Prior to publication, an exhibition of Tolkien's drawings was held at the Ashmolean Museum. Each letter was delivered in an envelope, including North Pole stamps and postage marks as designed by Tolkien. Starting in 1920 when Tolkien's oldest son was aged three, each Christmas Tolkien would write a letter from Father Christmas about his travels and adventures. The letters themselves were written over a period of over 20 years to entertain Tolkien's children each Christmas. No reader, young or old, can fail to be charmed by Tolkien’s inventiveness in this classic holiday treat." - From the publisher Publication
They told wonderful tales of life at the North Pole: how the reindeer got loose and scattered presents all over the place how the accident-prone North Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas’s house into the dining room how he broke the Moon into four pieces and made the Man in it fall into the back garden how there were wars with the troublesome horde of goblins who lived in the caves beneath the house, and many more. Inside would be a letter in a strange, spidery handwriting and a beautiful colored drawing or painting. " Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R. The 1939 letter has Father Christmas making reference to the Second World War, while some of the later letters feature Father Christmas' battles against Goblins, which were subsequently interpreted as being a reflection of Tolkien's views on the German foe in the War. The stories include descriptions of the massive fireworks that create the northern lights and how Polar Bear manages to get into trouble on more than one occasion. They document the adventures and misadventures of Father Christmas, described as the brother of Green Brother and son of Grandfather Yule, and his helpers, including the North Polar Bear and his two sidekick cubs, Paksu and Valkotukka.
The stories are told in the format of a series of letters, told either from the point of view of Father Christmas or his elvish secretary Ilbereth.
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