The Bamboo Panda Family
FATHER BERTRAM BAMBOO sits locked up in his study for days and days, surrounded by great wobbly piles of old papers. He knows just about everything there is to know about the history of Sylvanian Families, their ancestors and how life used to be years and years ago. Indeed, perhaps it's better that he stays in his study for so long. He's so terribly clumsy that he's always breaking things and if he came out more often there wouldn't be a house left! However, what people like about Bertram most is that, whenever he finishes one of his very large books on Sylvania (which isn't often!) he always throws a big party to celebrate. Everyone's invited.
MOTHER ALEXANDRA BAMBOO is an incredible lady. Although she is always arranging fetes, parties, barbecues and dances to raise money for local charities, she never seems to get tired. Even late at night you can see the light on in her room as she plans her next money raising event. And yet, despite her incredible powers of organisation, she's not a busybody – she simply gets things done quietly and efficiently. Once when asked how she manages to do all that charity work and cope with her amazingly clumsy husband, she replied, ''Oh that's easy – I stick all the vases to the tables and hide my best crockery!''
BROTHER KANE BAMBOO wants to be a writer just like his father – except he wants to write children's books rather than history books. Also, just like his father, he is awfully clumsy (he must have inherited it!) That means he gets away with never doing the washing up because his mother is frightened they won't have anything on which to eat if clumsy Kane is allowed near her crockery. Not surprisingly, his friends call him 'Smash' because that's the noise they hear whenever he's around!
SISTER CLARICE BAMBOO has only one thing on her mind. She simply adores horses. Indeed, it's rare to hear her talk about anything else. At the moment she's saving up for her very own saddle by working at the stables before school, after school, at the weekends and during the holidays. She doesn't mind the hard work – in fact, she loves it. ''Isn't it wonderful'', she says. ''I'm getting paid to do something I adore!'' Eventually she wants to be a top show jumper and win lots of gold medals.
BABY BROTHER REMI BAMBOO is perhaps the only panda in the world who's not always black and white. That's because he loves to paint and is often covered in the stuff! Once (about six months ago) he painted himself, his bedroom and even his carpet bright pink. He had five weeks without pocket money before his parents forgave him! ''When I'm a famous artist they'll think differently'', he was last heard to say as he painted all his little sister's shoes pea green.
BABY SISTER LENA BAMBOO has arguably got the biggest smile you have ever seen. She's also got the most infectious giggle. Whenever she giggles (which is usually when she is meant to be quiet – like at Sylvanian weddings) everyone else starts to giggle too! That means she often gets her friends into trouble with serious grown ups who have forgotten how to giggle.
BABY TWINS CHICHI AND MIMI BAMBOO are starting to follow in their father's footsteps as being accident prone. Because they get so excited they are always running about crashing into table legs and chairs. Thankfully most of the delicate ornaments have been glued down by Alexandra, so nothing gets broken.
BABY TWINS COCO AND SUGAR BAMBOO are probably the quietest members of their family (but that might be because they are the youngest!) They are always curled up in a corner sleeping, meaning they miss most of the commotion going on in their house.
The Bamboo panda family were first released into the UK Sylvanian range in 1992. Since then they have had several re-releases, the last one being in 2012. Originally it was just the family set of four and two babies. Mimi and Chichi were released as club exclusive babies in the 1990's, before being added as a twin set during one of the re-releases. A pair of panda exchange students were released into the Japan line in the mid 2000's, but didn't make it into the UK range. In 2010, a new panda family was hinted at being released, with promotional pictures appearing on the internet, but the release was cancelled, making the Bamboo family the only panda family released so far.
MOTHER ALEXANDRA BAMBOO is an incredible lady. Although she is always arranging fetes, parties, barbecues and dances to raise money for local charities, she never seems to get tired. Even late at night you can see the light on in her room as she plans her next money raising event. And yet, despite her incredible powers of organisation, she's not a busybody – she simply gets things done quietly and efficiently. Once when asked how she manages to do all that charity work and cope with her amazingly clumsy husband, she replied, ''Oh that's easy – I stick all the vases to the tables and hide my best crockery!''
BROTHER KANE BAMBOO wants to be a writer just like his father – except he wants to write children's books rather than history books. Also, just like his father, he is awfully clumsy (he must have inherited it!) That means he gets away with never doing the washing up because his mother is frightened they won't have anything on which to eat if clumsy Kane is allowed near her crockery. Not surprisingly, his friends call him 'Smash' because that's the noise they hear whenever he's around!
SISTER CLARICE BAMBOO has only one thing on her mind. She simply adores horses. Indeed, it's rare to hear her talk about anything else. At the moment she's saving up for her very own saddle by working at the stables before school, after school, at the weekends and during the holidays. She doesn't mind the hard work – in fact, she loves it. ''Isn't it wonderful'', she says. ''I'm getting paid to do something I adore!'' Eventually she wants to be a top show jumper and win lots of gold medals.
BABY BROTHER REMI BAMBOO is perhaps the only panda in the world who's not always black and white. That's because he loves to paint and is often covered in the stuff! Once (about six months ago) he painted himself, his bedroom and even his carpet bright pink. He had five weeks without pocket money before his parents forgave him! ''When I'm a famous artist they'll think differently'', he was last heard to say as he painted all his little sister's shoes pea green.
BABY SISTER LENA BAMBOO has arguably got the biggest smile you have ever seen. She's also got the most infectious giggle. Whenever she giggles (which is usually when she is meant to be quiet – like at Sylvanian weddings) everyone else starts to giggle too! That means she often gets her friends into trouble with serious grown ups who have forgotten how to giggle.
BABY TWINS CHICHI AND MIMI BAMBOO are starting to follow in their father's footsteps as being accident prone. Because they get so excited they are always running about crashing into table legs and chairs. Thankfully most of the delicate ornaments have been glued down by Alexandra, so nothing gets broken.
BABY TWINS COCO AND SUGAR BAMBOO are probably the quietest members of their family (but that might be because they are the youngest!) They are always curled up in a corner sleeping, meaning they miss most of the commotion going on in their house.
The Bamboo panda family were first released into the UK Sylvanian range in 1992. Since then they have had several re-releases, the last one being in 2012. Originally it was just the family set of four and two babies. Mimi and Chichi were released as club exclusive babies in the 1990's, before being added as a twin set during one of the re-releases. A pair of panda exchange students were released into the Japan line in the mid 2000's, but didn't make it into the UK range. In 2010, a new panda family was hinted at being released, with promotional pictures appearing on the internet, but the release was cancelled, making the Bamboo family the only panda family released so far.