Dad with surname Christmas who has birthday on Christmas Day and ex-girlfriend is called Merrie
MEET Alistair Christmas, whose birthday is on Christmas Day and ex-girlfriend is called Merrie.
Mr Christmas, a physiotherapist from Sherwood, Nottingham, says most people react with disbelief when they find out about his surname and that he was born on Christmas day.
The father-of-two, who is celebrating his 40th birthday today, says his name has caused many Christmas conundrums over the years - including an instance where a confused customer service adviser refused to deliver a parcel he had ordered.
When Alistair was 14 he even dated a girl called Merrie, but doubted marriage was on the cards.
Alistair, who works at Queen's Medical Centre, told the : "Mostly people act in disbelief. Every time someone asks me what I am doing for Christmas and I say celebrating my birthday they think it is a wind up.
"But having that surname and being born on Christmas Day has never been a negative. Even when I was at school. It has always been a positive thing.
"They just see you and look at you as if you were magic. You can see it in their eyes. It has washed over me but to them it is like they have just met Santa.
"I went out with a girl at school called Merrie – marriage certainly wasn't on the cards. It would have been unfortunate for her."
Being a real-life father Christmas is not always fun for Alistair however.
He explained how it often confuses people, especially when he has to give personal details over the phone.
"It has been a source of confusion for 40 years and amazement in some cases. I have argued over the phone before because people do not believe me when I have given my details to order things."
His parents, Patrick and Rosie Christmas, live in Bottesford. They also have another son, Peter, who was born in May.
Patrick, 70, said: "When he was born the story went all over the world - Singapore and New Zealand.
"It can be embarrassing sometimes - with a name like Christmas everyone remembers it. He was a late arriving actually.
"I went o visit my wife in hospital on Christmas Day and I went into the ward and a lady said she has given birth. I was not expecting him - but Rosie was."
A new addition to the Christmas family has arrived just in time for Christmas, and Alistair's birthday.
Three-week-old Ernest Christmas will join Alistair, he wife Anabel, 36, and his two-year-old daughter Agnes for the festive celebrations.