Letters from Father Christmas: Difference between revisions
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'''The Father Christmas Letters''', | {{disambig-more|Letters|[[Letters (disambiguation)]]}} | ||
{{book | |||
|title=Letters from Father Christmas | |||
|image=[[Image:Father Christmas 1976.png |275px]] | |||
|author=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] | |||
|editor=[[Baillie Tolkien]] | |||
|illustrator=J.R.R. Tolkien | |||
|publisherUK=[[Allen & Unwin|George Allen & Unwin]] | |||
|publisherUS=[[Houghton Mifflin]] | |||
|dateUK=[[2 September]] [[1976]] | |||
|dateUS=[[19 October]] 1976 | |||
|format=Hardcover; paperback; deluxe edition | |||
|pages=48 | |||
|isbn=0048231304 | |||
}} | |||
'''''Letters from Father Christmas''''', also called '''''The Father Christmas Letters''''' in earlier editions, is a collection of letters written and illustrated by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] between [[1920]] and [[1943]] for his children, from [[Father Christmas]]. | |||
The book was posthumously released [[2 September]] [[1976]], the 3rd anniversary of Tolkien's death. It was edited by [[ Baillie Tolkien]], the wife of [[Christopher Tolkien]]. | |||
[[ | The book was warmly received by critics, and it has been suggested that some elements in the letters carried over to his [[legendarium]]. | ||
[[Category:Books by J.R.R. Tolkien | |||
==Overview== | |||
The stories are told in the form of letters, primarily written by Father Christmas, with letters or parts of letters written by the [[North Polar Bear]] and his Elven secretary [[Ilbereth]]. The letters document the adventures and misadventures of Father Christmas and his helpers, including the accident-prone North Polar Bear and nephews, [[Paksu]] and [[Valkotukka]]. Many letters include illustrations drawn by Father Christmas.<ref>{{LFC|Intro}}</ref> | |||
The letters themselves were written over over 20 years to entertain Tolkien's children each Christmas. The first letter was written in [[1920]] when Tolkien's oldest son, [[John Tolkien|John]], was three years old, after he'd asked about Father Christmas and where he lived.<ref>{{LFC|1920}}</ref> Each letter included including North Pole stamps and postage marks designed by Tolkien. | |||
==Publication== | |||
The first edition was published by [[Allen & Unwin]], under the name ''The Father Christmas Letters'', on [[2 September]] [[1976]], three years after Tolkien's death. Artwork from The Letters from ''The Father Christmas Letters'' were first displayed in [[1976]]-[[1976]] at the Ashmolean Museum to mark the release of the book.<ref>{{webcite|author=[[Dimitra Fimi]]|articleurl=https://dimitrafimi.com/2021/06/02/surprises-and-discoveries-in-the-drawings-by-tolkien-exhibition-catalogue-1976/|articlename=Surprises and Discoveries in the Drawings by Tolkien exhibition catalogue (1976)|dated=|website=[https://dimitrafimi.com/ Dimitrafimi.com]|accessed=17 March 2024}}</ref> The [[Houghton Mifflin]] edition was released later that year on [[19 October]]. | |||
The book was revised in [[1999]] and was retitled ''Letters from Father Christmas''. This edition included the artwork and letters not published in the original edition. | |||
==Reception== | |||
The reception to the original publication of ''The Father Christmas Letters'' was received very positively though Judith A. Johnson, in his book ''J.R.R. Tolkien: Six Decades of Criticism'' has suggested that this may have been partly due to Tolkien's recent death, noticing that the response to ''The Father Christmas Letters'' was much more measured and balanced.<ref>Judith A. Johnson, ''J.R.R. Tolkien: Six Decades of Criticism'', p. 133</ref> | |||
Jessica Kemball-Cook suggested in her book ''Twentieth Century Children's Writers'' that it would become known as a classic of children's literature, while Nancy Willard for ''The New York Times Book Review'' also received the book positively, saying "Father Christmas lives. And never more merrily than in these pages." In 2002, an article in ''The Independent on Sunday'' described the work as rivalling "''The Lord of the Rings'' for sheer imaginative joy".<!--This part is still copied from Wikipedia, going to leave it in till I find other reviews to replace it with.--> | |||
==Relation to the legendarium== | |||
While the ''Letters from Father Christmas'' are not part of Tolkien's legendarium, some shared elements can be noted: | |||
*Father Christmas' Elf-secretary [[Ilbereth]] (progenitor of [[Elbereth Gilthoniel|Elbereth]]?) | |||
*glimpses of [[Elvish]] writing and the [[Goblin Alphabet]] | |||
*[[Arktik|"Arctic" Quenya]] | |||
*[[Man in the Moon|The Man in the Moon]] | |||
Kris Swank has discussed similarities between ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and the ''Letters from Father Christmas'', noting that they share a couple of story elements and that both works "contain story elements which have common roots in Tolkien's early [[The Book of Lost Tales|Lost Tales]] and poems".<ref>Kris Swank, "[http://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-350791919/the-hobbit-and-the-father-christmas-letters ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Father Christmas Letters'']", in [[Mythlore 123|''Mythlore'' 123]]</ref> | |||
==Publication history and gallery== | |||
;UK editions | |||
{{Gallery | |||
|width=125 | |||
|height=125 | |||
|lines=2 | |||
|File:Father Christmas 1976.png |1976 hardcover first edition | |||
|File:Father Christmas 1978.png |1978 paperback | |||
|File:Father Christmas 1990.png |1993 paperback | |||
|File:Father Christmas 1995.png |1995 hardcover | |||
|File:Father Christmas 1999.png |1999 hardcover revised edition | |||
|File:Father Christmas 2004.jpeg |2004 hardcover & 2006 paperback | |||
|File:Father Christmas 2009.jpeg |2009 paperback | |||
|File:Father Christmas 2012.png |2012 hardcover | |||
|File:Father Christmas 2019.jpeg |2019 hardcover deluxe edition | |||
|File:Father Christmas 2020.jpeg |2020 hardcover centenary edition | |||
|File:Father Christmas 2023.jpeg |2023 hardcover | |||
}} | |||
* [[Allen & Unwin|George Allen & Unwin]], hardcover ([[1976]]), pp. 48. ISBN 0048231304 - (first edition) | |||
* [[Unwin Paperbacks]], paperback ([[1978]]), ISBN 0048231487 | |||
* [[HarperCollins]] paperback ([[1993]]), ISBN 0261102559 | |||
* Collins Children's Books, hardcover ([[1995]]), ISBN 000137463X | |||
* [[HarperCollins]] hardcover ([[1999]]), pp. 160. ISBN 0261103857 - (revised edition) | |||
* [[HarperCollins]] hardcover ([[2004]]), ISBN 0261103865 | |||
* [[HarperCollins]] paperback ([[2006]]), ISBN 0007205228 | |||
* [[HarperCollins]] paperback ([[2009]]), ISBN 0007280491 | |||
* [[HarperCollins]] hardcover ([[2012]]), pp. 192. ISBN 0007463375 | |||
* [[HarperCollins]] hardcover with slipcase ([[2019]]), pp. 208. ISBN 0008327726 | |||
* [[HarperCollins]] jacketless hardcover ([[2020]]), ISBN 0008406847 - (centenary edition) | |||
* [[HarperCollins]] hardcover ([[2023]]), ISBN 0008627576 | |||
;Miniature set editions (1994) | |||
{{Gallery | |||
|width=125 | |||
|height=125 | |||
|lines=2 | |||
|File:Father Christmas Miniature 1.png |Miniature set vol.1 | |||
|File:Father Christmas Miniature 2.png |Miniature set vol.2 | |||
|File:Father Christmas Miniature 3.png |Miniature set vol.3 | |||
|File:Father Christmas Miniature one.png |Miniature set<br>one-volume | |||
}} | |||
* [[HarperCollins]] three hardcovers in a slipcase ([[1994]]), ISBN 0261103172 (set) | |||
* [[HarperCollins]] hardcover ([[1998]]), pp. 96. ISBN 0261103695 | |||
==External links== | |||
*[https://www.tolkienestate.com/writing/baillie-tolkien-letters-from-father-christmas/ Letters from Father Christmas] by [[Baillie Tolkien]] | |||
*[http://wayneandchristina.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/the-father-christmas-letters-4/ The ‘Father Christmas’ Letters] by [[Christina Scull]] | |||
*[https://www.tolkienguide.com/modules/wiwimod/index.php?page=Letters%20From%20Father%20Christmas A tabulated comparison of all known editions of the book] on Tolkienguide.com | |||
==See also== | |||
*''[[Mr. Bliss]]'' | |||
*''[[Roverandom]]'' | |||
{{references}} | |||
{{WLFC}} | |||
{{Publishedmajorbooks}} | |||
{{title|italics}} | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Letters from Father Christmas}} | |||
[[Category:Books by J.R.R. Tolkien]] | |||
[[Category:Fiction books]] | |||
[[Category:Letters from Father Christmas| ]] | |||
[[Category:Posthumous publications]] | |||
[[Category:Publications by title]] | |||
[[de:Die Briefe vom Weihnachtsmann]] | [[de:Die Briefe vom Weihnachtsmann]] | ||
[[fr:/tolkien/biblio/noel]] | |||
[[fi:Kirjeitä Joulupukilta]] | [[fi:Kirjeitä Joulupukilta]] | ||
Latest revision as of 12:40, 30 March 2024
| Letters from Father Christmas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Author | J.R.R. Tolkien |
| Editor | Baillie Tolkien |
| Illustrator | J.R.R. Tolkien |
| Publisher | George Allen & Unwin (UK) Houghton Mifflin (US) |
| Released | 2 September 1976 (UK) 19 October 1976 (US) |
| Format | Hardcover; paperback; deluxe edition |
| Pages | 48 |
| ISBN | 0048231304 |
Letters from Father Christmas, also called The Father Christmas Letters in earlier editions, is a collection of letters written and illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien between 1920 and 1943 for his children, from Father Christmas.
The book was posthumously released 2 September 1976, the 3rd anniversary of Tolkien's death. It was edited by Baillie Tolkien, the wife of Christopher Tolkien.
The book was warmly received by critics, and it has been suggested that some elements in the letters carried over to his legendarium.
Overview[edit | edit source]
The stories are told in the form of letters, primarily written by Father Christmas, with letters or parts of letters written by the North Polar Bear and his Elven secretary Ilbereth. The letters document the adventures and misadventures of Father Christmas and his helpers, including the accident-prone North Polar Bear and nephews, Paksu and Valkotukka. Many letters include illustrations drawn by Father Christmas.[1]
The letters themselves were written over over 20 years to entertain Tolkien's children each Christmas. The first letter was written in 1920 when Tolkien's oldest son, John, was three years old, after he'd asked about Father Christmas and where he lived.[2] Each letter included including North Pole stamps and postage marks designed by Tolkien.
Publication[edit | edit source]
The first edition was published by Allen & Unwin, under the name The Father Christmas Letters, on 2 September 1976, three years after Tolkien's death. Artwork from The Letters from The Father Christmas Letters were first displayed in 1976-1976 at the Ashmolean Museum to mark the release of the book.[3] The Houghton Mifflin edition was released later that year on 19 October.
The book was revised in 1999 and was retitled Letters from Father Christmas. This edition included the artwork and letters not published in the original edition.
Reception[edit | edit source]
The reception to the original publication of The Father Christmas Letters was received very positively though Judith A. Johnson, in his book J.R.R. Tolkien: Six Decades of Criticism has suggested that this may have been partly due to Tolkien's recent death, noticing that the response to The Father Christmas Letters was much more measured and balanced.[4]
Jessica Kemball-Cook suggested in her book Twentieth Century Children's Writers that it would become known as a classic of children's literature, while Nancy Willard for The New York Times Book Review also received the book positively, saying "Father Christmas lives. And never more merrily than in these pages." In 2002, an article in The Independent on Sunday described the work as rivalling "The Lord of the Rings for sheer imaginative joy".
Relation to the legendarium[edit | edit source]
While the Letters from Father Christmas are not part of Tolkien's legendarium, some shared elements can be noted:
- Father Christmas' Elf-secretary Ilbereth (progenitor of Elbereth?)
- glimpses of Elvish writing and the Goblin Alphabet
- "Arctic" Quenya
- The Man in the Moon
Kris Swank has discussed similarities between The Hobbit and the Letters from Father Christmas, noting that they share a couple of story elements and that both works "contain story elements which have common roots in Tolkien's early Lost Tales and poems".[5]
Publication history and gallery[edit | edit source]
- UK editions
|
- George Allen & Unwin, hardcover (1976), pp. 48. ISBN 0048231304 - (first edition)
- Unwin Paperbacks, paperback (1978), ISBN 0048231487
- HarperCollins paperback (1993), ISBN 0261102559
- Collins Children's Books, hardcover (1995), ISBN 000137463X
- HarperCollins hardcover (1999), pp. 160. ISBN 0261103857 - (revised edition)
- HarperCollins hardcover (2004), ISBN 0261103865
- HarperCollins paperback (2006), ISBN 0007205228
- HarperCollins paperback (2009), ISBN 0007280491
- HarperCollins hardcover (2012), pp. 192. ISBN 0007463375
- HarperCollins hardcover with slipcase (2019), pp. 208. ISBN 0008327726
- HarperCollins jacketless hardcover (2020), ISBN 0008406847 - (centenary edition)
- HarperCollins hardcover (2023), ISBN 0008627576
- Miniature set editions (1994)
|
- HarperCollins three hardcovers in a slipcase (1994), ISBN 0261103172 (set)
- HarperCollins hardcover (1998), pp. 96. ISBN 0261103695
External links[edit | edit source]
- Letters from Father Christmas by Baillie Tolkien
- The ‘Father Christmas’ Letters by Christina Scull
- A tabulated comparison of all known editions of the book on Tolkienguide.com
See also[edit | edit source]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Baillie Tolkien (ed.), Letters from Father Christmas, "Introduction"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Baillie Tolkien (ed.), Letters from Father Christmas, "22nd December 1920"
- ↑ Dimitra Fimi, "Surprises and Discoveries in the Drawings by Tolkien exhibition catalogue (1976)", Dimitrafimi.com (accessed 17 March 2024)
- ↑ Judith A. Johnson, J.R.R. Tolkien: Six Decades of Criticism, p. 133
- ↑ Kris Swank, "The Hobbit and The Father Christmas Letters", in Mythlore 123
| The world of the Letters from Father Christmas | |
|---|---|
| Main characters: | Father Christmas · North Polar Bear · Ilbereth |
| Other characters: | Mr Cave Bear · Green Brother · Grandfather Yule Man in the Moon · Paksu & Valkotukka · Snow Man |
| Races & Peoples: | Goblins · Green elves · Red Elves · Snow-elves · Snow-men |
| Other concepts: | Arktik · Goblin Alphabet · Windbeam |
