General Chat

What my son wants to know is how he can get so quickly between all the different shopping centre Santa's grottos. We spent a morning shopping in Dartford last weekend and he kept bumping into things the whole time because he insisted on looking up at the sky constantly. He was sure that he would catch a glimpse of the sleigh as Santa arrived for his stint in the local department store. I told him he travels so fast he wouldn't see him - but he kept trying anyway. Result was 2 bruises on his face as he collided with a lamppost and the side of a market stall. Angela

Interesting John! My take on 'lying to the children' is that he does in fact exist - he is the one they go to see in Santa's Grotto! I LOVE SANTA!! Mandy :)

He was green a very long time ago - he has always been red to me too. I think I read that the the red father xmas originates in the 1920s but I may not be absolutely right on the date!!!! It just makes me mad that big businesses that make you fat and rot your teeth are so powerful that they can even alter a tradition as important as Christmas. Makes you look at the xmas advert for that particular drink (you know, the one with the very big and long lorry driving across country through snow to reach people in time for Christmas,) in a very different way doesn't it! Angela

Father Christmas became red with a campaign fron a well know ....very well known....soft drinks company. The original Father Christmas comes from Turkey....I am 50 + but still think of Santa as red and white ...brain washing or what?

When was Father Chrstmas green? sorry but I am nearing 50 and he has always been red, did I miss a green fella coming down my chimney?

Father Christmas in principle is most definitely not an anachronism. But it does worry/irritate me that the image of Father Christmas that we all know today - jolly fat man in red - is one created by the rich, global manufacturer of a sugar laden fizzy drink as part of an advertising campaign decades ago. I don't like branding of any kind anyway, but this I particularly hate. Before the ad campaign, I understand Father Christmas was dressed in green, and nowhere near so corpulent (obviously had not been made obese by the several spoons of sugar in each glass of the fizzy drink in question!!!!). Angela

Christine, I agree with you. I think we should keep Father Christmas. Lucia

Father Christmas is magic to children for a while - what does it bring to mind - shining faces and innocence - lets keep that in our children for even a short time before commercialism and greed take over

NO NO NO NO NO! There are enough 'traditions' disappearing as it is! Leave us something for goodness sake! Magsx

A slighty different debate. Is it wrong to lie? If so why do we lie to children about Father Christmas? He doesn't exist. How do children feel when they realise it wasn't true? Just a thought!!!

santa rules ...OK

You could call him Santa Claus or Papa Santa Sylvia xxx

keep Father Christmas!!!!!!!

for what it is worth he has been replaced by a miss christmas in the town where i live......how sad is that

Is it time he was replaced by Mother Midwinter or something else?