Tolkien's Christmas Art

[Bêthberry]

I know we have several threads discussing Tolkien's art--especially Estelyn's wonderful thread, Tolkien the Artist (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=11833) --but I thought given the season it might be interesting to see some examples of Tolkien's Father Christmas drawings.

He wrote these to accompany the Father Christmas letters he wrote his children, every year. He even drew the stamps on the envelopes. What I enjoy in particular is the whimsy and humour of the drawings. So often I think we take the tone of LotR to reflect the actual tenor of the man's mind.

Anyhow, here goes.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/MimsyBorogroves/Tolkien_FatherChristmas3.jpg

[Bêthberry]

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/MimsyBorogroves/Tolkien-FatherChristmas-stamps.jpg

[Bêthberry]

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/MimsyBorogroves/Tolkien-FatherChristmas-polar-bear.jpg

[Amanaduial the archer]

I have never seen these before...Those were beautiful, thank you, Bethberry :) And the last one is so cute!

[Child of the 7th Age]

A bit late, I know! But these pictures are lovely. And here is one more to add to the thread: click here (http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2001/12/07/books/tolk-christmas.slideshow_3.html)

Thanks, Bêthberry.

[Bêthberry]

Oh, a more wonderful link! Thank you, Child. My source was an Oxford link, but there are more pictures in your link than I have ever seen.

I like the tree stuck in the frozen pond and especially enjoy the final Father Christmas picture there. The earth seen against the solar system! Wonderful!

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Some more selections (I hope the links work.)

Pen and ink (http://www.gymmuenchenstein.ch/stalder/images/christmas/fath_xmas2.JPG)

You'll have to click on the individual pictures here (http://www.gymmuenchenstein.ch/stalder/texts/christmas.htm)

It is amazing how Tolkien excelled in so many different styles of artwork. These illustrations have always been favorites of mine, with their decorative style and bright colors.

I also get a kick out of the story about the north pole breaking, with Tolkien so careful to show the spot where it was mended in his subsequent letters.

[Guinevere]

I found this thread only just now - but I have just bought "Lettes from Father Christmas" two weeks before Christmas (a gift to myself ;) ) and am delighted not only by the pictures but by the lovingly decorated letters, written in such beautiful (even if purposely wobbly) writing, and amused by the comments of North Polar Bear and Ilbereth the Elf (interesting name!!)
It must have been wonderful for the children to get these letters. I wonder how long they really believed in F.C ?
For any who haven't seen it, I try to attach a scanned facsimile of one of the letters

edit: it didn't work, the file was too large :(