J.R.R. Tolkien is most well known as the author behind the famed series The Lord of the Rings. He was also an Oxford don (in the field of Anglo-Saxon literature) and a family man who was widely adored for his overactive imagination. He wrote little publicized letters to his children every year at Christmastime by posing as Father Christmas (the equivalent of Santa Claus), replete with this trademark imagination and with drawings and paintings. His daughter-in-law Baillie posthumously collected these writings into this compilation.
I am most impressed with how much obvious joy Tolkien takes in the art of parenting. As a professor, he was a busy man, but took the time to convey fun annually to his children as they aged. These letters begin in 1920 and continue uninterrupted until 1943, at which time his oldest child left home. Some parents find it hard to share passions with their children; not J.R.R. Tolkien.
The letters display a consistent yet imaginative storyline. From the North Pole, Father Christmas writes to the children in response to their letters. He warns of gift shortages due to the Great Depression. He speaks honestly about the troubles of the Second World War. He shares stories of his compatriot Polar Bear. To provide drama, goblins sometimes attack the North Pole and must be warded off. Polar Bear even makes an appearance as an author! These letters are not philosophically profound nor overtly religious; rather, they convey a sense of play that appeals to children – and, if we’re honest, adults, too.
Works like this can bring family togetherness around the Christmas season. When I spoke of the book over dinner, my daughter specifically asked that she be able to read these letters – a step she usually does not take for most of my books. Photographed copies of the letters and accompanying drawings are preserved in the book. This makes the purchase of a physical copy (as opposed to the eBook I read) worth its price. Tolkien’s brilliance left a legacy to English-speaking peoples. Kudos to daughter-in-law Baillie for collecting and sharing this brilliance to us around the theme of Christmas and family.
Letters from Father Christmas
By J.R.R. Tolkien; edited by Baillie Tolkien
Copyright (c) 2012
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ASIN B007978M9S
eBook
Genre: Letters
www.amazon.com