Briggs won the annual Kate Greenaway Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book illustration by a British subject.

The book depicts Father Christmas' deliveries as he deals with a range of unusual residences while taking welcome breaks with food and drinks put out for him.

With his work done, however, he grows much more jolly and festive, singing carols in the shower and tucking into his large Christmas dinner with delight ("Lovely grub!").

In part, "Briggs projects Santa's day in comic strip sequence and balloon monologue, from his waking from a dream of sun ... You don't have to be British to take to this very human Father Christmas – but it helps to have an open eye for all the throwaway background detail.

Briggs completed a sequel, Father Christmas Goes on Holiday, published in 1975 by Hamish Hamilton in Britain and Coward, McCann & Geoghan in America.