It is fair to say that something is always happening at Santa’s home; from naming day parties, experimental toys or playful and mischievous reindeer, something is always happening. Whether it’s little Oscar sneaking down to Santa’s fridge for an extra bowl of his magical ice cream which is sprinkled with fairy dust and seems to glow and say to Oscar, “eat me, eat me now”. Then there are the tricks Rudolf gets up to so he can get a few extra carrots, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, completely forgetting about the side effects of exceptionally smelly botty burps that lots of Brussels sprouts and cabbage give the reindeer. Then there are the mishaps in Santa’s toy workshop such as when a young apprentice elf decides to put some of Santa’s magic flying dust for his sleigh on a toy airplane she has made. The airplane goes on a flight around Santa’s workshop, stables and home causing all sorts of trouble, particularly in Santa’s kitchen where cook is in the middle of making one of Santa’s favourite ice creams, raspberry ripple, where the raspberries seem to swim the ripple saying, “catch me if you can”. And what about the efforts that the young elves get up to in finding out if they are in Santa’s good or naughty book? And then there’s the book containing all the good children’s names along with the presents they have waiting for them at Christmas.
The author left school at 16 to start a joinery apprenticeship, and after 15 years pursued a career in a further education college teaching wood occupations to apprentices. After early retirement, he undertook the writing of several joinery books, and has now moved into children’s books of which this is the first. When not writing, most of his time is spent fishing and walking two spaniels, while still doing a little joinery when the occasion arises.