Russia: Grandfather Frost
December 2002 808
Russian train station Music 0:00
Colgan: We're 700 kilometres north of Moscow, just another 300 kilometres till we reach our destination -- the home town of one particularly famous Russian. 0:11
Music
Colgan: A town that has avoided the fate of many of the villages we pass along the way. Their townsfolk long gone in the search for work and survival. 0:25
Town of Veliky Ustyug Music
Colgan: This is the ancient town of Veliky Ustyug, which turns 855 years old this year. 0:50
Music
Colgan: The face of its most famous resident is everywhere. In Russian he's called Ded Moroz. He's the best loved of all the characters in Russian folklore. After all, it's Grandfather Frost who delivers Russian children their presents -- not Santa Claus or Father Christmas. 1:01
Music
Veliky Ustyug post office. Colgan: Children write to him by the box load, care of the Veliky Ustyug post office. 1:29
Galina Galina: There are so many letters coming in. Lat year we had 107 thousand letters, and just from the start of this year weve already received 20 thousand letters from children.
Colgan: The town mayor has decreed every letter must be answered, even those from as far away as Australia. 1:50
Galina: We get letters from every corner of Russia, but also letters from abroad countries like Israel, Norway and Germany. We even received one from a boy in Australia addressed to the Russian Grandfather Frost, Veliky Ustyug. 1:58
Town of Veliky Ustyug Colgan: The town has flooded with visitors, all here to see the great man himself. But Veliky Ustyug wasn't always this busy. Like so many other small towns, it's come perilously close to going under. 2:17
Music
Colgan: Many of the factories went belly up when the worst of economic times hit in 1998. 2:40
Cathedrals The once magnificent cathedrals, for which it was famous, closed under Soviet times, now sit in awesome disrepair. There is simply no money to fix them. 2:48
Music
Sukhona river. Colgan: Many homes in the towns still have no running water. In winter, the women do their washing in a hole cut in the ice of the frozen river Sukhona.
Tatiana Tatiana: Three years ago the factories and businesses in this area were in a state of crisis just like the rest of the countrys economy. The unemployment in the town was terrible. 3:14
Colgan: In desperation, the town leaders searched for a new industry to keep the town alive. Tatiana Muromtseva became the driving force behind a crazy sounding scheme to be the official home of Grandfather Frost. 3:27
Tatiana: People reacted very differently to the idea. Some just laughed others refused to believe we could turn the fairy tale into reality. But now, three years later both with the local council and the people themselves are extremely positive about it. Everyone is trying to make money by taking part in it and theyre helping in every possible way. 3:42
Boot factory Colgan: He's touching the lives of everyone -- the local boot factory struggled through hard times -- now its souvenir Grandfather Frost boots are a hit. 4:18
Factory Manager Factory Manager: They sold like hotcakes. Were planning to produce more souvenirs to grab the attention of customers. Whats more, every tourist who comes here spreads the news about our town, so our distribution net will grow wider. 4:58
Children on bus Colgan: There's only one person left to see -- the legendary figure who drew these children from their beds at 5 a.m. to travel from the village of October to see him. 4:51
Kid 1: I really want to see what he looks like. Kid 2: I want to ask him for a big soft toy. 5:02
Music
Grandfather Frosts castle Colgan: Fifteen kilometres out of town, and we enter the kingdom where wishes come true. 5:12
Singing
Man: will make your dreams come true, so close your eyes when the bell rings.
Grandfather Frost Music Grandfather Frost: I welcome all our guests with great pleasure big and small.
Colgan: Well, he's a lot taller, a lot thinner, and a lot smarter it seems, than Santa Clause. Instead of Rudolph, Grandfather Frost always has one of a bevy of pretty young Snow Maidens at his side. 6:03
Kid: You wont find a more beautiful Christmas tree than ours. The lights run all the way up the fluffy branches right to the star on top.
Singing 6:37
Grandfather Frosts private quarters Colgan: Where better to get to know him than his private quarters -- an exclusive interview -- up close and personal with Grandfather Frost. 6:44
Colgan: Just explain for us your relationship with Santa Claus. Are you in fact one and the same person? 6:56
Grandfather Frost: Santa Claus is a friend of mine he came here as my guest, and we talk on the phone now and then. 7:01
Colgan: This year, what did the kids ask for? 7:13
Grandfather Frost: The requests are all different. Some ask for computers, others want something else but I try to please them to the best of my ability.
Colgan: Is there any kind of hobby that you have, so that when the lights go out and people go home, you perhaps have some time to yourself? 7:24
Grandfather Frost: Now thats a question. I like to go to the banya every now and again I do like a banya with real firewood. 7:30
Colgan: Ah, the Russian banya -- the steam house. When he's finished making presents and saving towns from economic ruin, when it's quiet and the last child has gone home, that's where you'll find him. Shedding his cares like a coat. 7:43
Credits: Grandfather FrostReporter: Jill ColganCamera/Editor: Mark Slade 8:11
December 2002 808
Russian train station Music 0:00
Colgan: We're 700 kilometres north of Moscow, just another 300 kilometres till we reach our destination -- the home town of one particularly famous Russian. 0:11
Music
Colgan: A town that has avoided the fate of many of the villages we pass along the way. Their townsfolk long gone in the search for work and survival. 0:25
Town of Veliky Ustyug Music
Colgan: This is the ancient town of Veliky Ustyug, which turns 855 years old this year. 0:50
Music
Colgan: The face of its most famous resident is everywhere. In Russian he's called Ded Moroz. He's the best loved of all the characters in Russian folklore. After all, it's Grandfather Frost who delivers Russian children their presents -- not Santa Claus or Father Christmas. 1:01
Music
Veliky Ustyug post office. Colgan: Children write to him by the box load, care of the Veliky Ustyug post office. 1:29
Galina Galina: There are so many letters coming in. Lat year we had 107 thousand letters, and just from the start of this year weve already received 20 thousand letters from children.
Colgan: The town mayor has decreed every letter must be answered, even those from as far away as Australia. 1:50
Galina: We get letters from every corner of Russia, but also letters from abroad countries like Israel, Norway and Germany. We even received one from a boy in Australia addressed to the Russian Grandfather Frost, Veliky Ustyug. 1:58
Town of Veliky Ustyug Colgan: The town has flooded with visitors, all here to see the great man himself. But Veliky Ustyug wasn't always this busy. Like so many other small towns, it's come perilously close to going under. 2:17
Music
Colgan: Many of the factories went belly up when the worst of economic times hit in 1998. 2:40
Cathedrals The once magnificent cathedrals, for which it was famous, closed under Soviet times, now sit in awesome disrepair. There is simply no money to fix them. 2:48
Music
Sukhona river. Colgan: Many homes in the towns still have no running water. In winter, the women do their washing in a hole cut in the ice of the frozen river Sukhona.
Tatiana Tatiana: Three years ago the factories and businesses in this area were in a state of crisis just like the rest of the countrys economy. The unemployment in the town was terrible. 3:14
Colgan: In desperation, the town leaders searched for a new industry to keep the town alive. Tatiana Muromtseva became the driving force behind a crazy sounding scheme to be the official home of Grandfather Frost. 3:27
Tatiana: People reacted very differently to the idea. Some just laughed others refused to believe we could turn the fairy tale into reality. But now, three years later both with the local council and the people themselves are extremely positive about it. Everyone is trying to make money by taking part in it and theyre helping in every possible way. 3:42
Boot factory Colgan: He's touching the lives of everyone -- the local boot factory struggled through hard times -- now its souvenir Grandfather Frost boots are a hit. 4:18
Factory Manager Factory Manager: They sold like hotcakes. Were planning to produce more souvenirs to grab the attention of customers. Whats more, every tourist who comes here spreads the news about our town, so our distribution net will grow wider. 4:58
Children on bus Colgan: There's only one person left to see -- the legendary figure who drew these children from their beds at 5 a.m. to travel from the village of October to see him. 4:51
Kid 1: I really want to see what he looks like. Kid 2: I want to ask him for a big soft toy. 5:02
Music
Grandfather Frosts castle Colgan: Fifteen kilometres out of town, and we enter the kingdom where wishes come true. 5:12
Singing
Man: will make your dreams come true, so close your eyes when the bell rings.
Grandfather Frost Music Grandfather Frost: I welcome all our guests with great pleasure big and small.
Colgan: Well, he's a lot taller, a lot thinner, and a lot smarter it seems, than Santa Clause. Instead of Rudolph, Grandfather Frost always has one of a bevy of pretty young Snow Maidens at his side. 6:03
Kid: You wont find a more beautiful Christmas tree than ours. The lights run all the way up the fluffy branches right to the star on top.
Singing 6:37
Grandfather Frosts private quarters Colgan: Where better to get to know him than his private quarters -- an exclusive interview -- up close and personal with Grandfather Frost. 6:44
Colgan: Just explain for us your relationship with Santa Claus. Are you in fact one and the same person? 6:56
Grandfather Frost: Santa Claus is a friend of mine he came here as my guest, and we talk on the phone now and then. 7:01
Colgan: This year, what did the kids ask for? 7:13
Grandfather Frost: The requests are all different. Some ask for computers, others want something else but I try to please them to the best of my ability.
Colgan: Is there any kind of hobby that you have, so that when the lights go out and people go home, you perhaps have some time to yourself? 7:24
Grandfather Frost: Now thats a question. I like to go to the banya every now and again I do like a banya with real firewood. 7:30
Colgan: Ah, the Russian banya -- the steam house. When he's finished making presents and saving towns from economic ruin, when it's quiet and the last child has gone home, that's where you'll find him. Shedding his cares like a coat. 7:43
Credits: Grandfather FrostReporter: Jill ColganCamera/Editor: Mark Slade 8:11