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** Father Christmas 1934 **

Elizabeth
Half-elven


Dec 18 2009, 8:19am

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** Father Christmas 1934 ** Can't Post

Very short letter this year, and not a lot of action. Curious about why, I tried to check what was going on in Tolkien's life. 1934 saw the publication of Tolkien's lecture Chaucer as a Philologist: The Reeve's Tale from Transactions of the Philological Society. In the lecture (delivered on 16th May 1931) Tolkien discusses Chaucer’s use of the Northern Middle English dialect as a linguistic joke in The Reeve’s Tale. But since the lecture itself was in 1931, presumably publication wasn't too taxing. He also wrote The Adventures of Tom Bombadil in 1934, and became a (the?) Leverhuime Research Fellow, neither of which sounds especially stressful. Maybe he just wasn't in the mood!

1. Any theories as to why some letters are very much longer or shorter than average?

In any case, the goblins are vanquished, although much of the year was spent repairing the damage. The Polar Bear cubs Paksu and Valkotukka are back, along with some Cave Bear cubs, but they don't get along very well.

Fr. C is planning a big party for Boxing Day (Dec. 26)! He's brought in a huge tree from Norway, planted it in an ice pool, and built a lot of decorations.


2. Don't know about you, but when I complete a major project such as Christmas must be for Fr. C, I want to collapse, not party! And surely all the work on the preparations took a lot of effort away from Christmas preparations! Thoughts?

3. What this about planting the tree in a "pool of ice"? Sounds impractical to me, no?


The picture shows Fr. C, N.P.B., the Polar cubs, Old Cave Bear and two Cave cubs, all frolicking on the ice pool.

4. Is this before the party, which had a huge guest list? A "test party" before the big event?

There are candles on the tree! Candles were major Christmas tree decorations for many years until the mid-20th C; I once had a friend who grew up in Sweden, and lit her tree with candles every year -- there are special candle mountings for this purpose that are quite stable. I find this practice terrifyingly dangerous, although she swore that tree fires were very rare in Sweden.

5. Do you have any experience with real candles on a Christmas tree?

6. How did they get the candles up (and lit!) on this immense tree?





Christmas, 1934, by Father Christmas

Elizabeth is the TORnsib formerly known as 'erather'


Dreamdeer
Valinor


Dec 18 2009, 5:32pm

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Just a side note [In reply to] Can't Post

Notice that one of the polar bear cubs is kicking a cave bear cub in the tush, on the right side.

Life is beautiful and dangerous! Beware! Enjoy!


GaladrielTX
Tol Eressea


Dec 18 2009, 7:01pm

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1934 [In reply to] Can't Post

1. Any theories as to why some letters are very much longer or shorter than average?

I can only guess that Tolkien didn’t have the time or the inclination to spend time on it that year.


2. Don't know about you, but when I complete a major project such as Christmas must be for Fr. C, I want to collapse, not party! And surely all the work on the preparations took a lot of effort away from Christmas preparations! Thoughts?


Me, too! I sometimes opt out of those parties at work for completing a project. I imagine Father Christmas’ parties are something special, though. I would certainly go if invited. :o)


3. What this about planting the tree in a "pool of ice"? Sounds impractical to me, no?

I thought it was a neat image, although I have no idea if it would work in reality.


4. Is this before the party, which had a huge guest list? A "test party" before the big event?

It could be, or maybe all the guests are over at the tables outside the frame of the picture, stuffing their faces.



5. Do you have any experience with real candles on a Christmas tree?


No, and I was curious about candles on trees, too. Was just talking about this with Ugly Troll last night. I’d never seen it, though I’d read about it.

I found this photo today: http://www.traveljournals.net/...ia-odder-denmark.jpg


6. How did they get the candles up (and lit!) on this immense tree?

Flying reindeer?

~~~~~~~~

The TORNsib formerly known as Galadriel.



Darkstone
Immortal


Dec 21 2009, 9:00pm

Post #4 of 10 (414 views)
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Well [In reply to] Can't Post

1. Any theories as to why some letters are very much longer or shorter than average?

More term papers some years than others>


2. Don't know about you, but when I complete a major project such as Christmas must be for Fr. C, I want to collapse, not party! And surely all the work on the preparations took a lot of effort away from Christmas preparations! Thoughts?

Yeah. If you’re young you go out and get mindlessly drunk after finals, but when you’re old you sit back in the Barcalounger and doze off watching cable after finishing all your year-end reports.


3. What this about planting the tree in a "pool of ice"? Sounds impractical to me, no?

The frozen surface supports the tree and the water at the bottom keeps the tree alive. Just like a regular Christmas tree stand.


The picture shows Fr. C, N.P.B., the Polar cubs, Old Cave Bear and two Cave cubs, all frolicking on the ice pool.

4. Is this before the party, which had a huge guest list? A "test party" before the big event?


Only so many people (or bears) were allowed on the ice at a time.


There are candles on the tree! Candles were major Christmas tree decorations for many years until the mid-20th C; I once had a friend who grew up in Sweden, and lit her tree with candles every year -- there are special candle mountings for this purpose that are quite stable. I find this practice terrifyingly dangerous, although she swore that tree fires were very rare in Sweden.

5. Do you have any experience with real candles on a Christmas tree?


Yep. When there's no electricity it's either candles or no lights at all. Also I walked to summer school in the snow uphill both ways and... Hey you kids! Get off my lawn!!!


6. How did they get the candles up (and lit!) on this immense tree?

Gnome-on-a-stick.

******************************************
That hobbit has a pleasant face,
His private life is a disgrace.
I really could not tell to you,
The awful things that hobbits do.


dernwyn
Forum Admin / Moderator


Dec 23 2009, 11:31am

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Tannenbaum [In reply to] Can't Post

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Thy candles shine out brightly!
Each bough doth hold its tiny light,
That makes each toy to sparkle bright.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Thy candles shine out brightly!

It was once the tradition to head out on Christmas Eve to find and cut an appropriate tree for the parlor. Being still quite moisture-laden, there was little danger of any needles catching fire from the lit candles affixed to the branches.

It's only in modern times, with our trees spending days being trucked around, and being put up for weeks, that they become so dry that real candles are a hazard - hence, electric lights are used.

That is a puzzle, about getting those lights placed on Fr. C's tree! Maybe he had the smaller cubs climb up, with them? Or, perhaps he could make a sleigh "hover" around the tree while he put them in place?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"I desired dragons with a profound desire"

"It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?"
-Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915




Elizabeth
Half-elven


Dec 23 2009, 6:32pm

Post #6 of 10 (424 views)
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You can still get candle holders [In reply to] Can't Post

...from several sources, including this one. Getting a fresh tree is a challenge, though, although in some parts of the country there are places where you can go out (preferably with kids in tow) and cut your own.

The best idea I've heard in a long time is this outfit in CA that will rent you a live potted tree, 2' to 7', deliver it to your home, and pick it up again after Christmas. If you wish, you can "adopt" your tree and plant it in your yard. Or, if you really like your tree, tell them so and you can get the same one back every year (presumably until it grows too big).




Christmas, 1934, by Father Christmas

Elizabeth is the TORnsib formerly known as 'erather'

(This post was edited by Elizabeth on Dec 23 2009, 6:34pm)


dernwyn
Forum Admin / Moderator


Dec 23 2009, 11:45pm

Post #7 of 10 (377 views)
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Those candle holders are lovely! [In reply to] Can't Post

So that's how it can be done - by counter-balance pendula!

I wonder if the potted tree people would have any problems, with those being used on their trees? Probably have a clause in the rental agreement, stating one would have to purchase the tree if there is any damage to it.

But I do like that living tree idea; it seems a shame to cut so many trees, each year.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"I desired dragons with a profound desire"

"It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?"
-Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915




N.E. Brigand
Half-elven


Dec 25 2009, 5:30am

Post #8 of 10 (402 views)
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For which P.B. "has to box him often -- and a 'box' from Polar Bear is no joke". [In reply to] Can't Post

The offending cub is "Paksu ... always kicking them because they squeak and grunt so funnily".

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We're discussing The Silmarillion in the Reading Room, Aug. 9 - Mar 7. Please join the conversation!

This week the Silmarillion discussion is on hiatus, but:

Prancing CubAlso in the RR, Dec. 7-27: Letters from Father Christmas!

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N.E. Brigand
Half-elven


Jan 2 2010, 5:46am

Post #9 of 10 (365 views)
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“!! To messenger: Deliver at once and don’t stop on the way!!” [In reply to] Can't Post


Quote
Very short letter this year


Hmm. For 1932, 1933, and 1934, respectively, I count 2,550 words; 1,080 words; and 770 words. So this year is only about 25% shorter than the one before. It was 1932 that was exceptional.

In fact, there are again two letters this year. The first one is undated but seems to have come very early, before Oct. 15 at any rate, having been found by Father C.’s chimney-inspector, who is named “Bellman”. Fr. C. adds “I don’t know how he got that name because he never rings any”. Is there a joke there for the children? Was the Tolkien’s actual chimney inspector named Bellman?


Quote
I tried to check what was going on in Tolkien's life. 1934 saw the publication of Tolkien's lecture Chaucer as a Philologist: The Reeve's Tale from Transactions of the Philological Society


That is quite a long essay, running to 60 pages as reprinted in volume 5 of Tolkien Studies, so it may indeed have taken some time to revise. However, I also noticed that in fall 1934, among Tolkien’s scheduled lectures was a course on “Beowulf: General Criticism”. That material, in two versions –and presumably not just from this one term– now forms the core of an entire book, Beowulf and the Critics, edited by Michael Drout, and would, over the next year, be reworked to become Tolkien’s most famous lecture, “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics”.

Or as you say, he might just not be in the mood. I agree with you about the lack of action: cleaning up from the previous year’s goblin mess, and lazily getting on with Christmas, with bear cubs underfoot.


Quote
The picture shows Fr. C, N.P.B., the Polar cubs, Old Cave Bear and two Cave cubs, all frolicking on the ice pool.
Is this before the party, which had a huge guest list? A "test party" before the big event?


It’s a test before the party—Fr. C. writes: “My picture gives you no idea of its size, or of the loveliness of its magic lights of different colours. We tried them yesterday evening to see if they were all right. If you see a bright glow in the North you will know what it is!” Emphasis added. Note that the party invitees include both “elves and red gnomes”, so apparently they are not the same people.

Does the description of the magic lights in the tree remind you a little of Caras Galadhon? “In their many-tiered branches and amid their ever-moving leaves countless lights were gleaming, green and gold and silver.”


Quote
He's brought in a huge tree from Norway, planted it in an ice pool, and built a lot of decorations.


Indeed. The little wisps sticking up from the snow are “snowplants”, the towering triangles behind them are “piled masses of snow made into ornamental shapes” –what a lot of work that must have been!– and the little triangles around the edge of the pool are “real coloured icing”, meant to be eaten at the party.

Finally it seems that Christopher wondered about Fr. C.’s age indeterminacy from the 1923 letter, when he wrote that he was “nineteen hundred and twenty four no! seven! years old on Christmas Day”; Father X. blames his poor memory.

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We're discussing The Silmarillion in the Reading Room, Aug. 9 - Mar 7. Please join the conversation!

Prancing CubThis week the Silmarillion discussion is on hiatus. It returns on January 4, with the fall of Doriath. Happy New Year!

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How to find old Reading Room discussions.


N.E. Brigand
Half-elven


Jan 2 2010, 5:47am

Post #10 of 10 (402 views)
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An echo: “A punch from an Ent-fist crumples up iron like thin tin.” // [In reply to] Can't Post

 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
We're discussing The Silmarillion in the Reading Room, Aug. 9 - Mar 7. Please join the conversation!

Prancing CubThis week the Silmarillion discussion is on hiatus. It returns on January 4, with the fall of Doriath. Happy New Year!

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
How to find old Reading Room discussions.

 
 

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