Neil Hannon: all I want for Christmas . . .

Last Christmas... [silence... more silence...] I don't remember!

Christmas starts... too early. Like doing this interview! 14 days before the event is enough. I like going out and getting stuck among the steaming shoppers.

I don't stress... about getting the right thing or trying to be too clever. It can backfire. It's all an excuse for shops to sell too much.

Christmas for me is all about... the tiny little butterflies you got as a child at the mere mention of the word. That innocent excitement. It's all a construct really. The Victorians invented it. But all tradition is made by someone I suppose. But once you have that one tiny moment, it's worth it.

Nobody ever buys me... music. I wonder why. I'd love the Complete Flanders and Swan. I get a lot of books, which is nice. Mostly about cricket or Manchester
United. I get a lot of ties and cravats too.

I really like... to go for a chilly wintery walk on Christmas morning.

The Duckworth Lewis Method (Neil Hannon and Thomas Walsh) have a fully seated Olympia Theatre show next Wednesday