Christmas Play

A humorous masterpiece from the Japanese creative team "The Cabin Company"
　　Four lively and adorable Christmas short plays, performed on paper!

　　Christmas Octopus, Trembling Tree, Glimmering Seeds, and Santa Claus take turns on stage.
　　Unconventional, fantastic Christmas stories guaranteed to make children roar with laughter.

　　Thank you for attending 'Christmas☆Theater'; the performance is about to begin!

　　*Clap—Beep-Bip-Bip!* The stage lights instantly flared, and a little angel with a golden halo stood under the lights, hosting the show and announcing to the audience that four wonderful stories would soon be presented.

　　Is everyone ready? It's about to begin!

　　Kicking off the show is "Christmas Octopus." After delivering gifts to human children, it's the turn of the creatures of the sea. Santa Claus pinched the reindeer's nose, and *wow!* It transformed into a big, red octopus. Eight legs are so convenient for swiftly delivering many gifts at once. Finally, a mysterious gift for the ocean. What could it be?

　　The second story is "The Trembling Tree," the biggest Christmas tree in the world! But it was so cold today that it couldn't stop shaking, and its decorations trembled along. It even got so cold that it let out a giant sneeze, "Hah, hah, hah-choo—" Oh no! All the decorations flew off! Where did they go? Wow! Unexpectedly, the cars, umbrellas, dogs, Eiffel Tower, and traffic lights on the street all became shiny because of it. But what should the now bare Trembling Tree do?

　　Next up is the story of "Glimmering Seeds." White rabbits plant mysterious seeds on the mountain, watering them with oil, loosening the soil, lighting matches, sprinkling sugar cubes, and singing the magic chant, "Grow big~ grow big~." Every step is essential until the seeds grow into magnificent candles...

　　The grand finale is "Santa's Secret." Do you know what Santa Claus does after delivering all the gifts? Hehe! I'll tell you a secret: he uses his empty big sack to collect clouds and stars, then takes them home to make a star and cloud feast. I wonder what it tastes like. Then, he takes a warm, bubbly star bath, using white clouds as soap. Finally, he snuggles into bed, where clouds become his bed and blanket, with twinkling stars all around as he blissfully drifts off to sleep.

　　All four stories have been told, and the characters reappear on stage for a curtain call.

　　Did you enjoy their wonderful performance?
　　Please give a round of applause (clap-clap-clap-clap-clap—) and we'll see you next time!

　　Merry Christmas, everyone!

Rave Reviews from Japanese Readers

　　● "Opening the book, the first thing that catches your eye is the dimmed hall scene. 'Thank you for coming, Christmas☆Theater is about to begin.'—You can almost hear the audience's whispers, the air filled with irrepressible excitement. The spotlight shines, an angel appears, and the Christmas theater officially begins. Four short stories then unfold. The vibrant illustrations perfectly complement these four lively tales. Each one is full of surprises and fun, and as you read, you can't help but smile. It's enjoyable whether you read it alone or with someone, and it would certainly liven up any storytelling event!" — Reader (50s mom, son 10 years old)

　　● "The worldview of this Christmas picture book is super unique and super cute! The scenes inside are unlike anything we've ever seen; my child and I were so excited reading it. It's just like watching a stage play, the performance is fantastic! You can start reading it together before Christmas, and the whole family can feel the strong Christmas atmosphere, it's really fitting. Plus, it includes multiple short stories, making it fun and great value!" — Reader (30s mom, daughter 5 years old)

　　● "I think these four short stories are particularly suitable for reading before Christmas. It would also be great to read one to the children every day in nurseries or kindergartens." — Reader (30s mom, sons 5 and 7 years old)

　　● "In the bookstore, my son didn't react much, but once we got home and he opened the book, he seemed captivated by the atmosphere of the pictures and the wonderful stories. Every night before bed, he would say, 'I want to read this!' and grab it himself. The illustrations are great, and the stories are full of warm whimsy: an octopus Santa delivering gifts to sea creatures, a big tree sneezing and creating various Christmas trees, planting candles that grow into cakes, and Santa and the reindeer eating stars and clouds and taking a bath before bed... Although unique, it brings a gentle warmth and kindness. Even after Christmas, we still read it again and again. This is truly a wonderful book that both adults and children can enjoy." — Reader (30s mom, son 2 years old)

　　● "The simple book cover is like a theater curtain, adding anticipation to the stories that unfold. My child and I are deeply attracted to this beautiful world. It's a wonderful picture book that brings joy no matter how many times you read it." — Amazon Reader こっこ

　　● "Every year before Christmas, I can't help but want to pick it up and read it! Not just kids, adults will love it too (^^) First of all, the illustrations are super beautiful (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵) The book contains four stories, rich in content, and each one is very interesting. Personally, my favorite is the story with the little rabbits and candles ☆ Having it at home brings a strong festive atmosphere every Christmas, and it's also perfect as a Christmas gift!" — Amazon Reader ここあ

　　● "Merry Christmas! Every time I open this book, I feel so happy. The Cabin Company brings everyone the cutest Christmas picture book." — Sonoko Isozaki (Ehonnavi Editor-in-Chief)