Father Christmas Goes on Holiday

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Told through a comic strip, with beautiful illustrations based on the houses that Raymond grew up in, this is a hilarious festive tale that has delighted children for generations. When a child recognizes him as Santa Claus, he decides that it is time to move on once more. After receiving his enormous hotel bill, Father Christmas is left without the means to travel to any further destinations and has to head home. Most residual distinctions between Father Christmas and Santa Claus largely faded away in the early years of the 20th century, and modern dictionaries consider the terms Father Christmas and Santa Claus to be synonymous.

Raymond Briggs: ‘I’m not a fan of Christmas. It’s all a great fuss about nothing.’ Photograph: Felix Clay/for the Guardian Plot [ edit ] A scene from the film, featuring the main characters of the 1982 film The Snowman based also on Raymond Briggs' original work.This sort of character was to feature repeatedly over the next 250 years in pictures, stage plays and folk dramas. Initially known as 'Sir Christmas' or 'Lord Christmas', he later became increasingly referred to as 'Father Christmas'. [9] Puritan revolution—enter 'Father Christmas' [ edit ] Sometimes the two characters continued to be presented as separate, as in a procession at the Olympia Exhibition of 1888 in which both Father Christmas and Santa Claus took part, with Little Red Riding Hood and other children's characters in between. [75] At other times the characters were conflated: in 1885 Mr Williamson's London Bazaar in Sunderland was reported to be a "Temple of juvenile delectation and delight. In the well-lighted window is a representation of Father Christmas, with the printed intimation that 'Santa Claus is arranging within.'" [76] Domestic Theatricals 1881 The film was dedicated to the late animator John McGuire. It was later released as part of a DVD bundle alongside The Snowman, before being released separately in subsequent home media releases. Hervey, Thomas Kibble (1836). The Book of Christmas: descriptive of the customs, ceremonies, traditions, superstitions, fun, feeling, and festivities of the Christmas Season. pp. 65. Austin, Charlotte (2006). The Celebration of Christmastide in England from the Civil Wars to its Victorian Transformation. Leeds: University of Leeds (BA dissertation). p.34. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016 . Retrieved 14 January 2016.

King, Josiah (1678). The Examination and Tryal of Old Father Christmas, together with his clearing by the Jury, at the Assizes held at the town of Difference, in the county of Discontent. London: H Brome, T Basset and J Wright. Archived from the original on 22 January 2013 . Retrieved 22 December 2012. The online transcript is from a later reprinting of 1686.

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This is a wonderful follow-up to the Father Christmas book. After working so hard on Christmas Eve, Father Christmas is ready for a well-earned holiday. He converts his sleigh into a camper van then sets off with his deer on holiday. But in each country he visits, he is soon spotted and has to move on. After spending time and enjoying too much food in France, Scotland and Las Vegas, it is soon time to head home. In 1991, Raymond Briggs's two books were adapted as an animated short film, Father Christmas, starring Mel Smith as the voice of the title character. Nashe, Thomas (1600). Summer's Last Will and Testament. Archived from the original on 12 January 2016 . Retrieved 12 January 2016.

Wanting to go somewhere warmer, Father Christmas flies to Las Vegas. Instead of continuing to sleep in his flying mobile home, Father Christmas stays at the Nero's Palace hotel. He is delighted that the hotel serves huge portions of French fries and has no shortage of ketchup. He makes use of many of the hotel's amenities, including its swimming pool, its casino and its theater where show girls dance. Old Christmass Returnd, a ballad collected by Samuel Pepys, celebrated the revival of festivities in the latter part of the century: "Old Christmass is come for to keep open house / He scorns to be guilty of starving a mouse, / Then come boyes and welcome, for dyet the chief / Plumb pudding, Goose, Capon, minc't pies & Roast beef". [26] 18th century—a low profile [ edit ] Our Christmas Corner. The Editor's Dream". Cheltenham Chronicle. Cheltenham. 24 December 1867. p.8. a b c Durston, Chris (December 1985). "The Puritan War on Christmas". History Today. 35 (12). Archived from the original on 15 January 2016 . Retrieved 14 January 2016. Barnett, Laura (16 December 2014). "How I made: Raymond Briggs on Father Christmas". The Guardian . Retrieved 10 August 2022.Hervey, Thomas Kibble (1836). The Book of Christmas: descriptive of the customs, ceremonies, traditions, superstitions, fun, feeling, and festivities of the Christmas Season. pp. 114–118. . Father Christmas and The Snowman take place in the same universe—both were written by the same author, and both television shorts were made by very similar production teams. It is suggested that this film takes place a year or so after The Snowman, as Father Christmas jokes to the boy "glad you could make it again; the party I mean, not your snowman”, which ultimately gives The Snowman a happy ending. The boy can also be seen wearing the scarf Father Christmas gave him in The Snowman. There is also a poster of the snowman in one of the rooms when Father Christmas is delivering presents. The snowman himself, or a facsimile thereof, can also be seen in Father Christmas' yard during the credits. Mel Smith would later reprise Father Christmas for The Snowman 's 20th anniversary opening.