This Christmas, my wife gave me a wonderful gift. It was a book that I didn't know even existed. I'm reading it... slowly. I'd could say "I'm savoring it", but that'd be a lie. I simply read slowly. Well, that's half a lie; I read slowly and I am savoring the book.
This book, "Letters From Father Christmas" (authored and illustrated by J.R.R.Tolkien) is a compilation of letter from "Father Christmas" to the Professor's children over that space of almost 30 years. Some of the letter are short while a few are longer. Photos of the letters and illustrations are sprinkled throughout the book. Father Christmas is the main writer, although Polar Bear, Father C's main albeit clumsy assistant, writes some with an alphabet and hand that reminds me of dwarfish runes in The Lord of the Rings. (Could there be a connection? I'll leave it to you, gentle reader to decide.)
The book is a delight and I think it will be part of my pre-Christmas/Advent-of-sorts reading every year. The illustrations are great and match well with Tolkien's illustrations of The Hobbit and LOTR.
Many of you probably know about this book already. I just wanted to share my joy in it.
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| An example of Father Christmas' writing |
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| Polar Bear's writing with commentary from Father Christmas on the bottom |
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| Polar Bear broke the North Pole and damaged Father Christmas' house. The Man in the Moon, a side character*, looks on. The whole operation had to move to Cliff House seen in the lower illustration. (* I haven't finished the book yet, so Man in the Moon might be bigger than I expect.) |
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| Polar Bear spills the presents in the new house. |
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| Father Christmas and Polar Bear explore the goblin tunnels beneath Cliff House. |
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| I wish my tree looked as good! |
