Customer Reviews

The Hundred Year Christmas - Signed - 1 / 1000

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In 1983 David Morrell (best known for creating Rambo as well as other great spy and action novels) decided to write a Christmas tale that was different to 99 percent of the normal Christmas tales. Not sure how many times that short story made publication but I first came across it in a various top author adult fiction short story collection called Christmas Magic. It was one of the best stories in that book. Even though it is an adult tale, there was nothing violent or that followed any other adult themes not appropriate for children in the story so I'm sure, just read out loud from the book it was read to many children over the decades. No wonder someone said, hey you know this would make a great picture book. Cortney Skinner's illustrations were added and in 2009 a picture book of the timeless story was put into print.

Basic setting of the Hundred Year Old Christmas adds Father Time to the North Pole Clause residency. Basically when Santa is signed up as a normal everyday human in the real world by the current Santa he then takes on a job that last for exactly 100 years. At the end of that 100 year term on Christmas Eve he must follow a path up a hill where what happens to him he does not know. A new Santa that he has recruited will take over delivering the presents that night and for the next 99 years. Santa is forbidden from going over the hill during his time as Santa, but can walk partway up with Father Time on each New Years Eve whose employment lasts only one year, Father Time then goes over the hill on his own. When Santa returns to his house there will always be a baby waiting, this is the new Father Time, Santa must care for him as a baby and raise him into adult hood, teaching him how important it is to turn a giant hour glass each 24 hrs otherwise time will stop and the world will end. The plot of this story takes up with Santa saying goodbye to the latest Father Time and returning home to the final baby he will have to raise and teach. This is Santa's final year and he needs to find a replacement. However the new Father Time is a bit incompetent and unreliable. Santa has had to flip the hour glass himself once already since Father Time forgot. He doesn't know if he can trust Father Time to flip the hour glass when he must travel to civilization and search for his replacement. Add to that the problem that the world has become a more selfish place than the one he left behind almost 100 years ago and Santa and the future of not just Christmas but life on earth is in great jeopardy.

The story is a little predictable which may actually be a factor that benefits it more in a children's picture book format. The Hundred Year Christmas paints a darker, lonelier, lot less exciting life for Santa than your traditional Christmas Santa tale does but this is no way means it's not a great story.

This isn't the only Christmas story Morrell's written over the years. You might also want to check out the adult fiction novel The Spy Who Came for Christmas. If you like big name author's writing Children's picture books also check out Dean Koontz' Santa's Twin.

It's a beautiful tale about Christmas.
You'll read it in a single sitting.
The intrigue and the illustrations are superb !
I've only one advice : hurry to purchase it before the last one is sold !

I loved this story, it is a new take on Santa's role in the annual calendar, skillfully written, and beautifully illustrated. As an adult I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading it to my grandchildren.