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The Christmas Chronicles
How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas
In How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas , Jeff Guinn combines solid historical fact with glorious legend to deliver another heartwarming holiday book for the whole family.
It's 1620 and Mrs. Claus's dear husband is off in the New World planting the seeds of what will become a glorious Christmas tradition. Meanwhile, Mrs. Claus has chosen to stay in England, where the first signs of a dangerous threat to Yuletide cheer are in evidence. The Puritans have gained control of Parliament and appear determined to take all the fun out of Christmas. But Mrs. Claus knows that it's time for serious action when, in 1647, a law is passed by Parliament that actually punishes anyone who celebrates Christmas. Using as its springboard the actual events of a day in 1647 when ten thousand peasants marched through the streets of Canterbury demanding their right to celebrate a beloved holiday, How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas is rich in historical detail, adventure, and plain ol' Christmas fun.
It's 1620 and Mrs. Claus's dear husband is off in the New World planting the seeds of what will become a glorious Christmas tradition. Meanwhile, Mrs. Claus has chosen to stay in England, where the first signs of a dangerous threat to Yuletide cheer are in evidence. The Puritans have gained control of Parliament and appear determined to take all the fun out of Christmas. But Mrs. Claus knows that it's time for serious action when, in 1647, a law is passed by Parliament that actually punishes anyone who celebrates Christmas. Using as its springboard the actual events of a day in 1647 when ten thousand peasants marched through the streets of Canterbury demanding their right to celebrate a beloved holiday, How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas is rich in historical detail, adventure, and plain ol' Christmas fun.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
84 people are currently reading
1259 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Guinn
30 books730 followersJeff Guinn is a former journalist who has won national, regional and state awards for investigative reporting, feature writing, and literary criticism.
Guinn is also the bestselling author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction including, but not limited to: Go Down Together: The True Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde (which was a finalist for an Edgar Award in 2010); The Last Gunfight: The Real Story of the Shootout at the O.K. Corral - and How It Changed the West; Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson; and The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple.
Jeff Guinn is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters, and the Texas Literary Hall of Fame. He appears as an expert guest in documentaries and on television programs on a variety of topics.
Guinn lives in Fort Worth, Texas.
Guinn is also the bestselling author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction including, but not limited to: Go Down Together: The True Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde (which was a finalist for an Edgar Award in 2010); The Last Gunfight: The Real Story of the Shootout at the O.K. Corral - and How It Changed the West; Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson; and The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple.
Jeff Guinn is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters, and the Texas Literary Hall of Fame. He appears as an expert guest in documentaries and on television programs on a variety of topics.
Guinn lives in Fort Worth, Texas.
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December 3, 2025
Part of my annual re-reads!
This holiday season, I discovered a gem in Jeff Guinn’s Autobiography of Santa Claus, which provided me with some wonderful context of all things related to St. Nicholas and Christmas. In this follow-up piece, Guinn tuns his sights on Layla, also known as Mrs. Claus, who played a central role in the aforementioned book, but also has her own story.
In the opening section of this book, Guinn backs up much of what was outlined in the autobiography, as well as laying the backstory for Layla. After being left a great deal of money when her parents died in the late 4th century, Layla decided to take up offering gifts to the less fortunate children, where she encountered Nicholas and Felix—his sidekick—in a most interesting manner. After agreeing to work together, she and Nicholas grew closer before falling in love. Their efforts, soon supported by an ever-growing group of helpers, continued for many years, as Nicholas and Layla honed their skills and focused attention on certain nights around the world.
While much of Europe had come to accept Christmas, there was a move away from its acceptance at the end of the Tudor dynasty in Britain, tied specifically to the squabbles between the Catholics and Protestants. As ships sailed to the New World, Puritans began setting up colonies in American, leaving Nicholas to decide there was a need for his presence there, ensuring the Christmas spirit made its mark.
Layla stayed back in Britain, where Parliament and Charles I were at odds over governing, putting Christmas in jeopardy. Puritans in Parliament were led by Oliver Cromwell, who interacted regularly with Layla. While Layla sought to keep Christmas special in Britain, Cromwell sited that it was only a means of justifying drunkenness and debauchery, two things the Puritans could not abide.
Meanwhile, some of the others in the group began creating a new-fangled sweet, a peppermint confection that left a buzz on the tongue. When news arrived that Layla was atop the list of Puritan traitors, she was ushered off to Canterbury for safe keeping. Still, the English Civil War raged on and Christmas was soon banned by legislation. Layla sought to promote Christmas from within, remaining off the radar while building up a small contingent of supporters in an effort to protest the ban. Creating a secret symbol to denote those who wanted to see Christmas protected for the masses—using those peppermint sweets shaped in a shepherd’s crook—Layla tried organising an effort to bring holiday magic back to Britain.
When Puritans caught Layla and her group, they were punished for their actions and sent to face the consequences. However, Layla refused to believe that Christmas would be muted and pushed to have others see the benefits of celebration, even among the most straight laced of Christians. With Nicholas so far away at the time, it was up to Layla to defeat Cromwell and his soldiers, bringing joy back to Britain at a time when politics left things balancing precariously. A great complement to Guinn’s first book in the series, sure to be appreciated by those who have read it. Recommended to those who love Christmas, as well as the reader who enjoys obscure historical facts.
I have always been in awe by Jeff Guinn’s writing, as it tells such an interesting story and adds little known facts to enrich the reading experience. After devouring the first book in this series, I had to get my hands on this book to see how they would mesh together. Guinn does well to construct Layla her own backstory and melds it with the story from the aforementioned autobiography before tackling the central issue of the book, Christmas suppression in Britain. Those who have read the first book will see that this tome differs greatly in that there is an elongated focus—almost a fictional tale—on this issue, turning Layla into the obvious protagonist.
Guinn develops some interesting Christmas tradition as he weaves together the puritanical suppression of Christmas during the English Civil War. Peppering the piece with some interesting characters and many aspects of English history, the reader ends up well-versed in all things Puritan and Oliver Cromwell. The twists and turns throughout leave the reader wanting to know more and wondering where the blurs between fact and fiction may lie. With a mix of chapter lengths, Guinn and Layla take the reader on countless adventures as they seek to shed light on the dark days of Christmas in 17th century England. Not to be missed by those who love Christmas, or those who seek a spark during this holiday season.
Kudos, Layla Nicholas and Mr. Guinn for helping to bring a smile to my face as I tackle this stunning Christmas read.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
This holiday season, I discovered a gem in Jeff Guinn’s Autobiography of Santa Claus, which provided me with some wonderful context of all things related to St. Nicholas and Christmas. In this follow-up piece, Guinn tuns his sights on Layla, also known as Mrs. Claus, who played a central role in the aforementioned book, but also has her own story.
In the opening section of this book, Guinn backs up much of what was outlined in the autobiography, as well as laying the backstory for Layla. After being left a great deal of money when her parents died in the late 4th century, Layla decided to take up offering gifts to the less fortunate children, where she encountered Nicholas and Felix—his sidekick—in a most interesting manner. After agreeing to work together, she and Nicholas grew closer before falling in love. Their efforts, soon supported by an ever-growing group of helpers, continued for many years, as Nicholas and Layla honed their skills and focused attention on certain nights around the world.
While much of Europe had come to accept Christmas, there was a move away from its acceptance at the end of the Tudor dynasty in Britain, tied specifically to the squabbles between the Catholics and Protestants. As ships sailed to the New World, Puritans began setting up colonies in American, leaving Nicholas to decide there was a need for his presence there, ensuring the Christmas spirit made its mark.
Layla stayed back in Britain, where Parliament and Charles I were at odds over governing, putting Christmas in jeopardy. Puritans in Parliament were led by Oliver Cromwell, who interacted regularly with Layla. While Layla sought to keep Christmas special in Britain, Cromwell sited that it was only a means of justifying drunkenness and debauchery, two things the Puritans could not abide.
Meanwhile, some of the others in the group began creating a new-fangled sweet, a peppermint confection that left a buzz on the tongue. When news arrived that Layla was atop the list of Puritan traitors, she was ushered off to Canterbury for safe keeping. Still, the English Civil War raged on and Christmas was soon banned by legislation. Layla sought to promote Christmas from within, remaining off the radar while building up a small contingent of supporters in an effort to protest the ban. Creating a secret symbol to denote those who wanted to see Christmas protected for the masses—using those peppermint sweets shaped in a shepherd’s crook—Layla tried organising an effort to bring holiday magic back to Britain.
When Puritans caught Layla and her group, they were punished for their actions and sent to face the consequences. However, Layla refused to believe that Christmas would be muted and pushed to have others see the benefits of celebration, even among the most straight laced of Christians. With Nicholas so far away at the time, it was up to Layla to defeat Cromwell and his soldiers, bringing joy back to Britain at a time when politics left things balancing precariously. A great complement to Guinn’s first book in the series, sure to be appreciated by those who have read it. Recommended to those who love Christmas, as well as the reader who enjoys obscure historical facts.
I have always been in awe by Jeff Guinn’s writing, as it tells such an interesting story and adds little known facts to enrich the reading experience. After devouring the first book in this series, I had to get my hands on this book to see how they would mesh together. Guinn does well to construct Layla her own backstory and melds it with the story from the aforementioned autobiography before tackling the central issue of the book, Christmas suppression in Britain. Those who have read the first book will see that this tome differs greatly in that there is an elongated focus—almost a fictional tale—on this issue, turning Layla into the obvious protagonist.
Guinn develops some interesting Christmas tradition as he weaves together the puritanical suppression of Christmas during the English Civil War. Peppering the piece with some interesting characters and many aspects of English history, the reader ends up well-versed in all things Puritan and Oliver Cromwell. The twists and turns throughout leave the reader wanting to know more and wondering where the blurs between fact and fiction may lie. With a mix of chapter lengths, Guinn and Layla take the reader on countless adventures as they seek to shed light on the dark days of Christmas in 17th century England. Not to be missed by those who love Christmas, or those who seek a spark during this holiday season.
Kudos, Layla Nicholas and Mr. Guinn for helping to bring a smile to my face as I tackle this stunning Christmas read.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
December 5, 2017
Jeff Guinn is a terrific writer of nonfiction historical events and biographies. I thoroughly enjoyed his books on Jim Jones and on Bonnie & Clyde. But it was painfully apparent to me, early on in this book, that this talent doesn’t translate well to the telling of fictional stories. At least not fictional stories about Santa and Mrs. Claus. I tried to soldier on through this book, because I needed it for Square 3 of The 16 Tasks of the Festive Season (Book themes for St. Martin’s Day: Read a story dealing with an act of selfless generosity (like St. Martin sharing his cloak with a beggar)), but I just can’t keep punching myself in the head like this. I had to stop. I can’t even work up the energy to detail the many ways in which this book continually failed me. Just take my word for it: Read the hell out of Mr. Guinn’s nonfiction books – I’m eyeballing the one on Charles Manson right now – but don’t spend your time or energy on this set of “fanciful” Christmas stories.
DNF. I gave it 2 stars only because I was able to make through 41% of the book (that’s 4 ½ hours of listening!) before giving up.
Audiobook, purchased via Audible. Susan Denaker’s smarmy & self-righteous tone certainly seemed to suit the character as written, but damn.
DNF. I gave it 2 stars only because I was able to make through 41% of the book (that’s 4 ½ hours of listening!) before giving up.
Audiobook, purchased via Audible. Susan Denaker’s smarmy & self-righteous tone certainly seemed to suit the character as written, but damn.
December 27, 2008
We have been reading one of these Santa series every December the past few years in preparation for Christmas. We enjoyed the Autobiography of Santa Claus for the history and the spirit. We decided to try this one just to mix it up a bit and it was a bit of a struggle to get through it. In general, the story was informative and the history was interesting. But the writing was redundant- reminding us constantly that Mrs. Claus, does, in fact, love Christmas, that she's really old, that she's magic, that she loves Christmas, what her firends names are, and that she loves Christmas. Each of these books has 24 chapters that you can use as a countdown to Christmas. There seemed to be a lot of uninteresting fluff added to this story to stretch it to the full 24 chapters and I was often bored. This one might just be sitting out on the shelves, unopened for future Christmases.
January 18, 2018
After reading Jeff Guinn's first book in the series, The Autobiography of Santa Claus I was really looking forward to reading this book. I was sorely disappointed. I felt that Guinn was overwhelmed with information and he wanted to share every little detail with his reader. Very disappointing as this book was redundant and overly repetitive. In some cases, Just the Facts, Madam, (Dragnet, television show of the early 1950's) is all that is needed to make a good story. This book certainly was not whimsical or lighthearted.
December 15, 2020
Cute Christmas read that mixes the fantasy of Santa Claus with history. I'm so glad that we get to celebrate Christmas today and even more so when I learned how brave peasants in England fought to keep this tradition.
I loved the snowy pages in between chapters too. It was so pretty.
Mrs. Claus talks about twelve hundred years of marriage and I can't even imagine. My 21 years with my husband is a lifetime!!
I loved the snowy pages in between chapters too. It was so pretty.
Mrs. Claus talks about twelve hundred years of marriage and I can't even imagine. My 21 years with my husband is a lifetime!!
December 11, 2018
That was the exact type of Christmas fluff I was looking for, yes it was.
November 8, 2021
This is an interesting and fictional tale of a time when the Puritans banned Christmas in England and in the New England colonies. The animosity that festered between the people who wanted to celebrate Christmas and those who felt it should be like any other day comes across loud and clear. Mrs. Claus is the perfect foil for this story, and also the perfect heroine for saving Christmas. Some of the story reiterates what told in the first book, “The Autobiography of Santa Claus,” but that just sets the scene. This story is a bit grittier than the first one, and lacks the whimsy that made the first book so charming. Still, it is fascinating to read about a time when celebrating Christmas was against the law.
December 27, 2018
I loved the idea of the plot, and the inclusion of real historical figures and events. However, this book is a great example of an author not knowing what pieces of historical research are necessary to include, and which are bogging down the story. Writers are told over and over that not all of their painstaking historical research will ultimately make it into the final draft, and in the case of How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas, the historical expose was so heavy it felt like I was reading a textbook instead of a novel. It definitely could have either been cut down, or at least reincorporated into the action so it would have informed the audience with the characters doing, rather than telling. I love the idea of Mrs. Claus telling the story in past tense like she's telling it to an audience, but in practice it actually disconnected me from the story. I never actually felt like I was in the middle of the events experiencing it with her. I've never felt that level of disconnect from a first person perspective before, and it wasn't fun. Also, for a person who has lived for over 1000 years, Mrs. Claus seemed at multiple points to be extremely naive and childish. Yes she and her friends try to stay on the fringes of society, but I can't believe that she would really be so ignorant of how suspicious it would look if she were seen sneaking into other people's houses. At one point she is accused of passing along information as a spy (not going to say for whom) and her response is that she was only inside so-and-so's house for a moment, not long enough to pass on information. Um, hello? A moment is all it takes to leave a note! Needless to say, as someone who loves historical documentaries I think Jeff Guin has much more promise as a nonfiction author than he does as a novelist, since the historical research comes through in his writing as his true passion.
December 20, 2010
Highly recommend this one if you're looking for one those "meaning of Christmas" stories, versus just a story set during the holidays. I'll be looking for the rest of these.
December 23, 2014
Love this book. There's a lot of history that is entertained with this very cool story. Not to mention a great read over the Christmas holiday. Highly recommend.
December 20, 2020
3.5* I enjoyed the story and it was a pretty quick read for me. I just enjoyed the first one more. It felt repetitive at times, but I like the idea of Mrs. Clause (or Layla) going up against the Puritans, I just wish it was done a little bit different. Plus I really missed the adventure in this one that the first one seemed to have.
December 30, 2021
I adored The Autobiography of Santa Claus last year, so I was anticipating liking this book and it still exceeded my expectations. Jeff Guinn has nailed the perfect Christmas series. And Susan Denaker nailed the voice and tone of Mrs. Claus. If you are looking for a feel good book series that celebrates the legend of Santa and incorporates history, this series is for you. It's just so fun.
January 8, 2020
How Mr. Claus Saved Christmas is a delightful holiday read that includes some interesting characters that you will absolutely recognize. This is a story of a group of immortals who have influenced history and Christmas around the world.
November 28, 2025
Good, but not as good as The Autobiography of Santa Claus.
January 12, 2023
Just finished listening to this Christmas story which was a perfect read for the holidays. This book is the second in the series but I don’t think it’s an issue to read them out of order as I did. I enjoyed the mix of fable and history.
December 19, 2015
This is book 2 of the Christmas Chronicles series, and is the sequel to "The Autobiography of Santa Claus". It is not often that a sequel is as good as the first book, especially one as wonderful as "The Autobiography of Santa Claus", but this is one of those rare times.
The book starts with the principle characters from the previous book watching movies. During one particular session, Arthur selects a movie that was about the British Civil War in the 1640's. When Oliver Cromwell comes onto the screen and is slamming his hand, Layla quietly announces that he was not like that. It is not too long afterwards that she begins the story.
Some of her story focuses on her background, and it is interesting to see some of the stories that were discussed by Santa in the first book told from the point of view of Mrs. Claus. The reader hears about her past and how she was raised, her first time visiting St. Nicholas' Tomb, her start as a gift giver, how she first met Nicholas and Felix, how they met Arthur, Attila, and Dorothea, and how she encouraged Nicholas and Felix to go to the New World.
While Nicholas and Felix are across the Atlantic Ocean, political rumblings start occurring in Great Britain. The King has changed the national religion, which has caused some rumblings about how Christmas can and should be celebrated. The Puritans were one of the loudest groups, and they felt the celebration of Christmas was sinful and worked hard to stop the celebration of the holiday. As time progressed, Layla met Mr. Cromwell and discussed their ideological differences. This unfortunately did not help her in her cause, as Mrs. Claus found out that Blue Richard Culmer was going to arrest her as a traitor. She was able to escape and hide out in Canterbury. While there, she becomes employed in the local Mayor's home. Time passes and the new government, being run by Puritans, starts to pressure people to stop the celebration of Christmas. Layla comes up with a plan to protest banning of Christmas, with the help of townspeople.
This is a wonderful book, and a fantastic sequel to "The Autobiography of Santa Claus". Though it is fiction, the author has written it so well, and has interspersed a large amount of history in the story that the reader feels they are reading a historical account of the British Civil War from an insider's point of view. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a great fiction book, that has a love of Christmas, and anyone who wants to read an uplifting story that does not have any foul language of heavy violence.
The book starts with the principle characters from the previous book watching movies. During one particular session, Arthur selects a movie that was about the British Civil War in the 1640's. When Oliver Cromwell comes onto the screen and is slamming his hand, Layla quietly announces that he was not like that. It is not too long afterwards that she begins the story.
Some of her story focuses on her background, and it is interesting to see some of the stories that were discussed by Santa in the first book told from the point of view of Mrs. Claus. The reader hears about her past and how she was raised, her first time visiting St. Nicholas' Tomb, her start as a gift giver, how she first met Nicholas and Felix, how they met Arthur, Attila, and Dorothea, and how she encouraged Nicholas and Felix to go to the New World.
While Nicholas and Felix are across the Atlantic Ocean, political rumblings start occurring in Great Britain. The King has changed the national religion, which has caused some rumblings about how Christmas can and should be celebrated. The Puritans were one of the loudest groups, and they felt the celebration of Christmas was sinful and worked hard to stop the celebration of the holiday. As time progressed, Layla met Mr. Cromwell and discussed their ideological differences. This unfortunately did not help her in her cause, as Mrs. Claus found out that Blue Richard Culmer was going to arrest her as a traitor. She was able to escape and hide out in Canterbury. While there, she becomes employed in the local Mayor's home. Time passes and the new government, being run by Puritans, starts to pressure people to stop the celebration of Christmas. Layla comes up with a plan to protest banning of Christmas, with the help of townspeople.
This is a wonderful book, and a fantastic sequel to "The Autobiography of Santa Claus". Though it is fiction, the author has written it so well, and has interspersed a large amount of history in the story that the reader feels they are reading a historical account of the British Civil War from an insider's point of view. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a great fiction book, that has a love of Christmas, and anyone who wants to read an uplifting story that does not have any foul language of heavy violence.
December 26, 2016
How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas, the 17th in my annual December Christmas book reading binge is not only memorable, it may become one of my personal classics, along with another 2017 read, The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado.
It's nearly impossible to describe the plot of this book without making it sound like a child's picture book, but here goes. Mrs. Claus, Leila has been with Nicolas since sometime in the 500s. They live at the North Pole with several hundred people, and some of their dear old companions who have been with them for centuries -- people such as Leonardo (di Vinci of course) who with Benjamin Franklin is in charge of designing and inventing machinery, buildings and new types of toys. There's Attila and his wife Dorthea, Arthur--now without Merlin -- but a favorite among the old friends, and so many more.
The friends meet Nicholas and/or Leila during their own times, and then come to join them in their work to bring joy and happiness to the children of the world on the Day of St. Nicholas on December 9, Christmas on December 25 and The Day of the Kings/Epiphany on January 6.
in the 1600s, Nicholas and his companion Felix have traveled to the New World to bring happiness to those who have settled there, while Leila, Arthur, Leonardo and others have remained in England, to try to help prevent the growing movement by the puritans and headed by Cromwell against the celebration of Christmas. The December celebration is seen as not only left over from the earlier Celtic and Druid pagan sun festivities, but with the name Christ-Mass it is linked to the Catholics who have been out of favor since Henry VII broke from the church in order to divorce and remarry. The events in this story lead to a real historic revolt in Canterbury when nearly 10,000 peasants marched in the streets to save their traditions of the wassail, of singing the old carols and songs, of attending Christmas services and of cooking a once-a-year feast featuring a goose -- all of which was forbidden by acts of Parliament.
There is so much history laced through this charming story that includes a significant amount of magical fiction. This is certainly meant for those of us who have never completely given up our belief in Santa.
It's nearly impossible to describe the plot of this book without making it sound like a child's picture book, but here goes. Mrs. Claus, Leila has been with Nicolas since sometime in the 500s. They live at the North Pole with several hundred people, and some of their dear old companions who have been with them for centuries -- people such as Leonardo (di Vinci of course) who with Benjamin Franklin is in charge of designing and inventing machinery, buildings and new types of toys. There's Attila and his wife Dorthea, Arthur--now without Merlin -- but a favorite among the old friends, and so many more.
The friends meet Nicholas and/or Leila during their own times, and then come to join them in their work to bring joy and happiness to the children of the world on the Day of St. Nicholas on December 9, Christmas on December 25 and The Day of the Kings/Epiphany on January 6.
in the 1600s, Nicholas and his companion Felix have traveled to the New World to bring happiness to those who have settled there, while Leila, Arthur, Leonardo and others have remained in England, to try to help prevent the growing movement by the puritans and headed by Cromwell against the celebration of Christmas. The December celebration is seen as not only left over from the earlier Celtic and Druid pagan sun festivities, but with the name Christ-Mass it is linked to the Catholics who have been out of favor since Henry VII broke from the church in order to divorce and remarry. The events in this story lead to a real historic revolt in Canterbury when nearly 10,000 peasants marched in the streets to save their traditions of the wassail, of singing the old carols and songs, of attending Christmas services and of cooking a once-a-year feast featuring a goose -- all of which was forbidden by acts of Parliament.
There is so much history laced through this charming story that includes a significant amount of magical fiction. This is certainly meant for those of us who have never completely given up our belief in Santa.
December 25, 2021
Journalist Jeff Gunn’s 2005 novel, How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas is a sequel to Gunn’s The Autobiography of Santa Claus. I think Gunn wanted to write Mrs. Claus's version of the story told in The Autobiography of Santa Claus up to the pro-Christmas celebration protests/”riots” in the English city of Canterbury in 1647 in support of celebrating Christmas. Mrs. Claus and Gunn’s account claims the protests in Canterbury in 1647, were peaceful and the books skip over the politics of the pro-Christmas protests in Canterbury. According to the historian of the Stuart period of English history, Mark Stoyle happened quite different in real life than in the story “pave the way for a major insurrection in Kent in 1648 that itself formed part of the ‘Second Civil War.’” The best way to think of how history is treated in How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas is to think of how the history of World War I is treated in the movie, Wonder Women (2017). Gunn and Mrs. Claus, like the screenwriters of Wonder Women, change history to suit the superhero feel of the story and to teach the lessons that the writers want the viewers or readers to understand from their work. How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas is a pretty good superhero story and the novel has no supervillain. I found Stoyle's article called "No Christmas under Cromwell? The Puritan assault on Christmas during the 1640s and 1650s" from the December of 2011's issue helpful in writing this "review."
Work Cited:
Stoyle, Mark. (2021). "Did Oliver Cromwell ban Christmas? The Puritan assault on Christmas during the 1640s and 1650s." History Extra. (https://www.historyextra.com/period/s...)
Work Cited:
Stoyle, Mark. (2021). "Did Oliver Cromwell ban Christmas? The Puritan assault on Christmas during the 1640s and 1650s." History Extra. (https://www.historyextra.com/period/s...)
January 1, 2009
Sequel to the Autobiography of Santa Claus. This tells the story of how Nicholas and his wife met and married from her point of view (he tells his side of the story in his book) and outlines some of their early adventures.
The main focus of the story is in England during the 1640's. Like Santa's book this tells us real history. I had known that the Puritans came to the "New World" to persue religious freedom, I had not known though that many Puritans actually stayed in England and with the help of men like Oliver Cromwell removed the king from having actual power and tried to impose their religious beliefs on the entire country (I know it's ironic huh?).
One of the strong beliefs these men held was that to celebrate Christmas with it's Catholic undertones such as the name originating from Christ's Mass a Catholic based service not to mention a Catholic priest/bishop as a primary gift giver was wrong and that it was demeaning to celebrate the birth of Jesus as though he were just a common man. The holiday was deemed sinful and subsequently made illegal.
The working class on poor of 17th century England lived such a life of drudgery that often their only source of hope was their simple Christmas celebrations. Mrs. Claus realized this and with the love she has for Christmas along with the realization that it brings the spirit of love and hope to life she helps save the beloved holiday.
Like her husband the real history and the purpose of giving gifts to show love of fellow men in the tradition of the Savior is emphasised.
The main focus of the story is in England during the 1640's. Like Santa's book this tells us real history. I had known that the Puritans came to the "New World" to persue religious freedom, I had not known though that many Puritans actually stayed in England and with the help of men like Oliver Cromwell removed the king from having actual power and tried to impose their religious beliefs on the entire country (I know it's ironic huh?).
One of the strong beliefs these men held was that to celebrate Christmas with it's Catholic undertones such as the name originating from Christ's Mass a Catholic based service not to mention a Catholic priest/bishop as a primary gift giver was wrong and that it was demeaning to celebrate the birth of Jesus as though he were just a common man. The holiday was deemed sinful and subsequently made illegal.
The working class on poor of 17th century England lived such a life of drudgery that often their only source of hope was their simple Christmas celebrations. Mrs. Claus realized this and with the love she has for Christmas along with the realization that it brings the spirit of love and hope to life she helps save the beloved holiday.
Like her husband the real history and the purpose of giving gifts to show love of fellow men in the tradition of the Savior is emphasised.
December 25, 2008
First of all, you have to read The Autobiography of Santa Claus before this book. I think this book may be better. Autobiography sets the stage for this second book in the trilogy of Christmas. The first part of How Mrs. Claus starts off recapping things so I guess you could technically not read Autobiography first, but I suggest you don't. Layla Claus is left alone in England during a turbulent time of British history. King Charles I and Oliver Cromwell play a huge part in this book. I love how Jeff Guinn takes factual history and makes it another character in his story. He weaves the Puritians take over of England into them trying to cancel Christmas. The only bad things about this book is the fact that it drags in spots which would bore some children and the fact that he takes historical people such as King Arthur and Leonardo da Vinci and keeps them alive to help Santa out. I didn't enjoy that. I always thought that Santa used normal everyday people. However I'm willing to overlook this part. ;-) I would highly recommend this trilogy so far to parents to read to their children. It will instill Christmas in their hearts while teaching them some history at the same time.
January 26, 2010
This tale of Christmas is told by none other than Mrs. Clause herself. The story begins when she is just a girl living with her Aunt and Uncle who have agreed to raise her when her parents died. As a young girl she knew she was a bit different than the other girls in the village. She did not want to marry and settle down with a family. Instead she wanted to travel the world.
She discovers a statue to go along with the legion of a gift giver. Immediately she decides that is what she must do. So, a young woman travels alone and seeks out needy families to give her gifts to. On her journey she is discovered by none other than Santa Clause himself. The two decide to work together and eventually become married.
In England the Puritans do not want Christmas! Mrs. Clause comes up with a scheme over fifty years or so to save Christmas in England. With the help of a few special people she can trust the plan is laid and the trap is set. However, all of this must be completed before anyone in the village discovers she is immortal.
She discovers a statue to go along with the legion of a gift giver. Immediately she decides that is what she must do. So, a young woman travels alone and seeks out needy families to give her gifts to. On her journey she is discovered by none other than Santa Clause himself. The two decide to work together and eventually become married.
In England the Puritans do not want Christmas! Mrs. Clause comes up with a scheme over fifty years or so to save Christmas in England. With the help of a few special people she can trust the plan is laid and the trap is set. However, all of this must be completed before anyone in the village discovers she is immortal.
November 21, 2008
I bought this book a few years ago at a clearance sale. I finally got around to reading it for the Winter Holidays Reading Challenge.
By the author of The Autobiography of Santa Claus, I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to at first. The book is a fictionalized account of the events surrounding the outlawing of Christmas celebrations under the Puritan government in England in the mid-1600's.
I thought the history was interesting, and as I said I enjoyed the story. The characters were very two-dimensional though and even the narrator (Mrs. Claus) seemed like a cardboard cut-out. This didn't affect my enjoyment of the story, but it was a constant reminder of the fiction of it. I was never really able to suspend disbelief and immerse myself in the story.
On the whole, this was a good read and I may try other books in Jeff Guin's Christmas Chronicles.
By the author of The Autobiography of Santa Claus, I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to at first. The book is a fictionalized account of the events surrounding the outlawing of Christmas celebrations under the Puritan government in England in the mid-1600's.
I thought the history was interesting, and as I said I enjoyed the story. The characters were very two-dimensional though and even the narrator (Mrs. Claus) seemed like a cardboard cut-out. This didn't affect my enjoyment of the story, but it was a constant reminder of the fiction of it. I was never really able to suspend disbelief and immerse myself in the story.
On the whole, this was a good read and I may try other books in Jeff Guin's Christmas Chronicles.
August 15, 2011
I wanted to love this book as much as I loved Jeff Guinn's first one, _The Autobiography of Santa Claus_. But, I found this one to be a little dry and repetitive. The theme of the Puritans trying to take Christmas away was just so repetitive! I think the characters discuss it every other page and Mrs. Claus says the same things over and over again. Although I enjoyed it, I was a little disappointed.
I wrote to Jeff Guinn after finishing his first book and told him how much it touched me. At the time I was pregnant with my first daughter. He was very grateful for my e-mail and sent me a signed copy of the book as well as the original manuscript. Then, as ANOTHER thank you, he put my daughter in _How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas_. Two characters in it are named Gabriella & Rose (p. 293 - my daughter's name). Kinda cool.
I wrote to Jeff Guinn after finishing his first book and told him how much it touched me. At the time I was pregnant with my first daughter. He was very grateful for my e-mail and sent me a signed copy of the book as well as the original manuscript. Then, as ANOTHER thank you, he put my daughter in _How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas_. Two characters in it are named Gabriella & Rose (p. 293 - my daughter's name). Kinda cool.
December 15, 2018
This is a historical fiction that falls pretty far to the fictional end of the spectrum (after all, it's about a woman who marries St. Nicholas and magically lives forever so she can give gifts). All that serves as an vehicle to tell the history of the holiday of Christmas, and specifically how English Puritans wanted to abolish its observance in the seventeenth century. It was very personally interesting and challenging to read such a negative portrayal of the Puritans when I could resonate with their side of the argument. The one major weakness is the book, in my opinion, is how the author anachronistically imbues the characters with modern sensibilities and pluralistic touchiness. Mrs. Claus gets more triggered and offended than any random Twitter persona today. Other than that, it was valuable for me to reflect on the role of the holiday in my life.
December 4, 2017
This is the second in Jeff Guinn’s Santa Clause Chronicles series. While it has a different tone from the first book in many ways, it keeps with the pattern of “The Autobiography of Santa Claus” weaving myth with history. The bulk of this story takes place in Puritan England where believe it or not, the Puritan Christians actually outlawed the celebration of Christmas (and Easter for that matter) as pagan practices. The Book uses the protagonist, Mrs. Clause, to tell the story of how the Christmas holiday came to be celebrated. It’s a good read, not as good as Book one in my opinion, but if you liked the first then I think you will enjoy the second. I’ve already moved on the third in the series.
July 3, 2019
This delightful story can be categorized as historical fiction. The author through Mrs Claus recounts the English Civil War , fall of King Charles 1 as well as Puritan rule and the restoration of Christmas in England and Christian societies. I will always remember the details of the Candy Cane and what our ancestors sacrificed to save JOY and thanksgiving fir the Birth of Christ . Even those non believers and those who do not celebrate should be thankful that long ago many fought to let all worship and pray in the faith they were raised . It is enlightening and based on historical figures and events .
December 18, 2007
I'm not sure exactly how I feel about this book. I liked, more than I expected, the historical facts about Christmas, English Puritan religion, and various other facts scattered throughout the book. I expected a more fanciful book. The pacing is slow and I didn't really like any of the characters. The characters with the most depth were the bad guys. It did had a few fanciful-over the top in my opinion-ideas about Santa and his friends. I won't be recomending this to anyone, but I can't say I didn't get anything out of it either.
January 31, 2009
A great sequel. Loved it. We learn more about Mrs. Claus, Layla, as she tells her story.Where she was born, her personal history and meeting Nicholas from her point of view. Very fun. The story of the Puritans trying to ban Christmas in 1647 is the main focus of the majority of the story. Learned a lot and it was painless:). The Autobiography of Santa Claus and this book have just oozed the Christmas spirit. The have both left me with such a good feeling. True Christmas cheer. I am excited to start the third book in the Christmas Chronicles series.
June 28, 2011
another fascinating book that explains why christmas traditions started and does so in a way that will make every heart want to believe in in Santa again. this time layla (mrs claus) tells her story of helping keep christmas going during the time when britain was breaking away from the holy catholic church and was trying to make the holiday a solemn and seriou one with no gifts, parties or outward celebration of the christ childs birth. i reommend it to all who still have a spark of child like wonder at the mention of christmas in their souls.
February 20, 2017
Wow, what a nifty surprise this book was! I found it quite entertaining and think it would be a fine read for YA readers whom you care about. Guinn lightly packs European history, religious history, Yuletide traditions and a bit of feminism into an adventurous yarn. I could easily imagine it as a fun bedime-story choice.
( Personally, I think it's quite important for YA-- and adults-- to know about the Puritan prohibitions against Christmas celebration that are part of our country's early history.)
( Personally, I think it's quite important for YA-- and adults-- to know about the Puritan prohibitions against Christmas celebration that are part of our country's early history.)
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