Tolkien and Christmas

[TThurston]

Today is Dec 24, the day before Christmas is traditionally celebrated. I happen to be listening to a pod-cast called The Christmas Chronicles, which is reported to be the true history of Santa Claus. In the first of 8 installments, there a magic road that appears (and later disappears) guarded by two holly bushes. I believe this magic road is explained in later installments, but I haven't listened to them yet. But I got thinking...

Two holly bushes on either side of the entrance to another realm reminds me a bit of the the two holly trees on either side of the entrance to Moria. Holly is associated with Christmas, and Father Christmas has elves that help him craft the toys he distributes. In Tolkien, Hollin is the land of Holly, the land where the Noldor excelled in crafting. In Tolkien's Father Christmas letters, there are two races of elves in the land of Father Christmas that are his allies against the goblins. I It seemed like there just might be a bit of Christmas hidden in the Lord of the Rings lore. After all, Tolkien's children did have an extensive correspondance with Father Christmas, which started long before either The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings was written.

I'd never read The Father Christmas Letters, but I found very helpful podcast from "Tolkien Untangled" on YouTube.

So my simple first question is this: what things from the Father Christmas Letters do we see in The Lord of the Rings? A second question is: what aspects of Christmas as conveyed in the Father Christmas letters (which seem more based on yule tradition, rather than Christianity), do we see in The Lord of the Rings?

It is also interesting to me that some of Tolkien's illustrations in the Father Christmas Letters seem to portray Father Christmas helpers as being quite small in stature, seemingly about hobbit size. Who are these helpers? As far as I can tell, they are supposed to be elves. Perhaps early Tolkien thought had elves about the size of hobbits. I have always believed this to be the case based on my personal reading of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

 

[Halstein]

The North Polar Bear did go full Beorn on the Goblins, when they invaded Father Christmas' workshop. I think Father Christmas call his helpers Gnomes in the letters he sent Tolkien's kids. Don't have the book at hand to check, so maybe some can do this.

 

[Flammifer]

Of course, the Company also departs Rivendell on Christmas Day. (Not revealed until Appendix B).

 

[TThurston]

I borrowed a copy of "Letters from Father Christmas" from my local library and made notes regarding things that seem to relate to Lord of the Rings lore. The following is a link to a Google Docs version of that document. I am able to use that link. Hopefully others who use this forum will also be able to do so. I found much that seems quite relevant to me.

Notes on LoTR lore in Letters from Father Christmas

The document is all text; it does not include scans of any of Tolkien's artwork or the different writing he used for Father Christmas, North Polar Bear, or Ilbereth (the elven secretery) in the letters, even though I'm sure it would help others to see them. Perhaps I'll scan a few of them and attach them later.