Barrow-themed Christmas Greetings

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Though references to religious customs and holidays are quite rare and veiled in Tolkien’s works, we do find exact instructions for creating a decoration appropriate to this season:

“Seven stars and seven stones and one white tree.” (LotR 985)

The first necessary element is a tree of your choice, fir or other. Should it not already be white by nature, the necessary colour can be added by various means, all available in a store near you. Whether snow spray or a tube of opaque from your paintbox (the latter recommended only for very patient craftspersons) – the main objective is to get the tree white.

The proper style of decoration is rather sparse, according to Tolkien. Palantíri are rare nowadays – and quite expensive, even if you find an antique shop that carries them. (To say nothing of the risks and undesirable side effects they entail...) We therefore recommend the usual commercially available Christmas balls. Strict Tolkien fans choose the traditional clear glass baubles, hand-blown, though others who enjoy experimenting may opt for the coloured, mirrored, or painted variations that are available.

When you have distributed seven of these baubles, enough space remains for the seven stars required by the literary reference. Of course these are not meant to be real stars; we are working with “applicability”, not “allegory”, as every attentive reader knows. Since we have no further clues as to the possible forms and materials of the stars, much artistic freedom is left up to the sub-creator. Whether they are made of straw, wood, or metal; whether five- six- or eight-pointed ; whether gold- or silver-coloured; whether including a light or not – true Tolkienists compete for the most inventive interpretation.

Then, when the tree shines in all its splendour, a king can be crowned or a wedding celebrated. Should neither of these events be imminent, an appropriate traditional song can be sung instead. Here are the words to the best known:

Oh Gondor tree, oh Gondor tree,
How withered are thy branches.
Thy boughs bloom only for the king,
“Where is Isildur’s heir?” we sing.
Oh Gondor tree, oh Gondor tree,
How withered are thy branches.

Oh Gondor tree, oh Gondor tree,
When wilt thou yet delight us?
A steward did the city rule,
The palantír made him a fool,
Oh Gondor tree, oh Gondor tree,
When wilt thou yet delight us?

Oh Gondor tree, oh Gondor tree,
Teach me to hope for Strider.
Elendil comes: though yet we wait,
Estel Telcontar is not late.
Oh Gondor tree, oh Gondor tree,
Teach me to hope for Strider.



(This article was originally written in German and appeared in the German Tolkien Society's journal "Der Flammifer von Westernis", Nr. 38, 3/2009. The rights for both original and translation are my own - Middle-earth references are borrowed from Tolkien.)