Remember how exciting it was to receive snail mail when you were little? Well, the 70-something resident Paddingtons are over the moon because recently somebear sent them a very special holiday book. Let the merrymaking begin! 🙂

Paddington’s Christmas Post, based on the original stories by Michael Bond and illustrated by R.W. Alley (HarperCollins UK, 2022), is a fun and festive interactive novelty picture book and a companion to Paddington’s Post (2019). It contains five envelopes for eager munchkins to open, as they read about Paddington doing his beary best to help the Browns get ready for Christmas.

As the story opens, Paddington hurries over to Portobello Market to see all the wonderful Christmas decorations and visit Mr Gruber. Over a steaming mug of cocoa, Paddington sadly tells him that he doesn’t have enough money to buy special Christmas gifts, even though he’d been saving up.

Wise Mr Gruber reminds him that there’s a lot of truth in the old saying, “It’s the thought that counts.” This gives Paddington a great idea.

Back at 32 Windsor Gardens, Paddington’s delighted to find mail from Aunt Lucy. It’s an advent calendar! He loves opening a new window each morning, even though the more he opens, the further away Christmas seems.

Not to worry. Paddington has no trouble passing the time by making his own Christmas cards, complete with marmalade stains. He then helps Jonathan and Judy bake Christmas cookies — oops! is something burning?

Not deterred in the least, Paddington offers to help Mr Brown decorate the Christmas tree and hang fairy lights, tinsel, holly, and crinkly paper bells all over the house. While everyone admires his hard work, Paddington hangs his smoky Christmas cookies on the tree.

Mustn’t forget to write a special letter to Santa. As per Mrs Bird’s suggestion, Paddington includes his Christmas Wish List: science kit, book of magic tricks, disguise outfit, xylophone, and of course, marmalade.

On Christmas Eve, Paddington mysteriously disappears into his room with a box of craft supplies, making everyone wonder what he’s up to. Hmmmm . . . .

Christmas morning, Paddington is astonished to discover that Santa has given him everything he wanted! Wow! But there’s even more to come. Mr Gruber has been invited to lunch, as it’s not only Christmas, but Paddington’s winter birthday (like all good bears, he has two every year — another in June). Mr Gruber gifts him with a beautiful scrapbook with his name on the cover — a place to record all his best adventures.

At last it’s time for Paddington to surprise the others with his presents. Mrs Bird, Mr Gruber and the Browns are all delighted by the jolly bear ornaments he’s made just for them. Before bed, Paddington writes Aunt Lucy again — he has to tell her how thrilled he is that Santa gave him “an enormous jar of homemade marmalade” — his favorite kind. And — that Mr Gruber was right; it’s the thought that counts. Of all the nice things that happened that day, he enjoyed giving his own presents best.

R.W. Alley has captured all the flurry, anticipation, and merriment of the season with his charming, emotive illustrations. I love following Paddington from spread to spread; Alley is brilliant at depicting every nuance of emotion through facial expressions and body language, endearing us to the marmalade-loving bear even more.

How sad Paddington looks as he tells Mr Gruber he doesn’t have enough money to buy special gifts! How intent and industrious while making his own Christmas cards (not an easy task if you have paws). How thrilled he is when opening his presents; how tickled while watching Mrs Bird open his gift to her!

It’s already an engaging, relatable story, but the added delight of those envelopes puts it over the top. Of course kids will love discovering what’s in each, whether the advent calendar, Paddington’s homemade snowman card, his letter to Santa, the adorable bear ornament, or his final letter to Aunt Lucy. Kids will be reminded of how fun and special it is not only to receive mail, but to reciprocate with handwritten letters of their own. In this day and age of email, letter writing has become a lost art.

Paddington’s Christmas Post checks all the right boxes when it comes to holiday themes: family togetherness, the joy of giving, kindness, goodwill, the satisfaction that comes with participating in preparations. Although his cards were smudged, his cookies burnt, and he struggled with wrapping paper, Paddington (ever the optimist), thinks his Christmas was just perfect, and can’t wait to celebrate it every year.

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🐻 A PADDINGTON CHRISTMAS TEA🎄

Basil, Cornelius, and the 70-something resident Paddingtons LOVED the story, especially the part about Paddington helping Jonathan and Judy bake Christmas cookies.

Naturally they wanted to bake some of their own to serve with tea. Where to find the right recipe? Paddington’s Cookery Book, of course! Did you know Paddington learned to cook from Mrs Bird (he even learned to make some dishes without marmalade)?

In the section of the cookbook called, Paddington’s Christmas Birthday Party, we found just the right recipe: Gingerbread Bears.

To spearhead the effort, we called in the Paddington chefs, who happily obliged, rolling out dough and cutting out little bears, then decorating them with silver balls for buttons. After baking them to a nice golden brown and letting them cool, they piped on the bears’ faces in white icing.

We served the gingerbread bears with our special Paddington London Breakfast Tea. Because it was Paddington’s birthday, we added a plate of mince pies, a yummy Christmas pudding (since he eats some in the story), and of course, marmalade sandwiches.

After this delicious feast, the bears wanted to read the story again (though there was a little tussle over who should open the envelopes). In the spirit of Christmas, they all took turns, acting suitably surprised each time.

Naturally, after rereading the story, they simply had to have more treats.

We hope you make some Gingerbread Bears for the holidays too. All the resident Paddingtons agree they are beary yummy. 🙂

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🎁 HOLIDAY BLOG BREAK 🎂

🐻 We wish you all a Beary Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year — and hope this holiday season, you send and receive LOTS of mail!! Do share Paddington’s Christmas Post with all your loved ones. See you in late January. 🙂

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PADDINGTON’S CHRISTMAS POST
by Michael Bond and R.W. Alley
published by HarperCollins UK (2022)
Interactive Novelty Picture Book for ages 3+, 48 pp.

♥️ Beary Exciting Note: R.W. Alley images in this post (and more) are available as signed watercolor and ink originals via R. Michelson Galleries. See all the items at the Paddington’s Christmas Post page!

PADDINGTON’S COOKERY BOOK: 40 Recipes to Get Your Paws Sticky!
by Michael Bond and R.W. Alley, recipes by Lesley Young
published by HarperCollins UK (2020)
Illustrated Cookbook for ages 9+, 96 pp.

♥️ More Paddington’s Cookery Book recipes at Alphabet Soup:

Apple Tarts (includes more info about the cookbook)

Bread and Butter Pudding with Marmalade

*R.W. Alley watercolor and ink originals from Paddington’s Cookery Book are available here.

♥️ Celebration of Michael Bond’s 90th Birthday + Ree Drummond’s Yogurt Marmalade Cake is here.

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“Things are always happening to me. I’m that sort of bear.” ~ Paddington Brown

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*Interior spreads text copyright © 1958-2022 The Estate of Michael Bond, illustrations © 2022 R.W. Alley, published by HarperCollins UK. All rights reserved.

**Copyright © 2023 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.