Booky Advent Calendar Day 18 - 18th December 2013: "Father Christmas (40th Anniversary Edition)" by Raymond (Bloomin') Briggs (Puffin Books)

Good bloomin' lord! Can you believe that "Father Christmas" is 40 years old? There must have been something rather special pumped into the water supply in 1973 as so many brilliant and timeless children's books were first published that year ("The Tiger Who Came To Tea" also celebrated its 40th Anniversary this year, woohoo!)

From Raymond Briggs, the genius behind "The Snowman" - something that you can't quite imagine not being on telly over Christmas, comes this tale of a thoroughly bloomin' grumpy Santa and his preparations for his busiest day of the year.

The book doesn't use a lot of text or dialogue, but it's a brilliantly funny book nonetheless. Briggs has a gift for stunning comic timing, and "Father Christmas" has so many giggle-out-loud moments that we've always loved reading it at this time of the year, imagining the real St Nick struggling with his expanding waistline, his ever-increasingly large sack of presents, and of course his restless and fidgety reindeer.

The poor old fellah needs a holiday. Say, there's a good idea for a book...oh.


Charlotte's best bit: Why oh why, of all the great scenes in this, does she always think the bit where Santa is sitting on the loo is the best bit?

Daddy's Favourite bit: Santa's near miss with a jumbo jet. Bloomin' planes!