Father Christmas

First edition of Raymond Briggs' grumpy Father Christmas.

First edition. 4to., original illustrated boards, dust jacket. London, Hamish Hamilton.

A lovely copy of Raymond Briggs popular story of a rather grumpy Father Christmas. In an interview for The Guardian in 2014 Raymond Briggs said of the story: “I’ve always enjoyed taking something that’s fantasy – like a bogeyman or Father Christmas – and imagining it as wholly real. Take Father Christmas. What do we know about him? Well, he’s got a white beard, so he must be quite old. He’s rather fat, so he probably likes his food. He’s got a red face and a red nose, so he probably likes his drink. And he’s been doing this dreadful job for donkey’s years: going out all night long, in all weathers. He’s sick to the back teeth of it: who wouldn’t be? So it follows, naturally, that he’s going to be grumpy.”

A near fine copy, with a short inscription to the front free endpaper, and area of rubbing to the price on the front flap.

Stock Code: 232980