The Father Christmas Letters

The Father Christmas Letters

The Father Christmas Letters, also known as Letters from Father Christmas, are a collection of letters written and illustrated by J.R. R. Tolkien between 1920 and 1943. They were released posthumously by the Tolkien estate on 2 September 1976, the 3rd anniversary of Tolkien’s death.

About The Father Christmas Letters in brief

Summary The Father Christmas LettersThe Father Christmas Letters, also known as Letters from Father Christmas, are a collection of letters written and illustrated by J.R. R. Tolkien between 1920 and 1943. They were released posthumously by the Tolkien estate on 2 September 1976, the 3rd anniversary of Tolkien’s death. The stories are told in the format of a series of letters, told either from the point of view of Father Christmas or his elvish secretary. They document the adventures and misadventures of the North Polar Bear and his two sidekick cubs, Paksu and Valkotukka.

The book was warmly received by critics, and it has been suggested that elements of the stories inspired parts of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The letters themselves were written over a period of over 20 years to entertain Tolkien’s children each Christmas. Each letter was delivered in an envelope, including North Pole stamps and postage marks as designed by Tolkien.