The Untold Story of Father Christmas

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It explains the role of the Post Office in helping Santa to reply to children in the UK every year. Often when a book is released in association with an existing attraction, the results can be a little disappointing. But not so for “The Untold Story of Father Christmas” which had my children absolutely spell-bound. The earliest example of such a letter was in 1896, and a few years later the Post Office was dealing with thousands of letters. Nonetheless, the English still faced a challenge. The masses had their own hero in the form of Father Christmas, and they were initially unsure of who Santa Claus was.

Mills' book illustrations are included in the collections of Keene State University, University of Connecticut at Storrs, and the Mazza Collection, Finlay, Ohio. In the 15th century a personality that can be likened to Father Christmas first appeared in a carol. The song tells of ‘Sir Christëmas’ sharing the news of the birth of Christ and urging everyone to “ Make good cheer and be merry“. You see, Elves are only able to prosper if people, especially children, believe in wishes and magic, allowing the Northern Lights to fill with magic and the Elves to be able to soak it in. As children have been believing less, they feel these humans have started helping them, giving them wishes and hope. The Elves then decide to help Father Christmas and his wife so that he can get all of the toys done in time, by building them a toy makers area in Lapland and inviting him there.

How old is Father Christmas?

Two years afterwards, Clement Clark Moore embellished the legend further in his poem ‘The Night Before Christmas’. This version of Santa was very different to the others, and he was now a ‘right jolly old elf’ with old clothes damaged by soot and ashes. He also had dimples, twinkling eyes, and a white beard. An article in Rivington’s Gazetteer in 1773, reported that the anniversary of St Nicholas – also known as ‘St a Claus’ – was being celebrated. By the end of the 19th century, Punch magazine had depicted two versions of the gift giver extraordinaire. ‘Father Christmas not-up-to-date’ was an outdated figure focused solely on festive food, while ‘Father Christmas up-to-date’ was a modern, car-driving figure delivering fun toys. The English Father Christmas had now almost completely evolved into the American Santa Claus in all but name. The mass production of cards during the Victorian era helped to spread the festive spirit far and wide. After the Restoration in 1660, Father Christmas reappeared and became a mainstay of stage plays for the next 200 years.

Here’s another great YouTube video this time from Mythology with Mike, that tries to unravel the link between St Nicholas, Sinterklaas and Santa. There is even a reference to Odin who some say is the real source of the Santa tradition.

Letters to Father Christmas

For example, one child would be ‘Carol’ and another would be ‘Mince Pie’. Father Christmas didn’t bring gifts but his one son was called ‘New Yeares Gift’ and brought with him an ‘Orange, a sprig of Rosemarie’ and a ‘coller of gingerbread’ and a ‘bottle of wine on either arme’. The book called “The Untold Story of Father Christmas” has been written by the husband and wife team who created the Lapland UK experience in the Crown Estate Forest near Ascot in Surrey in 2007. By modern standards, the Grinch – a modern day fictional character who hates Christmas – is relatively tame in comparison with the likes of the ‘Old Man Whipper’ and no-one gets kidnapped today. The family behind the wonderful Christmas attraction Lapland UK have weaved their magic once again in a new book for children. And it feels somehow as timeless as its subject.