How Santa took the reins on our Muddy Matches first date | #DatingSanta

“Ah Santa, baby, you’ve barely touched it, as always.”

Mary Christmas cuts a bemused figure from the first minute we meet her to talk Muddy Matches, first dates and the wisest investment she has ‘ever’ made to message her Mr Claus.

A decorated tray of warm mince pies, a glass of sherry and a stray carrot lays by her feet. It’s a festive feast fit for a king but looks Christmas card pristine. “One bite, one sip…that’s all he ever takes these days. Who does that?”

“It’s like he does it on purpose to tease me.” she says, clearly frustrated at her husband’s inability to take more than a mouthful of anything she lovingly prepares all whilst managing an army of busy elves and ensuring the toy workshop runs at full capacity.

“He could at least encourage Blitzen to look up from swiping right on Tin-deer long enough to finish the carrot…”

And relax. Mary rolls her eyes, cusps her hands and settles back in her blanketed chair. She kickstarts its rockers into life. Back and forth; her reassuring happy rhythm ever since making the big move north to be with Kris, his reindeer, and the elves who hang on every command. We ease the tension somewhat as talk quickly turns to her first real life meeting with Kris after a messaging marathon with her ‘mutual match’ on Muddy Matches.

It was her first foray into online dating and one In which she quickly secured a first date with the man of her dreams on the UK’s leading country life dating website for remote and rural folk.

“Ah, twas the night before Christmas…” she fondly tells us. “I remember our muddy first date really well for so many reasons.” The earlier frustrations are now replaced with a glowing sense of Christmassy recall. She beams.

“We’d messaged back and forth quite a lot beforehand on Muddy Matches – just to get to know each other a bit more really. I couldn’t wait to get the ping of the email to say I had a new message awaiting me. I’d laugh to myself when the notification came through; then a little sing ‘Here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus lane’ before opening the email.

“Kris has seen me appear on the Connect feature and hadn’t really gotten around to reading my profile, even though I’d taken time to word it carefully, so he was intrigued to find out more about me.

“However, I knew instantly he was really my cup of tea. He’d been in my favourites list as a free member for a little while so when that email landed, well I was delighted.

“It’s the best £26 I’ve ever spent to subscribe and then be able to read what he said and then message him back!” she adds. We catch a twinkle in her eye. “Thankfully the message carried more than the standard ‘Hi’ or ‘Still awake?’ intros I have had elsewhere and he actually asked me questions about me. It was new, different and made for a solid start.”

Yes, it’s definitely a twinkle.

And when time came around to arrange a first date, well it was Kris who took the reins, inviting Mary for a sleigh ride.

“I think he thought I’d be impressed but, let’s be honest, the seven guys up front do all the hard graft. Kris just steers them really” she laughs. “I just liked his company though. He’s so fun to be around. We made reindeer food together (though he kept a special ingredient a secret from me) which then Donner and Dasher turned their noses up at and then we settled down to watch a ‘Christmas’ film. I’ve told Kris since that Die Hard is not a Christmas film!

“I had a sip or two of sherry just to calm the nerves. Kris was on the red and white stuff that has made him so popular but i liked that he was responsible; driving – so no drink.”

“Just being with him gave me goosebumps. I felt like a little girl on Christmas morning again. There was butterflies of anticipation and wide eyed excitement. That’s why I will never stop believing in what Muddy Matches do. Christmas is all about love and companionship and they helped me find that.”

“Who’d have thought online dating could be the answer to my Christmas wishes?”

Who’d have thought it indeed?

Have yourself a Muddy Little Christmas with Muddy Matches.
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