Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 Not exactly traditional... December 22, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I bought this book along with 7 others on the subject of Christmas and Santa Claus. I intended to make it one of our bedtime story books, my kids are 4 and 2.
After just 2 pages I regretted having bought this book.
I agree that it is illustrated quite well, but my complaint is more to do with how Santa Claus is portrayed. My kids like to see a friendly Santa and one that also has the more traditional stuff about him - North Pole, 8 reindeer, Mrs Claus, elves and the like - you get none of that with this book I'm afraid.
Santa Claus as portrayed in this book is mostly a miserable looking so and so, look at the cover, that's about as good as it gets. Santa's utterances are pretty much all complaints 'bloomin weather' 'bloomin snow' 'bloomin rain' 'bloomin chimneys' - the only time Santa looks really happy in the book is when he's downing Cognac - which he seems to do an awful lot of !
I had to improvise so much in this book to reconcile with the more traditional Santa stories I'd been reading to my kids. Among others I bought were The Snowman (which is fantastic), The Night before Christmas by Moore/Birmingham (every home should have one), Christmas Stories (a little unusual but great fun) and A Very Snowy Christmas (my kids favourite). All of these books are much loved and you just can't follow them with this Father Christmas by Briggs.
This is my first ever Amazon review. I thought I would revisit exactly what people had to say about this book to see what I was missing, I cannot agree with the other positive reviewers I'm afraid. I'm sorry to be cynical but the only reviews I think I would trust 100% would be those from 'real name' comments, then take your pick !
It feels very strange having to criticise a Santa Claus book, but this really is not at all for little kids expecting a traditional jolly Santa Claus figure. It may well be my desire to give traditional stories that comes across here but the reactions of my 4 year old and even 2 yr old tell me that this is one to forget unfortunately, especially after reading the aforementioned books, I'm just amazed that all the other reviews are so positive, it must surely be for older kids ???
 Pure Christmas Magic December 7, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is a wonderful christmas however old you are! It is my son's first christmas this year, and I have just bought this to read to him, as he loves having stories read to him. I have both the Snowman and Father Christmas in this format, and the gorgeous pictures taken directly from the film are beautiful, and the words are fantastic, and it is so easy to read. Any child will love having this lovely christmas tale read to them, and I am sure parents will adore reading it to their little ones, watching their faces when they hear about what Father Christmas gets up to on Christmas Eve!
A favourite in my family for years November 14, 2006
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
An ordinary every day Father Christmas who has an outside loo and says things like "bloomin' Christmas" , bloomin' reindeer", bloomin' cat". Beautifully drawn and the story of Father Christmas is sensitively handled and yet it is very very funny. Our favourite bit is at the end where he sits down and opens his own presents and discards the socks (who doesn't!) given to him by one relative but appreciates the bottle of cognac. "Ah, that's more like it. Good old Fred"!. A lovely down to earth simple story enjoyed by all ages. I used to read it to my children and now I am reading it to my grandchildren.
A wonderul Christmas book to share with a young child November 25, 2001
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
My young daughters and I loved this book when they were small. The "comic book" format is such fun, and Father Christmas depicted as a very normal sort of guy on an unusual mission is such a treat. The book follows Father Christmas from his awakening on Christams eve morning and follows him through his normal routine of bathroom and pet care and dressing and preparing the reindeer. It goes all the way through his stopping at various homes and grumbling about the weather and sees him safely home and enjoying his own Christmas dinner and gifts. It has almost no words, but thia was a favorite bedtime read aloud book as we talked about what was going on in each picture. I found it droll and amusing as an adult, and my girls loved it.
A great film that's become a christmas tradition November 12, 2000
9 out of 13 found this review helpful
From the first time i watched this great film on television i loved it, it's a funny twist on father christmas, he's a grumpy old man with a heart of gold. Fun for all ages
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