What fun it must have been to be a child of Tolkien. The next best thing, in my opinion, to receiving an annual letter from Father Christmas would have been to have had a parent read this book aloud every Christmas. The reader is immersed in the world of the North Pole, complete with colourful drawings of Polar Bear, the Red and Green Gnomes, and the dreaded Goblins. What a delight! A great little book to ignite the Christmas Spirit of young and old!

Durante la loro infanzia i figli di Tolkien hanno ricevuto delle lettere di risposta alle letterine natalizie che generalmente si scrivono a Babbo Natale. In queste risposte si parla della fantastica e incredibile vita al Polo Nord, dei suoi abitanti, buoni e cattivi, e di tutte le avventure/disavventure piccole o grandi che capitano loro. All'interno del libro ci sono anche le riproduzioni delle lettere originali ed è stato davvero bellissimo osservare la tremolante scrittura di Father Christmas o le annotazioni a margine dell'Orso Bianco. A questo libro dolcissimo e magico non posso che assegnare cinque stelle piene zeppe di invidia per questi quattro pargoli che per vent'anni hanno ricevuto lettere e disegni da Babbo Natale in persona!

A delightful account of Father Christmas’ adventures told through letters to Tolkien’s children. This felt truly magical and was a lovely book to read in the build up to Christmas, made me feel very festive!

The letters that “Father Nicholas Christmas” wrote to the children of J.R.R. Tolkien between the years 1920 and 1943 represent one of the most impressive Christmas gifts that I know of. A talented author with a unique gift for building fantasy worlds enhanced the magic of his family’s Christmas seasons through a decades-long series of annual letters that, over time, developed an elaborate and internally consistent world of the kind for which Tolkien is known and loved. Those letters, collected by Baillie Tolkien and published in 1976 as Letters from Father Christmas, provide a unique look into Tolkien’s literary imagination, and make for a Christmas book of particular imaginative depth and resonance.

One single letter from 1920, addressed to 3-year-old John and sent from “Christmas House, North Pole,” constitutes a modest beginning to what later becomes a sort of epic Christmas fantasy. Father Christmas, in shaky red handwriting, assures little John in his one-page letter that “I am just off now for Oxford with my bundle of toys” (p. 10). It is a quiet introduction to what will become a particularly magical Christmas land.

By 1923, Father Christmas is getting a bit more detailed in his setting-forth of North Pole life. He informs 6-year-old John that he thinks the reason for his shaky handwriting is that “I am nineteen hundred and twenty four – no, seven! – years old on Christmas Day” (p. 15) – reflecting, perhaps, Father Christmas’ awareness that Great Britain’s switch from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, back in 1752, makes him three years older than he thought he was. The letters abound in just this kind of fun and vivid detail; and 1923 also represents the beginning of Father Christmas sending his letters, without fail, to the Tolkien children every December for the next 20 years.

By December 20, 1926, when Father Christmas is writing from “Cliff House, Top of the World,” to 9-year-old John, 6-year-old Michael, and 2-year-old Christopher, the world of Cliff House is being set forth in more complete detail. The letters, with North Pole stamps and postmarks, are longer and more elaborate, and are accompanied by drawings that give this North Pole world a gorgeous, otherworldly feel – much like the Tolkien illustrations that one can see on the covers of the Ballantine Books paperback printings of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

And new characters have made their presence known as well. An unintentional agent of chaos is the North Polar Bear, a friendly and well-meaning fellow who nonetheless has a penchant for accidentally causing some trouble. In the 1926 letter, Father Christmas tells the Tolkien boys how “The tap for turning on the Rory Bory Aylis fireworks is still in the cellar of my old house. The North Polar Bear knew he must never, never touch it. I only let it off on special days like Christmas.” But the North Polar Bear, thinking that the tap had been cut off, inadvertently flooded the pole with two years’ worth of Northern Lights illumination in just one night. Stars were shaken out of place, and the Man in the Moon fell into Father Christmas’ back garden. Father Christmas adds that the Man in the Moon “ate quite a lot of my Christmas chocolates before he said he felt better and climbed back to mend it and get the stars tidy” (p. 26).

The 1927 letter to the Tolkien boys shows that order has been to some extent restored – Father Christmas reports that the Man in the Moon, knocked out of the sky the year before, “paid me a visit the other day – a fortnight ago exactly – he often does about this time, as he gets lonely in the Moon, and we make him a nice little Plum Pudding (he is so fond of things with plums in!)” (p. 33)

Yet the North Polar Bear continues to be an unintentional agent of chaos; F.C. reports that “Yesterday he was snowballing the Snow Man in the garden and pushed him over the edge of the cliff so that he fell into my sleigh at the bottom and broke lots of things – one of them was himself. I used some of what was left of him to paint my white picture. We shall have to make ourselves a new gardener when we are less busy” (pp. 32-33). The North Polar Bear, whose handwriting – a thick, runic scrawl – contrasts with Father Christmas’ shaky penmanship – regularly inserts into the letters fun defences of his own behaviour.

The illustrations throughout Letters from Father Christmas are a particular treat. One picture, from the 1929 letter, is described by Father Christmas as “a special picture” for 5-year-old Christopher; Father Christmas says that “It shows me crossing the sea on the upper North wind, while a South West gale – reindeer hate it – is raising big waves below” (p. 49). In the accompanying illustration, Father Christmas, seen from a distance, looks rather like a red-suited Gandalf, standing at the reins of his sleigh; reindeer push forward gamely against grey-clouded winter skies, whilst a stormy sea of pastel blues and greens rages below.

And while we’re on the subject of reindeer, aficionados of the flying variant of the genus Rangifer will be glad to hear Father Christmas expatiate on the proper way to deploy flying reindeer on Christmas Eve. In his letter of December 23, 1932, Father Christmas informs all four of the Tolkien children that “I usually use 7 pair (14 is such a nice number), and at Christmas, especially if I am hurried, I add my 2 special white ones in front” (p. 81). No red-nosed Rudolph in the lead, I’m sorry to say; the book Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer did not appear on the scene until 1939, and the Gene Autry song would be another ten years in the making.

The letters also reflect the often-difficult reality of the historical context within which Tolkien – excuse me, Father Christmas – is writing. Against the backdrop of a worldwide economic depression, Father Christmas adds that “I am not able to carry quite as much toy-cargo as usual this year, as I am taking a good deal of food and clothes (useful stuff): there are far too many people in your land, and others, who are hungry and cold this winter” (p. 85). Here, one senses how a loving parent is trying to acknowledge uncomfortable realities while at the same time providing comfort and reassurance for his children.

As Christmases follow upon one another, the world of Letters from Father Christmas comes more and more to resemble that of The Lord of the Rings. Cliff House is periodically invaded by goblins, and the North Polar Bear distinguishes himself in the fights that result. Father Christmas hires an Elven assistant named Ilbereth, whose elegant script contrasts with both Father Christmas’s shaky handwriting and North Polar Bear’s thick runic scrawl.

With the beginning of the Second World War in 1939, Father Christmas finds that he must acknowledge the terrible reality of that war. Writing solely to 10-year-old Priscilla on Christmas Eve in 1939, Father Christmas states that “I am very busy and things are very difficult this year owing to this horrible war. Many of my messengers have never come back” (p. 134). One year later, again to Priscilla, he writes that “This horrible war is reducing all our stocks, and in so many countries children are living far from their homes” (pp. 140-41). And in the 1941 letter to Priscilla, he reports that fewer children are even writing to F.C. “I expect it is because of this horrible war, and that when it is over things will improve again, and I shall be as busy as ever. But at present many people have lost their homes: or have left them; half the world seems in the wrong place” (p. 143).

And two years later, in the last of the letters, Father Christmas writes to 14-year-old Priscilla at Christmas of 1943 that “I suppose you will be hanging up your stocking just once more; I hope so, for I have still a few little things for you.” Parents all round the world may find a special pathos in the words that follow – Father Christmas’ parting words to the last of the Tolkien children with whom he corresponds: “After this, I shall have to say ‘goodbye’, more or less; I mean, I shall not forget you. We always keep the numbers of our old friends, and their letters; and later on we hope to come back when they are grown up and have houses of their own and children” (pp. 156-57). It is a moving evocation of the way Christmas traditions grow and continue in families that celebrate the holiday – and is part of what makes Letters from Father Christmas such a particularly memorable Christmas book.

Tolkien must have been an excellent farther to his children. To put so much thought and effort into the making of these letters speaks of nothing but devotion. They’re so well crafted by a master of the pen. The calligraphy, alone, is fantastic to look at. It’s quite revealing too. It’s like a little peek into the family life of the Tolkien’s, one which shows the patriarch as a kindly gentleman that he no doubt was. This is a great little book.





I do recommend this edition in particular because it shows the original print along with a text version. This means it can be read easily because some of the originals are quite dense.

এই বই শেষ করে মন ভরে যায় এই ভেবে যে টলকিন কি চমৎকার একজন বাবা ছিলেন! তিনি এতো ব্যস্ততার মধ্যেও অন্তত বিশটি বড়দিনে তাঁর বাচ্চাদের জন্য কি সুন্দর করে একেকটি চিঠি 'বানিয়েছেন'! লিখেছেন বলতে পারছি না, কারন, তিনি চিঠিগুলো শুধু লিখেন নি, সেগুলোকে বড়দিনের উৎসবের মতো সাজিয়েছেন। নানা রকম নকশা, রঙের পাশাপাশি নানা আকার ও আঙ্গিকের অক্ষর দিয়ে প্রতিটা চিঠিকে তিনি প্রাপকের জন্য উপহার খোলার মতো আনন্দময় করে তুলেছেন। সাথে তাঁর নিজের আঁকা সান্তা দাদুর নর্থ পোলের জীবনযাত্রা নিয়ে ছবিও পাঠাতেন। গল্পে গল্পে সান্তা ক্লজ সেজে বলতেন তাঁর সঙ্গী পোলার বিয়ারের কথা যে কিনা ঠিকঠাক ইংরেজী লিখতে পারতো না। অথচ, চিঠিতে পোলার বিয়ার বিশেষ এক বানানে লিখে কোনমতে তার শুভেচ্ছাট���কু ফি বছর জানাতে কিন্তু ভুলতো না। শুধু কি তাই, প্রতিবছর ক্লিফ হাউজের ঘটনা জানাতে গবলিনদের সাথে যুদ্ধ আর তাতে এলফদের বীরত্বের কথাও টলকিন লিখতেন এবং ছবি এঁকে পাঠাতেন। আরো জানাতেন, বড়দিনের ব্যস্ততার কথা! ফাদার ক্রিসমাসের কাছ থেকে উপহার অনেক রকম আসতো হয়তো, কিন্তু, সবচেয়ে ভালো লাগে আমার যখন তিনি বই পাঠাতেন। কারন, প্রিসিলার জন্য পাঠানো অক্সফোর্ড ফেইরী টেল আমারও পড়তে ইচ্ছা করে। টলকিনকে ধন্যবাদ তাঁর শিশুদেরকে এতো চমৎকার একটি শৈশব দিয়েছেন বলে।

Reread December 2019:

Honestly, there's nothing I have to say here except:

1) the illustrations are precious
2) tOLKIEN
3) HE WROTE THIS
4) and it's Christmas themed
5) so like . . . go read it?

(yes, this is my fourth year in a row reading it & I will never stop)

/ / /

Reread December 2018:

This never fails to make me smile. My favorite Christmas read. :)

/ / /

Reread December 2017:

OKAY SO IT'S ADORABLE. And it's written by Tolkien.

That's all you need to know. ;)

/ / /

I loved this so much! *hugs book* It's definitely the best Christmas book I've read--and it will for sure be something I reread again at Christmastime. ^_^ Honestly, it reminds me so much of The Hobbit, purely because of the fun characters and humor. An instant Christmas favorite. <3

Muy bonito el libro, me gusto.

Cuando llega la Navidad casi todo el mundo solo piensa en regalos, fiestas y comida; pero gracias a esta pequeña recopilación de cartas de Tolkien, podemos ver una perspectiva diferente de esta celebración. Tolkien, aprovechando su talento para escribir, les proporciono a sus hijos una infancia muy bonita. Claro que les dio regalos, pero es que enviarles cartas, haciéndoles creer a sus hijos que era Papa Noel quien se las enviaba es muy original y especial. De solo imaginar esa escena, puedo ver que esos niños fueron muy felices en esa época y que tuvieron mucha ansiedad e incertidumbre, no solo por los obsequios, sino también por las cartas de Papa Noel.

Desconozco si era una costumbre familiar o simplemente él lo quiso intentar, pero cuando leemos estas cartas llenas de ternura, inevitablemente nos surge un deseo de intentarlo nosotros también con nuestros hijos o sobrinos. De hecho, yo ya lo estoy considerando hacer cuando tenga mis hijos, porque sinceramente me pareció una idea fascinante.

Sin embargo, ocurre que cuando un libro es tierno, también puede producir nostalgia y tristeza a la vez. Me causo nostalgia al hacerme recordar mi infancia, en donde con esa inocencia que tenía, hacia una lista de tres páginas con regalos imposibles. Y en cuanto a la tristeza, es porque naturalmente esos niños, igual que todos nosotros, se enteraron de la verdad y toda esa aventura llego a su fin. Las despedidas o finales de ciclo, siempre me producen tristeza.

Algo importante para destacar y recordar, es la gran afectación que sufrieron las personas que vivieron en medio de las guerras mundiales. Lo menciono, porque en estas cartas lo noté. Al inicio, cada escrito transmitía mucha felicidad y dulzura; pero en las últimas cartas esto cambia mucho, y lo que transmite Tolkien ya es angustia y tristeza por lo que en ese momento ocurría en el mundo.

Vale realmente la pena leer estas cartas y llenar un poco de ternura nuestro corazón.

Oh my goodness, this little book has my heart. Tolkien writes letters to his own children from the perspective of Father Christmas, a type of Santa Claus though so so much better, drawing such beautiful illustrations to accompany the often hilarious accounts of Father Christmas and Polar Bear.

The personalities of these fictional characters are simply amazing, and all the shenanigans Polar Bear simultaneously causes and solves is so funny. Not to mention, there are goblins in these letters, and though not nearly as terrifying as the ones in LOTR, it was fun seeing them pop up again. And elvish is seen at least once!!

I adored this collection of heartfelt, creative, and comical letters, and I know I will be rereading this for years to come!

Listened to in audio format.

This was a delightful book, what a thoughtful father JR Tolken was!!!

Between the twenties and forties JR Tolken wrote letters to his children from Father Christmas. I enjoyed listening to the tales of Father Christmas and his helpful but disaster prone polar bear.

I would love to see a copy of the original book with the illustrations Tolkien included with his letters.

This was a wonderful book which I will listen to again and again

Still a favourite, of course <3

5/5 estrellas

UN LIBRO CORTO PERO LLENO DE DULZURA!
Mi primer Tolkien. Lo leí en digital y si mal no escuché a una booktube, se reeditó en España y desconozco si en Argentina se lo consigue.
Morí de amor cuando leí la sinopsis y la introducción junto con las imágenes que el libro contiene: Son adorables. No puedo creer el mundo que creó J.R.R. Tolkien para sus hijos y éstos mientras fueron niños nunca se dieron cuenta.
Transcurre entre los años 1920 a 1943 con cartas que empieza recibiendo John el hijo mayor, carta que me hizo caer una lágrima de tan dulce que es. Me sentí niña. Luego las otras cartas empiezan a recibirla los otros hijos de Tolkien y a medida que el tiempo pasa, ellos crecen y Priscilla será la última con la que se escriba nuestro querido Santa.

"Cartas a Papá Noel"es un libro lleno de magia y ternura. Yo con 34 años lo leo y me emociono y pienso en los hijos de Tolkien: ¡Es Papá Noel real!junto con las aventuras del oso y los elfos.
Las cartas transcurren durante 23 años y es un libro tan bonito y magistralmente tierno en toda su integridad.
"Cartas a Papá Noel"nos muestra la cotidianeidad de éste personaje, las noticias sobre él y sobre todo cuán ocupado está en las fechas navideñas. También sabemos con quién vive, quién lo acompaña, cómo es su casa y todas las cosas cotidianas. Incluso hace mención a la guerra con su pobreza y sus miserias.
Es un libro que transmite el espíritu de la Navidad y es ideal para leer en éstas fechas porque es una auténtica maravilla. Un libro precioso y súper emotivo.