Father Christmas Letters: 1934 - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Estelyn Telcontar · 12-30-2011, 09:17 AM

The Christmas letters for this year are addressed to "My dear Christopher" - his older brothers must no longer have believed in Father Christmas (though he does send his love to them), and Priscilla is included in FC's greetings, so perhaps not yet able to read and write enough for her own letter. Correction: Hammond and Scull (in Chronology) mention a shorter letter that Priscilla received.

The letter is not as long as those of the past years, and there are only little anecdotes told, no big exciting story. The picture shows the Christmas tree that came up to the North Pole from Norway and has magic lights (candles) of various colours.

Everything is already set up for a big party on Boxing Day, when over 100 guests will celebrate with Father Christmas and the bears.

I wonder if something kept JRRT especially busy that year, so that he couldn't concentrate on writing an elaborate story. I couldn't find anything specific in the Chronology.

Guinevere · 01-06-2012, 04:27 PM

in 1934 Priscilla was 5,Christopher 10, , Michael 14 and John 17 years old.

I find it interesting that the Polar Bear is apparently sleeping during summer, and awake in the arctic winter - an inverse hibernation, as it were.

There must have been quite a correspondance this year - Christopher's first letter seems to have been written already in October or earlier; and in his Christmas letter, FC writes "thank you for your many letters!"

12-30-2011, 09:17 AM	#1
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,499	Father Christmas Letters: 1934 The Christmas letters for this year are addressed to "My dear Christopher" - his older brothers must no longer have believed in Father Christmas (though he does send his love to them), and Priscilla is included in FC's greetings, so perhaps not yet able to read and write enough for her own letter. Correction: Hammond and Scull (in Chronology) mention a shorter letter that Priscilla received. The letter is not as long as those of the past years, and there are only little anecdotes told, no big exciting story. The picture shows the Christmas tree that came up to the North Pole from Norway and has magic lights (candles) of various colours. Everything is already set up for a big party on Boxing Day, when over 100 guests will celebrate with Father Christmas and the bears. I wonder if something kept JRRT especially busy that year, so that he couldn't concentrate on writing an elaborate story. I couldn't find anything specific in the Chronology. __________________ '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...'

01-06-2012, 04:27 PM	#2
Guinevere Banshee of Camelot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Switzerland Posts: 5,830	in 1934 Priscilla was 5,Christopher 10, , Michael 14 and John 17 years old. I find it interesting that the Polar Bear is apparently sleeping during summer, and awake in the arctic winter - an inverse hibernation, as it were. There must have been quite a correspondance this year - Christopher's first letter seems to have been written already in October or earlier; and in his Christmas letter, FC writes "thank you for your many letters!" __________________ Yes! "wish-fulfilment dreams" we spin to cheat our timid hearts, and ugly Fact defeat!