Father Christmas Letters: 1920 - 1924 - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lalwendë · 12-09-2011, 05:20 PM

1920 and an image of Father Christmas wearing the familiar red and white outfit. So the next time someone tries to go all 'bah humbug' and tell you that Coca-Cola invented 'Santa', you can show them this picture and tell them that they didn't start using this image of Father Christmas until the 1930s!

I like his pixie hood and that he seems to live in a yurt.

Also, the envelope is also addressed to 'Mrs Tolkien' - would that be because of John being too young to read it himself?

Estelyn Telcontar · 12-09-2011, 11:20 PM

I was wondering about the colour of the outfit. It occurred to me that another Inkling also wrote Father Christmas into one of his stories, so I got out the first Narnia book and looked it up. Lewis also has FC wearing "a bright red robe with a hood that had fur inside it", so there must be some basis for that. Do any Brits know more about the traditional Father Christmas garb?

Thanks for the info concerning the envelope - that one is not pictured in my edition.

His house does look rather exotic, doesn't it?! Those icy pillars surrounding it are like upside-down icicles.

Bêthberry · 12-10-2011, 04:22 AM

What a lovely idea, Estelyn! I don't have a copy of the Christmas letters and haven't read them but I have admired Tolkien's drawings for them--even down to the stamps!

In fact last year I used one of the illustrations for my Christmas avatar, so this year it will be even more apt.

The roundness of Father Christmas' house makes me think of Scandinavian depictions of the figure--it isn't really an Inuit igloo!

Lal, it will be interesting to hear your tyke's thoughts on the letters and drawings!

Estelyn Telcontar · 12-10-2011, 11:13 AM

1923

The second letter we have was written three years after the first one. It is again addressed to John but includes Father Christmas' love to his brother Michael. My book has no picture, just the replica of the letter in FC's iconic shaky handwriting. I would imagine that this had the purpose of disguising JRRT's own handwriting so that his children wouldn't recognise it.

Two more bits of information are included: FC mentions his age (nineteen hundred and twenty four, no! seven!) and announces which gift he is bringing.

What impression do you get when reading this letter?

littlemanpoet · 12-10-2011, 04:09 PM

The top picture puts you right in winter time. The falling snow is so true to experience! And I love the shadows cast behind the trees and monoliths (or whatever they are) by the light of the bright moon.

What exactly are the monoliths?

Lalwendë · 12-10-2011, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

1923

Two more bits of information are included: FC mentions his age (nineteen hundred and twenty four, no! seven!) and announces which gift he is bringing.

He's a Time Lord!

But seriously, that age intrigued me. It's 1923 but Father Christmas is 1,927. I can't remember but wasn't there some kind of dispute about the birth of Jesus, he was either born 4 years before or after the point at which BC turns into AD? Might that have something to do with his age?

Estelyn Telcontar · 12-11-2011, 10:40 AM

Interesting question, Elempi! I was thinking that they look like snow stalagmites, but they are not under the eaves of the house, so how would they have been formed? And they're not trees (which was another first thought of mine) because the trees that are shown are not snow-covered. Actually, I wonder - why not?! You'd think anything at the North Pole would be covered by snow and/or ice. Some kind of standing stones? More new questions than answers...

Lal, I think you're on the right track concerning the age - there is a slight discrepancy between the historical year 0 and the actual date of Christ's birth. And Father Christmas would come into existence with the birth of Jesus, I guess - at least Tolkien imagined it to be so.

However, there's an inconsistency between that date and the name with which FC signs - the only time, as far as I have seen at least: "Father Nicholas Christmas". That would point to St. Nicholas (who morphed into Santa Claus), born much later than Jesus.

One thing I enjoyed about the second letter was JRRT's little pun:

Quote:

I send you lots of love (and lots for Michael too) and Lotts Bricks too (which are called that because there are lots more for you to have next year...)

Estelyn Telcontar · 12-11-2011, 04:20 PM

One last letter for this thread - you are welcome to continue commenting on the first two as you have time and opportunity to read them.

1924

There are two letters for this year, one for John, one for Michael. My edition of the book also pictures the envelope that was made for Michael's letter, with a lovely hand-drawn "North Pole" stamp. It shows a blazing setting or rising sun with one of those ice monoliths in front of it. Typical Tolkien to pay such painstaking attention to details like that! Other than that, my edition shows no drawing - does anyone have something different in their book?

12-09-2011, 05:20 PM	#1
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	1920 and an image of Father Christmas wearing the familiar red and white outfit. So the next time someone tries to go all 'bah humbug' and tell you that Coca-Cola invented 'Santa', you can show them this picture and tell them that they didn't start using this image of Father Christmas until the 1930s! I like his pixie hood and that he seems to live in a yurt. Also, the envelope is also addressed to 'Mrs Tolkien' - would that be because of John being too young to read it himself? __________________ Gordon's alive!

12-09-2011, 11:20 PM	#2
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	I was wondering about the colour of the outfit. It occurred to me that another Inkling also wrote Father Christmas into one of his stories, so I got out the first Narnia book and looked it up. Lewis also has FC wearing "a bright red robe with a hood that had fur inside it", so there must be some basis for that. Do any Brits know more about the traditional Father Christmas garb? Thanks for the info concerning the envelope - that one is not pictured in my edition. His house does look rather exotic, doesn't it?! Those icy pillars surrounding it are like upside-down icicles. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

12-10-2011, 04:22 AM	#3
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	What a lovely idea, Estelyn! I don't have a copy of the Christmas letters and haven't read them but I have admired Tolkien's drawings for them--even down to the stamps! In fact last year I used one of the illustrations for my Christmas avatar, so this year it will be even more apt. The roundness of Father Christmas' house makes me think of Scandinavian depictions of the figure--it isn't really an Inuit igloo! Lal, it will be interesting to hear your tyke's thoughts on the letters and drawings! __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

12-10-2011, 11:13 AM	#4
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	1923 The second letter we have was written three years after the first one. It is again addressed to John but includes Father Christmas' love to his brother Michael. My book has no picture, just the replica of the letter in FC's iconic shaky handwriting. I would imagine that this had the purpose of disguising JRRT's own handwriting so that his children wouldn't recognise it. Two more bits of information are included: FC mentions his age (nineteen hundred and twenty four, no! seven!) and announces which gift he is bringing. What impression do you get when reading this letter? __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

12-11-2011, 04:20 PM	#8
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	One last letter for this thread - you are welcome to continue commenting on the first two as you have time and opportunity to read them. 1924 There are two letters for this year, one for John, one for Michael. My edition of the book also pictures the envelope that was made for Michael's letter, with a lovely hand-drawn "North Pole" stamp. It shows a blazing setting or rising sun with one of those ice monoliths in front of it. Typical Tolkien to pay such painstaking attention to details like that! Other than that, my edition shows no drawing - does anyone have something different in their book? __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

12-10-2011, 04:09 PM	#5
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	The top picture puts you right in winter time. The falling snow is so true to experience! And I love the shadows cast behind the trees and monoliths (or whatever they are) by the light of the bright moon. What exactly are the monoliths?