From LaplandUK, this video helps explain how Father Christmas is a staple of our festive celebrations. 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. As Christmas became more focused on family and children during the Victorian era, a new kind of Father Christmas emerged. This version was less about drinking, feasting, and making merriment and more about giving gifts to children.

Santa had been ‘invented’ by New Yorkers who had in turn been inspired by their Dutch neighbours. He was then embraced by Victorians searching for a family-friendly tradition to share at Christmas. Johnson’s character appeared in old-fashioned clothes, sported a long thin beard and was accompanied by several of his children, each personifying a tradition from the period. It was playwright Ben Johnson who crafted a yuletide performance for the royal court in 1616 that portrayed Father Christmas for the first time as an old man and a father. Moore’s poem, which he was initially hesitant to publish due to the frivolous nature of its subject, is largely responsible for our modern image of Santa Claus as a “right jolly old elf” with a portly figure and the supernatural ability to ascend a chimney with a mere nod of his head! Although some of Moore’s imagery was probably borrowed from other sources, his poem helped popularize the now-familiar image of a Santa Claus who flew from house to house on Christmas Eve in “a miniature sleigh” led by eight flying reindeer to leave presents for deserving children. “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas” created a new and immediately popular American icon.As Santa’s legend continued to spread, the imagination of generations of artists and writers added to the story. Through the Victorians’ reinvention of Christmas, Father Christmas has maintained his place as a popular figure, albeit one that is now interchangeable with Santa Claus. For many, Santa Claus and Father Christmas are different names for the same man. There are, however, some historical and cultural differences. 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. 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 Untold Story of Father Christmas is one that feels very well written and thought out, with beautiful notes of hope, working together, and ensuring that the magic of Christmas is still there. The book itself is beautiful too. The silver trim feels magical, and the pictures within the book look like they’ve been passed down from generation to generation. It’s a lovely Christmas story to read with your little one, especially if they are curious about how Father Christmas came to be and how he found a bunch of Elves to help him! 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“. From Saint Nicholas to the jolly old elf, we know and love today, Santa has evolved over the centuries. And then Father Christmas met Santa Claus …In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore, an Episcopal minister, wrote a long Christmas poem for his three daughters entitled “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas,” more popularly known as “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas.” 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. Today, Santa Claus remains the dominant symbol of Christmas all around the world, thanks to his origins as a character created by New Yorkers and his subsequent rise to popularity worldwide. oooOooo The Untold Story of Father Christmas How a toymaker became a father to children around the world? The earliest example of such a letter was in 1896, and a few years later the Post Office was dealing with thousands of letters.