Postman Pat's
  Magic Christmas    (2003)
  
   producers:  Cosgrove Hall Films
                      for Entertainment Rights
   animation:  stop-motion animation
      run time:  25mins

 
    "I'm trying to get to Greendale. I've got some
     business to attend to there!"
 

    It's Christmas Eve and Postman Pat's rather excited. He's going to surprise the
    folks at tonight's Christmas party by dressing up as Santa Claus. But - Ssh! - it's
    all a big secret right now. Pat takes his big secret to work with him, whilst
    his family speculates about tonight's "surprise guest". Sarah gets in a
    muddle with her baking, Jess gets his paws in the flour and Julian writes
    a letter to Santa asking for some Christmas snow.

    "Oh, I wish it would snow.
     Then Christmas would be perfect!"

    En route from the Post Office, with his van stuffed with Christmas parcels
    and cards, Pat bumps in to a jolly bearded visitor, who appears like magic,
    in the middle of a lane. The chap hides his Christmas hat and accepts
    Pat's offer of a lift to Greendale. That is, if he doesn't mind going on Pat's
    rounds with him first?

    And so it is that Pat and his Mysterious Visitor tour Greendale together.
    Back home, Pat's wife Sarah continues to bake her party cake (with a few
    interruptions from Jess). And Julian plays with his school friends. In the
    absence of any snow, he goes sledding on grass, thanks to his pal Bill
    who puts skateboard wheels on his sledge. And the gang proceed to
    build a snowman scarecrow.

    As for Pat and his pal, they meet Ted and Mr Pringle putting lights up on
    the hall, and they drive around the village delivering mail. In spite of numerous 
    hints from his guest, and even a sprinkling of Yuletide magic to speed up
    the deliveries, Pat's still none the wiser about his identity. The chap stays
    long enough to help get his Van out of a rather muddy patch before he
    disappears again. Oh, but there's no time to ponder, because the
    sun's going down and Pat's going to be late for the party...
    
    Come the evening, everyone's delighted when the surprise guest reveals
    himself. It's Santa Claus, and he's got presents and laughter for everyone!
    Everyone, that is, except for Pat who bursts in rather late and under
    dressed, just as Santa departs. He's so sorry for the delay. But no one
    believes him. They think it's a ruse. But if that man wasn't Pat, it must
    be... It couldn't be...?

    Of course it is!

    This Christmas Special is thin on plotting, but it's packed with charm. And
    as you'd expect, there's lots of lovely Greendale detail to enjoy. Pat's house
    has pictures on every wall. The Clifton's fridge has drawings of Mr Pringle,
    Jess and Pat's red van, Blu-taked on the door. And if you squint you
    can even see Julian's school report pinned to the kitchen noticeboard.
    This house feels so cosy and lived in. The set dressing is remarkable.
    Mind you, that same detail leaves the film makers open to scrutiny,
    as those Greendale Glitches will attest!

    As with the previous special, we might have hoped for a little more
    magic with the presentation. Why couldn't we have a filmic theme
    instead of those generic opening credits? But really, this is just
    nitpicking for nitpicking's sake. Pat has a magic day, and there's a
    lovely end scene where Santa shows up in his very own home, and he
    leaves some Christmas snow for Julian - to make his Christmas
    just perfect...

 

    

    Santa who?

     Pat's a clever Postman, and as his son Julian points out, he seems
     to know everything. But it seems he wouldn't know Santa if he poked
     him in the eye. How many clues does he need?

     » A jolly, white-beared stranger appears in the middle of a country
         lane, on Christmas Eve.

     » Pat offers him a lift, if he doesn't mind coming on his rounds?
        "It'll be nice to see how it's usually done!" says the stranger.

     » Does the stranger get out here often? - "No" he says, "only once
       a year".

     » Hmm, our stranger has known Ted Glen and Jeff Pringle since
         they were little boys.

     » Oh look, our stranger has magically sorted the parcels and letters
         in Pat's red van. And what's this? He's delivering them magically, too!

     » Poor Pat's van gets stuck in the mud. He's not a good driver, but
         neither is our stranger, who says he once slid off a roof!

     » Now the stranger lets him borrow some familar fur-topped boots,
         just before he disappears again. But Pat still can't make the
         connection!

 

    Singalong-a-Simon

     Simon Woodgate furnishes the film with a jolly jingling score. And he
     presents us with the titular song "Magic Christmas", which plays
     over a moivie montage, mid-way through, as Pat and You-Know-Who
     get all the letters and packages sorted and delivered...

    "It's a magical Christmas (Christmas delivery),
     It's a Magical Christmas (In Greendale)..."
                        
        - Magical Christmas by Simon Woodgate

 

    Greendale Glitches

    » Greendale still has it's share of problem clocks. At the start of the
        film, Pat enters the kitchen and tells his wife that he'd better get on,
        he's got lots of extra parcels and letters to deliver in time for Christmas.
        Behind him, his wall clock says it's already 11 o'clock. But when he
        finally gets to the Post Office, the clock there says it's only 7.30.

    » When the boys discover Jess' floury pawprints in Julian's bedroom,
        we see a pink-haired gonk in a green box, sitting to the left of his desk.
        The next moment, as they sneak around the bed, the same gonk in
        the same box is sitting to the right of a wardrobe - spooky, eh?

    » Pat and his new pal stop by the school to give some letters to
       Ted and Jeff Pringle. Then we enter the "Magical Christmas" montage,
       during which we see Pat's pal magically sorting the van. And in the
       midst of the muddle is a letter, clearly addressed to Ted Glen - Oops!
    
 

    Broadcast info

    "Postman Pat's Magic Christmas" made its home video premiere prior
     to any tv broadcast. In the UK, the film launched on DVD/VHS as a
     double-bill with "Postman Pat and the Greendale Rocket"
     on 10th November 2003.

     The film subsequently premiered on BBC2, on Christmas Eve 2004.

 

    based on the original series written by John Cunliffe

    based upon the original television series
    designed and produced by Ivor Wood