Christmas – Tan M Butler

This story by Ben Mantle isn’t as harmful as I’m about to make out, at it’s core it’s got a strong friendship based around what gift to get a best friend. But that is where I feel opposed to this book.

I’m not a fan of Christmas, I find it a hard time due to some grievances and with having a Christmas birthday you’ll never find me getting excited in September as it’s less than 100 til the big day. To me Christmas is NOT about the gifts at all but this book has a big emphasis on the bear getting stressed out about what to get his squirrel friend. He spends hours and hours trying to figure out the perfect gift and then making it. Can’t it be a story where the squirrel and bear decide it’s not about the gifts but about being in each other’s company? or what about giving gifts to those who actually need them?

In the end they both exchanged gifts and unfortunately it’s left a sour taste in my mouth. It’s a book that is currently on the way to a charity shop as I don’t want my children to grow up thinking that the ‘special time of year’ is about buying presents.

Am I too much of a scrooge or do you agree?