One of the best parts of my job is introducing customers to treasures that they’ve never heard about before. At the holidays, my favorite “I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this” book is J.R.R. Tolkien’s Father Christmas.
Yes, that Tolkien — the man who brought us hobbits and elves in Lord of the Rings. The man knows a thing or two about creating a magical world, and the stories he spins around the Santa Claus myth are full of as much wit and creativity as his novels. But this story wasn’t written to sit in a library. It’s a collection of letters that Tolkien sent to his children, delivered year after year from the North Pole.
In the letters, Father Christmas catches us up on all the happenings amongst his friends, including the pesky, mischevious North Polar Bear, who scribbles in his own opinion from time to time as well. Santa also includes letters and stories about Ilbereth the Elf, the man in the moon, and even a goblin or two. One of the most surprising things about the letters is how funny they are — kids find them hilarious, and even the grinchiest of us adults will sneak a few grins.
The full color book has images of the letters themselves (with Ilbereth’s delicate script, Father Christmas’s shaky writing and the North Pole Bear’s bold block letters), plus gorgeous drawings and paintings that Tolkien himself created to go along with the stories.
We have plenty of copies of Father Christmas in stock. Come discover the adventures yourself, and share them with the people you love this Christmas.
Carrie is co-owner and book buyer at Church Street Coffee & Books.