too!
I tell everybody to smile at Christmas to make everybody else happy. That’s the most important thing.
What’s your favourite view of Greater Manchester at Christmas?
The old reindeer, belting about, down in Stockport.
Where’s best to go for your Christmas dinner?
Let’s see. That’s tricky. It would have to be the Ice Palaces in northern China.
I love it around there, it’s really good. A lot of my friends go there — I was actually talking to some of them from China yesterday who had been there.
Where would you take someone to show them the real Christmas, anywhere in the world?
I’d pick any city in this country, [because then I could] show them that the children here have all got things to do — like making sure that everyone has food, and checking on neighbours, and topping up food banks — that’s one of my priorities.
What are the five ideas that best describe the spirit of Christmas?
Sharing, caring — like visiting older people to make sure they’re okay — making sure people have enough food to eat, and checking in on neighbours. We do a lot of that.
Your favourite Christmassy city pub or restaurant in Manchester is…?
I like going down to Didsbury actually!
Who is your favourite Christmas ‘character’?
It would have to be old Rudolph, wouldn’t it? I have to keep him as my priority — otherwise he sulks.
Does he sulk?!
Sulks and strops! He can be a bit of a diva.
What’s the one thing you’d change about Christmas if you could…
It’s what you make of it. It’s different for everyone — I think most people are involved in making sure others are sorted out. That’s my priority.
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