Father Christmas Letters: 1930 - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Estelyn Telcontar · 12-20-2011, 07:50 AM

The first brief letter of 1930 is dated November 29th and acknowledges the letters written by the boys - apparently quite a few from Christopher and Michael. The second one is the Christmas letter, addressed to "my dears". In it, Father Christmas praises the North Polar Bear's helpfulness, which caused the annual calamity (rather than his usual clumsiness). Being stuck out in the snow caused the whooping cough which was already mentioned in the first letter.

The picture shows the party which took place upon the NPB's recovery, attended by Snowboys and Polar Cubs (the latter identified as PB's nephews, though not yet named).

JRRT's pictorial panels are not quite in chronological order - the small drawings in the middle show FC finding NPB out in the snow, then the bear wrapped up and with his feet in a hot bath. The top depicts the party while it was still fairly decorous - and the decorated room. On the bottom the young guests are pulling a cracker, which prompts PB's recovery.

The last paragraph of the letter hints at answers to questions that the children may have asked. Grandfather Yule as FC's father is understandable, but I'm trying to figure out who his "green brother" could be - any ideas? The postscript to the main letter is an interesting sidenote: "Chris has no need to be frightened of me".

12-20-2011, 07:50 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: 1930 The first brief letter of 1930 is dated November 29th and acknowledges the letters written by the boys - apparently quite a few from Christopher and Michael. The second one is the Christmas letter, addressed to "my dears". In it, Father Christmas praises the North Polar Bear's helpfulness, which caused the annual calamity (rather than his usual clumsiness). Being stuck out in the snow caused the whooping cough which was already mentioned in the first letter. The picture shows the party which took place upon the NPB's recovery, attended by Snowboys and Polar Cubs (the latter identified as PB's nephews, though not yet named). JRRT's pictorial panels are not quite in chronological order - the small drawings in the middle show FC finding NPB out in the snow, then the bear wrapped up and with his feet in a hot bath. The top depicts the party while it was still fairly decorous - and the decorated room. On the bottom the young guests are pulling a cracker, which prompts PB's recovery. The last paragraph of the letter hints at answers to questions that the children may have asked. Grandfather Yule as FC's father is understandable, but I'm trying to figure out who his "green brother" could be - any ideas? The postscript to the main letter is an interesting sidenote: "Chris has no need to be frightened of me". __________________ '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...'