"The Father Christmas Letters"

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"The Father Christmas Letters"

Post by Cord Hurn »

THE 1933 LETTER
Another Christmas! And I almost thought at one time (in November) that there would not be one this year. There would be the 25th of December of course, but nothing from your old great-great-great-etc. grandfather at the North Pole. My pictures tell you part of the story. Goblins. The worst attack we have had for centuries. They have been fearfully wild and angry ever since we took all their stolen toys off them last year, and dosed them with green smoke. You remember the Red Gnomes promised to clear all of them out. There was not one to be found in any hole or cave by New Year's Day. But I said they would crop up again--in a century or so. They have not waited so long! They must have gathered their nasty friends from mountains all over the world, and been busy all the summer while we were at our sleepiest. This time we had very little warning. Son after All Saints; Day Polar Bear got very restless. He now says he smelt nasty smells--but as usual he did not say anything: he says he did not want to trouble me. He really is a nice old thing, and this time he absolutely saved Christmas. He took to sleeping in the kitchen with his nose towards the cellar-door, opening on the main stairway down into my big stores.
On 21 November (Christopher Tolkien's birthday), Father Christmas wakes up from sleep in his recently-redecorated bedroom (done in green and purple) to see a Goblin's "wicked-little face" looking back at him from outside his window. Since FC has a house atop a cliff, it is obvious to him that he's seen once of the bat-riding Goblins that hadn't been observed since the war with the Goblins of the year 1453. A terrific din begins downstairs, sounding like it was coming from the store-cellars. FC drew a picture of the NPB smiling delightedly [ a cute picture] at being in battle with fifteen Goblins, working on catching or kicking or stomping them. NPB interjects himself into the letter, writing "ONLY THER WAS MORE LIKE 1000 GOBLINS THAN 15. PB". And FC responds parenthetically, "But you could hardly expect me to draw 1000." The NPB confirms he enjoyed the battle "immensely" fighting and killing many Goblins in short order, and then there was a storehouse fire to put out, cellar-guard Gnomes taken hostage by the Goblins to be rescued, and stolen reindeer to rescue. The fire extinguishing and the Gnome rescuing were accomplished moments later. However, it took several battles later before the reindeer could be recovered from the thieving Goblins, and many of FC's Elves were hurt in the effort.
It really will be centuries before we get another Goblin-trouble. Thanks to Polar Bear and the Gnomes, there can be very many left at all. [AND FR. C. I WISH I COULD DRAW OR HAD TIME TO TRY--YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE OLD MAN CAN DO! LITENING AND FIERWORKS AND THUNDER OF GUNS!] Polar Bear certainly has been busy, helping double help--but he has mixed up some of the girls' presents with the boys' in his hurry. We hope we have got all sorted out--but if you hear of anyone getting a doll when they wanted an engine, you will know why. Actually Polar Bear tells me I am wrong--we did lose a lot of railway stuff--Goblins always go for that--and what we got back was damaged and will have to be repainted. It will be a busy summer next year. Yours ever and annually, Father N. Christmas.
The painting of Father Christmas waking up in annoyance in his room is noteworthy for the striking green and purple decor, but one can just barely see the Goblin looking at him from outside his window.

Except for an orange letter header that says "FC" with half-shaded evergreen trees, and a yellow letter footer that says "Christmas 1933", there are no other artwork examples to go along with this letter. I like the class old lettering style Tolkien uses for the word, "Christmas", in the yellow footer.
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Post by Cord Hurn »

THE 1934 LETTER

Not so much as a whiff of Goblins for a 200-mile radius from the North Pole, writes Father Christmas. But, as FC predicted, it took until well into the last summer to fix all damage they caused, taking a lot of energy from FC, North Polar Bear, and their allies. Due to this, FC admits that they have had a slow start getting ready for Christmas and are now feeling rushed. TO complicate matters a touch more, there is an unseasonable warm spell at the North Pole which is making NPB continuously sleepy.

NBP's nephews Paksu and Valkotukka (respectively, "fat" and "white hair", in some dialect known to polar bears) have stayed around all year and have gotten bigger. They still get into mischief, like stealing paints from FC to paint scrawls on his cellar walls eating mincemeat out of pies prepared for Christmas, and unpacked some gift parcels to find railway things to use as their own toys, and they have quarreled with the Cave-cubs (who have arrived lately to stay with their uncle the old Cave-bear). Paksu is the worse of the two in that he likes to kick the Cave-cubs in the rear to hear them squeak and grunt, requiring NPB to frequently box him.

A great Boxing Day (December 26) party is planned, and FC has had a tall evergreen tree from Norway imported to the area, and created an oval of ice around it, as the centerpiece to the upcoming party. Invited by him are "100 Elves and Red Gnomes, lots of Polar Cubs, and Snow-babies, and of course Paksu and Valkotukka, and Polar Bear, and Cave-Bear and his nephews (etc.) will be there. Around the edge of the ice rink are various piles of colored icing, which NPB's nephews can't resist sampling, and off in the distance are piles of snow mixed with tree-ish things called snowplants.

FC's mostly pencil-drawn picture is a subtle use of color, with a tree with glowing lights all over it, and FC, NPB, and CB holding candles as one Cave-cub watches, another Cave-cub is kicked by Paksu, and Volkotukka struts on the ice with his uncle. FC is leaning on a pole to keep standing up on the ice while looking at the illuminated tree. "If you see a bright glow in the North, you will know what it is." One of the duller letters and pictures in this collection, I think.
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"The Father Christmas Letters"

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THE 1935 LETTER

Father Christmas: "No INK this year, and no water, so no painted pictures; also very cold hands, so very wobbly writing. This year it is frightfully cold--snow, snow, snow, and ice. We have been simply buried, messengers have got lost, and found themselves in Nova Scotia, if you know where that is, instead of in Scotland; and Polar Bear could not get home."

FC's house is covered in snow, but he has had help from the Red Elves digging a tunnel to his front door, clearing out snow from three of his house's upper windows and its chimneys and spires, and digging out the reindeer stables. FC includes a picture of his house almost completely covered in snow, with a door that wouldn't look out of place in a house in Hobbiton: sturdy wood, thick, arched on top, with large metal hinges.

FC remarks that while the Red Elves are nice and fun, they turn everything into a game, even when digging snow. Another picture shows them variously digging, sliding down a slope of snow, playing "King of the Hill", and having snowball fights.

It's so cold at the North Pole this year that the North Polar Bear dons boots, gloves, and sheepskin coat to stay warm, and FC includes another drawing to show that incredible situation.
Polar Bear says that we have not seen the last of the Goblins--in spite of the battles in 1933. They won't dare to come into my land yet; but for some reason they are breeding again and multiplying all over the world. Quite a nasty outbreak. But there are not so many in England, he says. I expect I shall have trouble with them soon. I have given my Elves some new magic sparkler spears that will scare them out of their wits.
A fourth illustration shows a Red Elf running after three Goblins (who here rather look like bipedal cats) while pointing a magic sparkler spear at them. The drawings seem somewhat hastily done compared to those included with previous letters. I don't think I could run very effectively in such curl-toed shoes, but the Elves must be adept at it.

And that's all there is to the 1935 FC letter.
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Post by Cord Hurn »

THE 1936 LETTER

Father Christmas apologizes for not sending a long letter but sends an illustration to explain what happened recently. FC admits he is still shaky and upset about recent events and has one of his Elves explain why.

The drawing shows a fireworks display with the red-bandaged North Pole in front of it as a "header" to the illustrated page but does not seem to have anything to do with the explanation the Elf gives in the letter. Under that is a drawing of the North Polar Bear sleeping in a bathtub, with water overflowing from it and covering the floor. (I often think the way NPB's head is drawn by Tolkien makes him look more like a jackal than a bear.) The drawing below this shows FC looking at water dripping from the ceiling on his stacks of parcels, with an upset expression on his face. One Elf is also looking upward, his pointed hat flying off of his head in an apparent gesture of dismay which mimics what FC is doing, as another Elf rushes forward with a small umbrella. The lowest drawing is of NPB teaching numbers to a row of Green Elves and a row of Red Elves. This last drawing seems to indicate what training they get in the "packing business" that the Elf includes in the letter. Oh, as for the Elf's letter:
I am Ilbereth. A lot of us, Red and Green Elves, have gone to live permanently at Cliff House and be trained in the packing business. It was Polar Bear's idea. He said, "I am going to have a record year and help Father Christmas to get so forward we can have some fun ourselves on Christmas Day." We all worked hard and you will be surprised to hear that every single parcel was packed and numbered by Saturday last (December 19). Then Polar Bear said, "I am tired out: I am going to have a hot bath, and go to bed early." Well, you can see what happened. Father Christmas was taking a last look round in the English Delivery Room about 10 o'clock when water poured through the ceiling and swamped everything: it was soon six inches deep on the floor. Polar Bear had simply got into the bath with both taps running and gone fast asleep with one hind paw on the overflow. He had been asleep two hours when we woke him. Father Christmas was really angry. But Polar Bear only said, "I did have a jolly dream. I dreamt I was diving off a melting iceberg and chasing seals." That made Father Christmas angrier, and Polar Bear said, "Well, draw a picture of it and ask those children if it is funny or not." So Father Christmas has. But he has begun to think it funny (although very annoying) himself, now we have cleared up the mess, and got the English presents repacked again. Just in time.
Usually always a disaster that threatens to wreck Christmas, then somehow it all works out in the Nick(-o-laus) of time. Seldom a dull Christmas season at the North Pole when Karhu the NPB is around, it seems. But if the kids found it funny, that's all that matters, right?

The drawing of the North Pole is nice, but JRRT apparently forgot to include the cliff where FC's house is supposed to be, nearby.
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"The Father Christmas Letters"

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THE 1937 LETTER

Regretfully, Father Christmas says he cannot write or draw much for this year's letter, as he has strained his hand lifting heavy boxes in the cellar in November. But he informs the children (Christipher and Priscilla being the focus of the letters at this point) that he has made the Elf Ilbereth his full-time secretary, and Ilbereth will handle the letter writing and produce a picture diary of recent events.

The letter from Ilbereth mainly explains the nine drawings he includes. The drawings by Ilbereth are in a somewhat simpler style than those accredited to Father Christmas, but he does make the North Polar Bear look more like a bear than a jackal. All drawings are in red, green, and black, and appear to be done in ink.

In summary, the pictures and accompanying letter relate the following events:

1. FC rings the bell for breakfast the morning after a party on Saint Stephen's Day, but the polar bears Karhu, Paksu, and Valkotukka are too tired to wake up and eat, sleeping under blankets in separate beds.

2. NPB angrily wakes up and tosses his red blanket aside after his nephew Paksu throws a sponge at his face and runs from the room.

3. NPB Karhu and his two nephews enjoy walking out on their hind feet in the unseasonable rain that occurs at the end of the last winter, all three carrying umbrellas.

4. It got "much too warm at the North Pole this year", according to Ilbereth, and a lake in midsummer forms around the North Pole. The NPB is seen canoeing around the Pole, as two black seals look on.

5. Ilbereth is saluting FC at his desk as he is given orders for which lists of desires of worthy children to fill (Ilbereth informs Christopher and Priscilla that they are on the list for which he is personally responsible), while the NPB smugly acts like he is instructing the Elf by pointing to numbers on a board. Ilbereth makes it clear that he is only saluting FC, and NOT NPB!

6. Fireworks and a bonfire to celebrate the coming of winter, with FC, NPB, Ilbereth, Paksu, Vlakotukka, and two Snow-babies watching.

7. Snowboys tobogganing down the snowy slopes by FC's Cliff House. Ilbereth shares that "the Polar Cubs were not good at it; they fell off, and most of them took to rolling or sliding down just on themselves."

8. NPB up on a ladder decorating an evergreen tree. According to Ilbereth, NPB lit the candles, when he was told not to do it yet by FC, and because his ladder was leaned against a tree branch rather than on the truck, it fell under him as he climbed to the very top of him, and in clutching at a branch to keep himself from falling, he set his own fur afire. water was quickly thrown on him, and because his fur was already somewhat damp, he luckily didn't fizzle much.

9. Ilbereth admits the last drawing is imaginary at the time of its creation, but that hopefully it will come true. "Tomorrow: Starting with the first load", it reads. The sleigh and reindeer are set up in front of the Cliff House, ready to fly off at any moment, and the four white spires around the Cliff House are lit at their apexes in celebration of the moment.

Ilbereth includes some Elven script, but admits Father Christmas thinks his script too spidery for the Tolkien children to read, so he translates, "A very Merry Christmas to you all. Love, Ilbereth".

A photo of the envelope this letter was found in is included in this part of the book. The return address is "North Pole XT...MAS 1937, Messenger 991". The forwarding address is "Christopher and Priscilla, 20 Northmoor Road, Oxford, England" in semi-fancy script. Written along the left margin of the envelope's front is "*To be delivered direct--by Christmas Eve*Haste! Ilb.", where I take it "Ilb" means on orders from Ilbereth. The envelope is standard brown paper with a red ax seal affixed in the upper left corner. Once again, I'm impressed at the effort Tolkien went to make the letters seem authentically delivered.
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Post by Cord Hurn »

THE 1938 LETTER

Both Father Christmas and his Elven secretary Ilbereth write to the Tolkien children in poems in this letter, basically iambic pentameter lines with an "aabb" rhyming scheme. Furthermore, the North Polar Bear responds to a comment from both of them by using the same kind of rhythm and rhyming scheme. JRRT probably thought that it was time to try a new idea for the Father Christmas Letter and writing a letter as one poem with three speakers was the applied idea. In the book's text, the words of FC are in regular type, the words of Ilbereth (Ilb. for short) are in italic style, and the words of the NPB are in all capital letters.

The news the poem gives:
NPB stepped on a rusty nail and had to be on crutches a few weeks in November, and then he burned nose and paws on the kitchen grate trying to roast hot chestnuts without using tongs or any other tools in early December.
On December 23rd he climbed on the roof of the Cliff House to clear away snow from his bedroom's chimney, and pushed his feet through the roof tiles and lots of snow fell on his bed.
According to FC, NPB has broken dishes, overindulged on chocolates, dropped boxes on FC's toes, mixed up gifts, scrunched some toys and made some messes.

And yet, FC concedes the NPB remains a generous helper.
He's fetched and carried, counted, packed,
and for a week has never slacked:
he's climbed the cellar stairs at least
five thousand times--the Dear Old Beast!
Other news given by FC in his poem involves the polar bear nephews still staying at his house and they are getting more wise, and that the Goblins haven't come near the North Pole but are said to be multiplying in many lands, but will still flee whenever he approaches.

Ilb. gets into the poetic act, writing a polar-bear-themed postscript.
Now Christmas day has come round again--
and poor Polar Bear has got a bad pain!
They say he's swallowed a couple of pounds
of nuts without cracking the shells! It sounds
a Polarish sort of thing to do--
but that isn't all, between me and you:
he's eaten a tone of various goods
and recklessly mixed all his favorite foods,
honey with ham, and turkey and treacle,
and pickles with milk, I think that a week'll
be needed to put the old bear on his feet. And I mustn't forget his favorite treat:
plum pudding with sausages and turkish delight
covered with cream and devoured at a bite!
And after this dish, he stood on his head--
it's rather a wonder the poor fellow's not dead!
Karhu the NPB won't take all those accusations lying down (or standing on his head, either, for that matter), and inserts his opinion into the letter.
ABSOLUTE ROT:
I HAVE NOT GOT
A PAIN IN MY POT.
I DO NOT EAT
TURKEY OR MEAT:
I STICK TO THE SWEET.
WHICH IS WHY
(AS ALL KNOW) I
AM SO SWEET MYSELF
YOU THINNUOUS ELF!
GOODBY!
Then FC takes up the letter again, concluding it in the same poetic style as the rest of the letter.
You know my friends too well to think
(although they're rather rude with ink)
that there are really quarrels here!
We've had a very jolly year
(except for Polar's rusty nail):
but now this rhyme must catch the Mail--
FC wishes the children Merry Christmas and best wishes until the next one and closes the poem/letter.

The illustrations put with this letter show and very rudimentary sketch of FC in a small sleigh pulled by two reindeer through the snow. Also included are three drawings of plant vines, one with holly leaves and berries on it extending from the letter "P" (to represent Paksu, I am guessing), one with circular blue flowers that has a letter "V" at one end (for Valkotukka), and one with feathery green narrow leaves with little red and yellow flowers. Unfortunately, I do not recognize the plant species for the latter two drawings.
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"The Father Christmas Letters"

Post by Cord Hurn »

LAST LETTER

Father Christmas gets one more letter from Priscilla Tolkien in 1939, and makes it a point to respond back, including one small drawing of himself and the North Polar Bear and their friends dancing a circle around them in a bright yellow room with evergreen trees on the wallpaper and stars, sun and moon hanging from the ceiling. Surprisingly, FC is seen in this wearing a crown rather than a pointed red hat. FC opens his letter to Priscilla as follows, reminding her of all the suffering that has been occurring with many families caught in the Second World War:
I am so glad you did not forget to write to me again this year. The number of children who keep up with me seems to be getting smaller. I expect it is because of this horrible war, and that when it is over things will improve again and I shall be as busy as ever. But at present so terribly many people have lost their homes, or have left them; half the world seems in the wrong place! And even up here we have been having troubles. I don't mean only with my stores; of course they are getting low. They were already last year, and I have not been able to fill them up, so that I have now to send what I can, instead of what is asked for. But worse than that has happened.
FC goes on to tell of yet another conflict with the Goblins, this time with several battles involved instead of just one, and even a rough moment with the Cliff House getting besieged. War broke out in early autumn as thousands of Goblins came to the North Pole, perhaps thinking that war going on at other parts of the world made a perfect distraction for their takeover of Father Christmas' house and all of his merchandise. They made a huge new tunnel starting many miles away, and poured around the house. However, their noisy habit of beating on drums and yelling as they enter enemy territory warned FC, NPB, and their allies that danger was approaching. They got the windows, closed and shuttered, and the doors barred, just in time. NPB got on the roof and fired rockets into the Goblin armies approaching, and FC used that distraction to blow three blasts on a large horn of his called Windbeam, with sound that can carry as far as the North Wind blows. Three days later, in response to the distress signal indicated by the Horn, came many Snow-boys, Polar Bears, and many hundreds of Elves to come up behind the Goblins and attack them. NPB took that opportunity to run out with two paws each holding a log burning with fire, and swung those logs at the Goblins in a fury, swung them left and right. Another battle ensued on the plain before the North Pole, and FC, NPB, and allies got drive back toward the Cliff House once more, and the North Pole got cracked and once again fell over. NPB and a party of his younger relatives snuck out one night with 100 pounds of gunpowder and managed to blow up the tunnel entrance, once they found it several miles away. They won the war soon afterwards, drove the Goblins off, but FC states that since then he has not had time to draw as many pictures to send with the letter as he would have liked, nor can he send the presents Priscilla would have liked to have had. But FC's sign-off to Priscilla is something that I find rather touching.
I suppose after this year you will not be hanging your stocking any more. I shall have to say 'goodby', more or less: I mean, I shall not forget you. We always keep the names of our old friends, and their letters; and later on we hope to come back when they are grown up and have houses of their own and children...
Father Christmas
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"The Father Christmas Letters"

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APPENDIX: THE NORTH POLAR BEAR'S CODED LETTER

When Karhu the North Polar Bear was lost in those caves back in the year 1932, he copied down a lot of Goblin symbols on the walls, and made up an alphabet with them after being rescued. He wrote the Tolkien children a letter with that Goblin alphabet, and after they were stumped and requested a key to the alphabet, that Goblin Alphabet Key was passed on to them via "Father Christmas"/JRRT. The solution/translation to that letter is offered here between spoiler tags.

[spoiler]"I wish you all a very Happy Christmas & a splendid new year with lots of fun & good luck at school you are getting so clever now what with Latin & French & Greek that you will easily read this & see much love from PB"

[The trick is that the letter is read up-to-down first, then left-to-right.][/spoiler]
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Post by Cord Hurn »

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
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Post by Cord Hurn »

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
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Post by Cord Hurn »

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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