Festive nut Andy Park has celebrated Christmas EVERY DAY for the past 22 years and it’s finally driven him crackers.
He stuffs himself daily with 25 mince pies and a full turkey, watches the Queen’s Speech religiously at 3pm every afternoon, then opens prezzies he has sent himself after pulling crackers. Forty of them.
And Yule never believe how much he has spent since his obsession began in 1993. Brace yourself – £2MILLION.
While he can pull crackers he can’t pull a girlfriend because women run a mile when they see his house all trimmed up with tree, fairy lights and cards.
Now, after years of nagging from his daughter, 52-year-old Andy is pulling the plug on Christmas.
His festive fixation has wiped out his savings, left him at risk of losing his house in Melksham, Wilts, and is taking its toll on his health after he piled on 9st.
He’s shed 6st of that but doctors warn he is still at risk of heart disease .
Andy, an electrician and musician, said: “It’s going to be tough but I have to stop.
“My daughter says it’s ruining my life and I’ll end up penniless, obese and alone.”
He will give up his lifestyle on Boxing Day and hopes to find romance.
Andy said: “I haven’t had a girlfriend since this all started. I did go on a date a few years ago.
“It was all going well until I invited her back to my house. It was August and I had my decorations up.
“She made her excuses and left and I never heard from her again.
“It’s also had an effect on my work.
“I’m self-employed, but I’ll admit I’ve turned down jobs because I have to watch the Queen’s speech the same time every day.
“I have them from the last 20 years, but 1997 is my favourite. It brings a tear to my eye – so poignant as we’d just lost Diana.”
Andy, who split from daughter Carrie-Anne’s mum Pauline in 1989, began his daily celebrations on July 14, 1993, after telling a customer how much he loved Christmas.
He said: “I got home and put my decorations up.
“It made me so happy. I put on a recording of the Queen’s Speech and toasted her with champagne.
“I had a huge turkey dinner. I enjoyed it so much I did it all the next day and the day after.”
Andy splashed out on £500-worth of decorations. And Top of the Pops Christmas specials became another daily ritual.
Then he started buying himself presents – designer shirts, flashy guitars, even a penny farthing. His most extravagant purchase was a £26,000 Mercedes 350. He put the number plate MR XMAS on it.
Andy’s gifts have cost £800,000, food £650,000 and champagne – always a glass for the Queen’s Speech – £109,000.
Crackers cost £80,000, trees £7,000, decorations £35,000 and cards £110,000. And a huge £260,000 went on electricity for the lights.
His lifestyle was financed by profits from his business, a house sale and royalties from songs released on a festive website.
Andy finally saw sense after being moved on five times by police while busking in Bath to finance his Christmas treats.
He said: “My daughter told me I was mad and I had to stop before I was left with nothing. It seems I don’t have a choice.”
Carrie-Anne, 30, said of her dad’s decision: “I’m relieved. His diet is bad and the money is ridiculous. At school I got called Santa’s daughter and I hated it.”
The question is will Andy suffer withdrawal symptoms? He’ll find out in six days’ time . . . when he goes cold turkey.
[Source:-mirror]