During Advent and Christmastide between the years 1920 and 1943, the children of J.R.R Tolkien received letters from Fr Christmas (yes I realise this spans 23 years, but there was a 12 year age difference between the eldest and the youngest). Every December (sometimes earlier) an envelope bearing a beautiful stamp from the North Pole would arrive at the Tolkien household addressed to the Tolkien children, and inside would be a letter written in a strange spidery script (not dissimilar to that of Bilbo's hand), beautifully coloured watercolour paintings, drawings, runes and sometimes even a present. These letters were full of heartwarming stories about life at the North Pole; about the accident-prone but good-natured North Polar Bear, how the reindeer escaped and scattered presents all over the place, the wars they all had with the nasty goblins who lived in the caves near Christmas House etc. I wish I could receive a nice letter and some drawings from Fr Christmas! Here is sample, from the first letter to John, then aged only 3:
Christmas House, North Pole
22nd December 1920.
Dear John,
I heard you ask daddy what I was like and where I lived. I have drawn me and my house for you. Take care of the picture. I am just off now for Oxford with my bundle of toys - some for you. Hope I shall arrive in time: the snow is very thick at the North Pole tonight.
Your loving Father Christmas.
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