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Letters From Father Christmas | 
 enlarge | Author: J.r.r. Tolkien
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Category: Book
List Price: $15.00
Buy New: $4.68
You Save: $10.32 (69%)
New (24) Used (11) from $4.68
Rating:  22 reviews
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Pages: 111
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 7.5 x 0.4
ISBN: 0618512659
UPC: 046442512657
EAN: 9780618512652
Publication Date: November 15, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BUY NOW AND SAVE!!! MAYBE AVAILABLE FOR FREE UPGRADE TO FIRST CLASS USPS DELIVERY
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Product Description
Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R. Tolkien's children. Inside would be a letter in a strange, spidery handwriting and a beautiful colored drawing or painting. The letters were from Father Christmas.
They told wonderful tales of life at the North Pole: how the reindeer got loose and scattered presents all over the place; how the accident-prone North Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas's house into the dining room; how he broke the Moon into four pieces and made the Man in it fall into the back garden; how there were wars with the troublesome horde of goblins who lived in the caves beneath the house, and many more.
No reader, young or old, can fail to be charmed by Tolkien's
inventiveness in this classic holiday treat.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
 Awaken Your Inner Child December 30, 2008
Lovely Reader (Seattle, WA)
This is a charming book, full of wonderful illustrations drawn by Tolkien himself. The cast of characters is wonderfully amusing, especially North Polar Bear, who gets into all sorts of mischief every year. There are even descriptions of wars between Father Christmas and the neighboring Goblins, reminiscent of the Goblin wars depicted in The Hobbit and The Silmarillion.
The book is also bittersweet, as it spans almost 20 years, and Tolkien begins to address his letters to fewer and fewer children, until only his youngest, his daughter Priscilla, still awaits her letter from Father Christmas. It shows how his children have grown, and Father Christmas himself seems sad as his children stop believing in Christmas magic. The last letter is especially poignant, as Father Christmas says goodbye to the children.
This is a great book to read during the holiday season, but it can really be enjoyed any time of year. It's funny, magical, and made me feel like a child again. I recommend this book not only to fans of Tolkien, but to anyone who wants to get into the Christmas spirit.
Beautiful Book January 27, 2008
Joe Mester
This book is appealing from many perspectives: historic, artistic, and emotional. The content is intimate "letters from Father Christmas" written by Tolkien to his children for some 20 years. The letters and envelopes have beautiful color illustrations done by Tolkien, and are shown in detail in the book. You can not help but feel like one of Tolkien's children, and marvel at the subtle grandeur of this simplest of gifts.
Start a new Christmas tradition with your own children December 4, 2007
A. M. Doyle (Cincinnati, OH USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
We bought the edition for our son (now in college) that has the hand-written facsimile leters, each in its own envelope, which is itself a facsimile, complete with Tolkien's hand-drawn illustrations and fake postage. For several years, we would read one of the letters each night before bed for the last few weeks before Christmas. While this edition is missing several of the letters that later editions include, we loved being able to pull the facsimiles out of their envelopes and read them as if they really were letters from Father Christmas. I don't think the other editions include the envelopes and letters. You don't need me to tell you what a great storyteller Tolkien was, but the stunning beauty of the physical book is what stands out for me. I can't wait to have grandchildren I can share it with! As for my son, it opened the door to Tolkien for him.
 Not Free SF Reader September 3, 2007
Blue Tyson
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
A sweet, very clever idea that the John Ronald Reuel Tolkien fellow
came up with to amuse his daughter. Definitely an interesting book for
little kids, old funny looking spidery handwriting, and all. I suppose
they probably rerelease this every year, with how popular he became
recently.
You don't know what you're missing January 10, 2007
Paula S. Hannagan (Pennsylvania)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I am a big Tolkien fan but this book was new to me. It was a thrill to find and a thrill to read. I started over 20 years ago giving a Christmas book to my mother in November. I search for something special every year and the names on my Christmas book list keep growing. (I like to think it's because of my inspired choices.) LETTERS FROM FATHER CHRISTMAS has zoomed to the top of the list. The title doesn't do it justice. It is a marvelous story about Father Christmas, elves, polar bears, goblins and adventure. It also combines a family story and reflects a marvelous and moving sense of place and time. Pure genius. Get it for everyone on your list.
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