...
Show More
This is a re-read for me, and it's still as wonderful and wholesome as I remembered :')
Ease Reading-Find Your Next Favorite Book
Community Reviews
Rating(4 / 5.0, 99 votes)
5 stars
31(31%)
4 stars
37(37%)
3 stars
31(31%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)
99 reviews
...
Show More
n Christmas House, Cliff House, North Pole …n
Dal 1920 al 1943, in occasione del Natale, i figli di Tolkien ricevettero una o più letterine inviate loro da Babbo Natale, accompagnate talvolta da scritti (piuttosto … ehm … sgrammaticati in verità …) e disegni del suo aiutante, l’Orso Bianco.
Il libro contiene tutte le riproduzioni dei testi - scritti in una grafia assai incerta, essendo nel 1923 Babbo Natale vecchio di millenovecentoventisette anni! - e dei deliziosi disegni che Tolkien produsse per oltre vent’anni a beneficio dell’universo magico di John, Michael, Christopher e Priscilla.
Immagino la gioia dei bambini nel ricevere quelle lettere e l’affascinato stupore con il quale avranno ammirato quei meravigliosi disegni e ascoltato il loro papà mentre leggeva quanto scritto loro da … Babbo Natale in persona!
Qui, Sir Derek Jacobi ci offre un brevissimo assaggio della magia delle letterine … http://soundcloud.com/harpercollinspu...
Lo so, è banale, forse un po’ da … Zecchino d’oro, ma con l’augurio che un giorno non lontano, questo stupore e questa felicità possano essere provati da tutti i bambini del mondo.
Strada lunga e irta di ostacoli essa è … ma … Appi Cristmasss!
Dal 1920 al 1943, in occasione del Natale, i figli di Tolkien ricevettero una o più letterine inviate loro da Babbo Natale, accompagnate talvolta da scritti (piuttosto … ehm … sgrammaticati in verità …) e disegni del suo aiutante, l’Orso Bianco.
Il libro contiene tutte le riproduzioni dei testi - scritti in una grafia assai incerta, essendo nel 1923 Babbo Natale vecchio di millenovecentoventisette anni! - e dei deliziosi disegni che Tolkien produsse per oltre vent’anni a beneficio dell’universo magico di John, Michael, Christopher e Priscilla.
Immagino la gioia dei bambini nel ricevere quelle lettere e l’affascinato stupore con il quale avranno ammirato quei meravigliosi disegni e ascoltato il loro papà mentre leggeva quanto scritto loro da … Babbo Natale in persona!
Qui, Sir Derek Jacobi ci offre un brevissimo assaggio della magia delle letterine … http://soundcloud.com/harpercollinspu...
Lo so, è banale, forse un po’ da … Zecchino d’oro, ma con l’augurio che un giorno non lontano, questo stupore e questa felicità possano essere provati da tutti i bambini del mondo.
Strada lunga e irta di ostacoli essa è … ma … Appi Cristmasss!
...
Show More
Read-read: 2022
The first year I read a physical copy instead of listening on Audible. While I missed Derek Jacobi's narration, seeing the handwritten letters and drawn pictures was amazing. Seeing them brings to mind what a labor of love these letters truly were when they were created. I'm so excited to finally own a beautiful copy of the book.
-----------------------------------------
Re-read: 2020
I've decided I really need to add this to an annual Christmas re-read list. My second time through and the red and green elves, as well as the capers of North Polar Bear have me smiling all over again. I love the Audible version because of the exceptional voice acting and Christmas music added to the narration, but I've GOT to read a physical copy next year so I can finally see the pictures.
Tolkien was the Dad of the Year every year he wrote his kids a letter from Santa, complete with pictures he drew and languages he invented (specifically Arctic- don't worry, North Polar Bear translates for us even though his writing is hard to read because...well, obviously writing anything with a paintbrush when you have paws is difficult!).
--------------------------------------------
Initial read: 2018
How is it possible that I've gone 28 years without reading this?
I think Tolkien could have wrote the ingredient list on a box of cereal, and I'd be enamored by his magic. The way he viewed the world was just beautiful.
This particular work is a collection of letters he wrote over the years in which he impersonated Father Christmas to the youngest members of his family. Not only is it cleverly written and overwhelms your heart with Christmas joy, it's a peek into his personal life. The stories made me smile. Father Christmas fondly grumbling over the mishaps of "Polar Bear" were so endearing. But it's also profound in that he wrote parallels in his stories of the North Pole to the historical events of his day. It just so happened that during the saga of the great World War, the North Pole was also being invaded by goblins. I never knew, did you?
But really, there could not be a more perfect book to get adults and kids ready for Christmas. Who knows! Maybe it will compel people in our generation to add to the wonder of Christmas by writing stories from the North Pole for their own children.
I'd rate this book a G.
The first year I read a physical copy instead of listening on Audible. While I missed Derek Jacobi's narration, seeing the handwritten letters and drawn pictures was amazing. Seeing them brings to mind what a labor of love these letters truly were when they were created. I'm so excited to finally own a beautiful copy of the book.
-----------------------------------------
Re-read: 2020
I've decided I really need to add this to an annual Christmas re-read list. My second time through and the red and green elves, as well as the capers of North Polar Bear have me smiling all over again. I love the Audible version because of the exceptional voice acting and Christmas music added to the narration, but I've GOT to read a physical copy next year so I can finally see the pictures.
Tolkien was the Dad of the Year every year he wrote his kids a letter from Santa, complete with pictures he drew and languages he invented (specifically Arctic- don't worry, North Polar Bear translates for us even though his writing is hard to read because...well, obviously writing anything with a paintbrush when you have paws is difficult!).
--------------------------------------------
Initial read: 2018
How is it possible that I've gone 28 years without reading this?
I think Tolkien could have wrote the ingredient list on a box of cereal, and I'd be enamored by his magic. The way he viewed the world was just beautiful.
This particular work is a collection of letters he wrote over the years in which he impersonated Father Christmas to the youngest members of his family. Not only is it cleverly written and overwhelms your heart with Christmas joy, it's a peek into his personal life. The stories made me smile. Father Christmas fondly grumbling over the mishaps of "Polar Bear" were so endearing. But it's also profound in that he wrote parallels in his stories of the North Pole to the historical events of his day. It just so happened that during the saga of the great World War, the North Pole was also being invaded by goblins. I never knew, did you?
But really, there could not be a more perfect book to get adults and kids ready for Christmas. Who knows! Maybe it will compel people in our generation to add to the wonder of Christmas by writing stories from the North Pole for their own children.
I'd rate this book a G.
...
Show More
Una selección de cartas que Tolkien escribió a sus hijos como si fuera Papá Noel contándoles sus aventuras. El Oso Polar ❤
Me parece una idea maravillosa y estoy segura de que a cualquier niño le encntaría recibir este tipo de cartas.
Me parece una idea maravillosa y estoy segura de que a cualquier niño le encntaría recibir este tipo de cartas.
...
Show More
This was sweet.
Almost every November or December from 1920 to 1943 one or several letters would arrive for J.R.R. Tolkien’s children. In strange spidery handwriting Father Christmas would tell them about life at the North Pole. Those tales were accompanied by color drawings and sometimes also by additional notes written by the North Polar Bear and later also by Father Christmas’ secretary, an Elf named Ilbereth.
Tolkien put a lot of work into these letters. Not only did he come up with a new story for his children pretty much every year, the envelopes are also handmade, and he drew the pictures and even designed the post stamps.
The original letters are reproduced here and thankfully accompanied by a word-for-word transcript, as they are sometimes a little hard to read.
This is a wonderfully designed book with high-quality production values.
I won’t lie, though, it took some time to win me over. Don’t get me wrong, I think what Tolkien did for his kids is just wonderful. But I was asking myself initially, why should I read the letters that someone else wrote to his children? Will it be like reading a couple of short stories that I have no connection to, and that were not meant for a wider audience anyway?
It was a little like this, in the beginning. But of course, these letters are building on each other, and they are so full of warmth and kindness, and mischief. The banter between Father Christmas and the Polar Bear was really quite funny. The drawings are also often funny, and sweet.
You can see how over the years the kids were developing a friendship with Father Christmas, and then ultimately grew out of it. You can also see how the letters are changing in the light of events back then, namely the Second World War. The last letter to his daughter was particularly profound and made me a little sentimental.
A nice read for the holiday season.
Almost every November or December from 1920 to 1943 one or several letters would arrive for J.R.R. Tolkien’s children. In strange spidery handwriting Father Christmas would tell them about life at the North Pole. Those tales were accompanied by color drawings and sometimes also by additional notes written by the North Polar Bear and later also by Father Christmas’ secretary, an Elf named Ilbereth.
Tolkien put a lot of work into these letters. Not only did he come up with a new story for his children pretty much every year, the envelopes are also handmade, and he drew the pictures and even designed the post stamps.
The original letters are reproduced here and thankfully accompanied by a word-for-word transcript, as they are sometimes a little hard to read.
This is a wonderfully designed book with high-quality production values.
I won’t lie, though, it took some time to win me over. Don’t get me wrong, I think what Tolkien did for his kids is just wonderful. But I was asking myself initially, why should I read the letters that someone else wrote to his children? Will it be like reading a couple of short stories that I have no connection to, and that were not meant for a wider audience anyway?
It was a little like this, in the beginning. But of course, these letters are building on each other, and they are so full of warmth and kindness, and mischief. The banter between Father Christmas and the Polar Bear was really quite funny. The drawings are also often funny, and sweet.
You can see how over the years the kids were developing a friendship with Father Christmas, and then ultimately grew out of it. You can also see how the letters are changing in the light of events back then, namely the Second World War. The last letter to his daughter was particularly profound and made me a little sentimental.
A nice read for the holiday season.
...
Show More
Il caro vecchio Tolkien, si sa, aveva immaginazione da vendere e per ben 23 anni ha creato una corrispondenza fittizia tra Babbo Natale e i suoi figli.
Leggendo le sue lettere e guardando i suoi meravigliosi disegni, per qualche istante ho creduto anche io che provenissero direttamente dal Polo Nord.
Con infinita dolcezza e con tutto l’amore che un padre può dare, è riuscito far vivere personaggi che hanno sempre vissuto nel nostro immaginario o inventati dallo scrittore stesso: Babbo Natale, Orso Bianco e i suoi nipoti Paksu e Valkotukka, l’Elfo Ilbereth, l’Omino di Neve, gli Gnomi Rossi, descrivendo tutte le loro peripezie e i preparativi per la tanto attesa consegna dei regali la notte del 24 dicembre.
Avrei voluto leggerne di più e che il volume fosse stato più corposo, ma ho amato lo stesso ogni singola pagina.
Commovente l’ultima letterina, indirizzata alla figlia Priscilla, in occasione dell’anno in cui avrebbe appeso l’ultima calza per Babbo Natale: anche se smettiamo di credere, questo non significa che non dobbiamo più sognare che un pizzico di magia possa sempre esserci in questo mondo.
Leggendo le sue lettere e guardando i suoi meravigliosi disegni, per qualche istante ho creduto anche io che provenissero direttamente dal Polo Nord.
Con infinita dolcezza e con tutto l’amore che un padre può dare, è riuscito far vivere personaggi che hanno sempre vissuto nel nostro immaginario o inventati dallo scrittore stesso: Babbo Natale, Orso Bianco e i suoi nipoti Paksu e Valkotukka, l’Elfo Ilbereth, l’Omino di Neve, gli Gnomi Rossi, descrivendo tutte le loro peripezie e i preparativi per la tanto attesa consegna dei regali la notte del 24 dicembre.
Avrei voluto leggerne di più e che il volume fosse stato più corposo, ma ho amato lo stesso ogni singola pagina.
Commovente l’ultima letterina, indirizzata alla figlia Priscilla, in occasione dell’anno in cui avrebbe appeso l’ultima calza per Babbo Natale: anche se smettiamo di credere, questo non significa che non dobbiamo più sognare che un pizzico di magia possa sempre esserci in questo mondo.
...
Show More
Excuse thick writing I have a fat paw. I help Father Christmas with his packing; I live with him. I am the GREAT (Polar) BEAR
J.R.R. Tolkien ~~ Letters from Father Christmas
This was my first J.R.R. Tolkien read. I was enchanted by this delightful book.
Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R. Tolkien's children. Inside would be a letter in strange spidery handwriting and a beautiful color drawing. They were from Father Christmas, telling wonderful tales of life at the North Pole: How all the reindeer got loose and scattered all over the place; How the accident-prone Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas's house in the dining room; How he broke the Moon into four pieces and made the Man in it fall into the back garden; How there were wars with the troublesome horde of goblins who lives in the caves beneath the house, and many more! Sometimes the Polar Bear would scrawl a note, and sometimes Ilbereth the Elf would write in his elegant flowing script, adding yet more life and humor to the stories.
Polar Bear always seems to get himself into trouble whether he is falling down the stairs, overflowing the bathtub, breaking the North Pole or turning on two years worth of the Northern Lights all at one time. Luckily Santa is patient with him and Polar Bear eventually saves the day when the North Pole is invaded by evil goblins who want to steal all the presents. Letters from Father Christmas is sure to delight readers of all ages.
I will enjoy myself for years to come rereading this book, and making it part of my Christmas reading traditions.
J.R.R. Tolkien ~~ Letters from Father Christmas
This was my first J.R.R. Tolkien read. I was enchanted by this delightful book.
Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R. Tolkien's children. Inside would be a letter in strange spidery handwriting and a beautiful color drawing. They were from Father Christmas, telling wonderful tales of life at the North Pole: How all the reindeer got loose and scattered all over the place; How the accident-prone Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas's house in the dining room; How he broke the Moon into four pieces and made the Man in it fall into the back garden; How there were wars with the troublesome horde of goblins who lives in the caves beneath the house, and many more! Sometimes the Polar Bear would scrawl a note, and sometimes Ilbereth the Elf would write in his elegant flowing script, adding yet more life and humor to the stories.
Polar Bear always seems to get himself into trouble whether he is falling down the stairs, overflowing the bathtub, breaking the North Pole or turning on two years worth of the Northern Lights all at one time. Luckily Santa is patient with him and Polar Bear eventually saves the day when the North Pole is invaded by evil goblins who want to steal all the presents. Letters from Father Christmas is sure to delight readers of all ages.
I will enjoy myself for years to come rereading this book, and making it part of my Christmas reading traditions.
...
Show More
Absolutely delightful. Do yourself a favor and get it on Audible. Just perfect!
2020-an annual favorite.
2021-This book is a true delight.
2022- I love listening to this every holiday season.
2020-an annual favorite.
2021-This book is a true delight.
2022- I love listening to this every holiday season.
...
Show More
Another great Christmas read amidst snow-clad mountains. It really puts one in the mood. For some reason I have never read this one, although a copy has been standing on my shelf my entire life.
Letters from Father Christmas is an excellent little collection of Tolkien's annual Christmas letters to his children, in the guise of Father Christmas himself. It's a beautiful little insight into Tolkien as a father, and into the meaning of Christmas for the man and his family.
Christmas (or Yule as I typically insist on calling it up here in Norway) is particularly special to me as well. It's something I look forward to every single year, spending time in the winter wonderlands of the north.
Tolkien and his works are also particularly special to me, more so than any other piece of literature, and so this seems a perfect match that I will probably re-read in a year or so.
Just waiting for the northern lights now...
Letters from Father Christmas is an excellent little collection of Tolkien's annual Christmas letters to his children, in the guise of Father Christmas himself. It's a beautiful little insight into Tolkien as a father, and into the meaning of Christmas for the man and his family.
Christmas (or Yule as I typically insist on calling it up here in Norway) is particularly special to me as well. It's something I look forward to every single year, spending time in the winter wonderlands of the north.
Tolkien and his works are also particularly special to me, more so than any other piece of literature, and so this seems a perfect match that I will probably re-read in a year or so.
Just waiting for the northern lights now...
...
Show More
***5 stars***
While reading this wonderful Christmas book, I couldn't stop thinking about what a great father J. R. R. Tolkien must have been to his children! ❤️ As if I didn't admire and love him enough as an author for creating my all time favorite stories (The Hobbit and Lotr), this idea he had is just beyond lovely.
This book is a collection of actual letters he wrote to his children as Santa, over the span of more than 20 years. The content of the letters is about this magical North Pole, where Santa lives along with his helper "Polar Bear", elves, reindeers, gnomes, goblins and more. This all just created the ultimate wintery fairy-tale. Although the first letters written during 1920 are rather simplistic, with each passing year the stories became more complex and also more creative.
Heart-warming, enchanting, inspiring, entertaining ...and I could list many more adjectives to describe this book. Added bonus: the book is full of Tolkien's beautiful handwriting and fun illustrations. This is why I think everyone should just stop what they are doing and read it before Christmas.
While reading this wonderful Christmas book, I couldn't stop thinking about what a great father J. R. R. Tolkien must have been to his children! ❤️ As if I didn't admire and love him enough as an author for creating my all time favorite stories (The Hobbit and Lotr), this idea he had is just beyond lovely.
This book is a collection of actual letters he wrote to his children as Santa, over the span of more than 20 years. The content of the letters is about this magical North Pole, where Santa lives along with his helper "Polar Bear", elves, reindeers, gnomes, goblins and more. This all just created the ultimate wintery fairy-tale. Although the first letters written during 1920 are rather simplistic, with each passing year the stories became more complex and also more creative.
Heart-warming, enchanting, inspiring, entertaining ...and I could list many more adjectives to describe this book. Added bonus: the book is full of Tolkien's beautiful handwriting and fun illustrations. This is why I think everyone should just stop what they are doing and read it before Christmas.
...
Show More
Книжка, яку можна прочитати за різдвяний день в компанії тортиків.
Я не люблю солодкавого моралізаторського різдвяного чтива про сиріток і дива, але тематичного чогось кортить - і це саме для таких як я. Це збірка листів, які Толкіен писав (і малював) від імені Різдвяного Діда та його помічників до своїх дітей, здебільшого описуючи різні пригоди в підготовці до різдвяного сезону - то Білий Ведмідь провалив дах, то гобліни напали, але загалом все вдається. Оскільки дітей було декілька, то листи писалися протягом 1920-1940-х років і у останніх вже помітний відгомін війни.
Сумно, що подарунки закінчувалися, коли дітям було по чотирнадцять років - тому в листах є трохи така туга за дитинством, що відходить. Нагадує про Нарнію і як після певного віку діти вже не могли в неї потрапити.
Я не люблю солодкавого моралізаторського різдвяного чтива про сиріток і дива, але тематичного чогось кортить - і це саме для таких як я. Це збірка листів, які Толкіен писав (і малював) від імені Різдвяного Діда та його помічників до своїх дітей, здебільшого описуючи різні пригоди в підготовці до різдвяного сезону - то Білий Ведмідь провалив дах, то гобліни напали, але загалом все вдається. Оскільки дітей було декілька, то листи писалися протягом 1920-1940-х років і у останніх вже помітний відгомін війни.
Сумно, що подарунки закінчувалися, коли дітям було по чотирнадцять років - тому в листах є трохи така туга за дитинством, що відходить. Нагадує про Нарнію і як після певного віку діти вже не могли в неї потрапити.
...
Show More
Wonderful! I had heard about Tolkien's letters, of course, but hadn't read them until I got this beautiful Centenary Edition. Worth the wait! The actual letters are reproduced, full size (this is a big book!) and transcribed into an easy to read font. So charming!
Leave a Review