Letters From Father Christmas
by J.R.R. Tolkien
For fans of Tolkien and lovers of Christmas holidays, Letters from Father Christmas is a gorgeous, festive gift featuring all of the letters that J.R.R. created for his children for the first time in one book along with other archival elements. Published on the 100th anniversary of the first letter Tolkien sent to his firstborn, John, in 1920, this handsome hardcover will also include an introduction from granddaughter Baillie Tolkien, who reflects on the centenary anniversary of the letters, as well as a personal note by J.R.R. reproduced for the first time.
On this, the 24th of December, Christmas is so very nearly here. Stockings have been hung and the halls decked for some time now. Letters to Santa were sent out weeks ago to ensure they’d make it to the North Pole in time for the big man’s big night—tonight.
In honor of the festivities, the tradition, the anticipation millions of children will be feeling today, I thought we’d celebrate with letters from Santa—or as close as we can get, which happens to be the workings of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantastic imagination.
Letters From Father Christmas is the collection of letters Tolkien wrote for his own children from none other than Father Christmas himself, detailing his life in the North Pole with his elves, his friend North Polar Bear and their adventures.
There is such a charm to these letters. Written for his three children, they feel like a glimpse at the most personal expression of Tolkien’s incredible creativity. He wrote a letter each year, some short and hurried when Father Christmas was especially busy preparing for the Christmas season, some longer when he had a new tale to share with the children.
Written with such humor and warmth, these letters showcase a different sort of Santa and North Polar than many of us have seen before. Though still loving, warm, and jolly, Tolkien made Father Christmas a character of his own, managing to stay true to our favorite parts of Father Christmas without falling back on clichés. Added to this is another character that enriches the letters, North Polar Bear, whose own portions of the letters and interjections within Father Christmas’s narrative make it feel like a true conversation, infusing it with more humor and character. Tolkien’s North Pole is as unique as you’d imagine anything written by Tolkien would be and it’s fun. Through Father Christmas’s stories, we learn of red and green elves, Mr. Cave Bear and his caves, the attacks of nasty goblins, and even about how the man in the moon fell from the sky one night. These adventures are entertaining and magical for young readers especially, but are just as enjoyable for older readers, too.
These letters are fantastically inventive, but what’s truly astounding was the amount of work put into them. Each character—Father Christmas, North Pole Bear, Ilbereth the elf—that contributed to letters had their own handwriting, their own voice, their own perspective on events, and a very clear, unique personality. The letters were beautiful, magical things to look at. With many of the letters came drawings—detailed, magical drawings of the North Pole and the workshop and North Polar Bear’s escapades that added such richness to the letters and brought them to life. It was so charming.
What a wonderful Christmastime read for young and old alike. It was a joy to read these letters, though sad to see how each of Tolkien’s children moved on from the Christmases of childhood and no longer sent letters to Father Christmas or hung their stockings for his visit. Bound together in this collection, though, these letters can continue to bring magic to readers and could perhaps make their way into other families’ traditions.
Merry Christmas to all,
Madison