Everyone at Spark Accountants sends their very best wishes for a merry Christmas and happy new year to all customers, suppliers and partners. Here’s a bit of festive fun from Spark’s staff …

What is the first Christmas you remember?

• Will Parkes, trainee account controller: Christmas 2007, my brother and I got a Wii as a shared present, so we had all the family over to play on Wii sports.
• Emily Smith, senior account controller: Not sure which year it was, but I remember the lovely Christmas-y smell of our real Christmas tree.
• Lewis Callaghan, account controller: When I was around six, so in 2005, when we had our first dog. One to remember.
• Zach Sahin, trainee account controller: Christmas 2014 – I remember Christmas’s before, but this is the first year specifically remembered.
• Carrie Sweet, payroll controller: The one memory of Christmas that sticks out in my head is when I was about seven or eight and my sister pulled the Christmas tree on top of me!
• Josh Dovey, trainee account controller: I remember being in primary school rehearsing and performing our school nativity so it must have been mid 2000s. I think I was playing a shepherd (hard to remember)!
• Matt Smith, operations director: 1982 … I got a Lego castle and I’ve still got it!
• Phil Burnell, managing director: 1986, when I got a He-Man sword for Christmas and could walk to my Grandma’s house after breakfast!
• Luise Dobson, client manager: Probably being taken outside on Christmas day to see my new Wendy house!

Best Christmas present ever?

• Will: VIP Red Panda Experience at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.
• Emily: I’ve had some nice jewellery – a couple of bracelets that I really love.
• Lewis: My first set of golf clubs – where it all began.
• Zach: 2014 PS4 – still works well after eight years, even if it sounds like an airplane getting ready to take off!
• Carrie: Family time.
• Josh: Probably the first FIFA I got for the Nintendo DS I had at the time. I think it was FIFA 08 and I played it non-stop.
• Matt: My Sinclair Spectrum 128K – my first ever computer!
• Phil: Snooker table Father Christmas bought me when I was nine!
• Luise: The Wendy house, built for me by my Dad.

Worst pressie given/received?

• Will: A pair of socks that were too big as they were meant for my older brother.
• Emily: Tea towels!
• Lewis: My grandma bought me a hammer and nails and said it may come in use some day!
• Zach: Socks
• Carrie: My mom bought me coat hangers and a shoe rack.
• Josh: At secondary school I had my mate for Secret Santa in our maths class and got him a grow your own plant in a box, as he got it me the year before.
• Matt: Paid for my wife’s car to be MOT’d and serviced!
• Phil: Hairdryer – it’s a touchy subject.
• Luise: A pair of charm earrings, without any charms – so essentially just two bits of wire.

Favourite Christmas song?

• Will and Emily: Fairytale of New York.
• Lewis: Wouldn’t say I have a fave, but the one I hear on the radio the most is Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You.
• Zach and Josh: Happy Xmas (War Is Over).
• Carrie: Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You.
• Matt: Jona Lewie – Stop the Cavalry.
• Phil: Wham! Last Christmas.
• Luise: Christmas Wrapping – The Waitresses.

Favourite Christmas food?

• Will: Mince Pies.
• Emily: Chocolate Yule log.
• Lewis, Josh, Matt and Phil: Pigs in blankets.
• Zach: Main Christmas dinner.
• Carrie: Sprouts!
• Luise: Eggnog – not technically a food, I know, but it does have eggs (obviously).

Worst Christmas food?

• Will: Brandy Sauce.
• Emily, Lewis, Zach and Phil: Sprouts!
• Carrie: Pigs in blankets.
• Josh: I always leave the Bounty bars in the box of Celebrations!
• Matt: Boiled potatoes.
• Luise: Trifle – there is no need for that combination of textures in one dish.

New year’s resolution?

• Will: Get back into cycling and running.
• Emily: To do more exercise…it won’t happen 😉
• Lewis: Eat less Pringles.
• Zach: Make a perfect start to Kaplan [financial training].
• Carrie: To go back to the gym!
• Josh: Try and get back into running, then complete a long-distance run, as I did loads in lockdown not really since.
• Matt: Spend more time with the family.
• Phil: To get back on my bike!
• Luise: Never bother making them.