I have a slight slant on Father Christmas as he changes politically through no fault if his own.
During the First World War when toys were obviously not imported from Germany, we had to do the best we could. Like the dolls we had to copy what children were used to, with varying degrees of success.
I’m illustrating the German and British visions of a candy container. One lifts up his robe where the sweets were hidden, the other stands on a sweetie box firmly showing a label printed with a bulldog and the message ‘British Made!’
This year our main decorating theme has been my Father Christmas collection. We happened to have a great niece and her Ukrainian/Russian boyfriend to lunch. I proudly showed him my marked ‘USSR’ turned wood with painted decorations carrying a basket of presumably goodies. Lev immediately said “that’s probably not Father Christmas as he was such a popular figure in Russia that Stalin disapproved. He abolished Father Christmas’ and invented Father Frost”! German candy container British candy container showing the ‘British Made – Toys & Games’ label British candy container USSR ‘Father Frost’