“Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.”

The Conductor, Polar Express

This year I wanted to invest in some Christmas themed books. Why? Because I longed for stories suitable for all the family and which we could cherish, read and reread as part of our family Christmas traditions in the years to come.

Six titles sparked my interest (when scrolling through various other Christmassy themed lists online). In this post I will share something from the first three that I dived into.

Letters From Father Christmas, J.R.R. Tolkien (Edited by Baillie Tolkien)

During the last few months of every year J.R.R. Tolkien’s children would receive a number of letters from ‘Father Christmas’. In these letters, Father Christmas shared his adventures from that year in the company of his assistant, a clumsy polar bear, some rather unfriendly goblins and of course, supportive elves. And each letter was accompanied by charming illustrations. I can only start to imagine how his children experienced these letters and Christmas: surely with anticipation, excitement and quite a big dose of magic (his children would start sending their letters to the North Pole as early as October!!!!). My nine year old son was giggling and gobbling down Christmas treats while going through this book. Quite a sight 😏.

 

This bit from a 1931 letter is still so relevant nowadays. It seems like all over the world so many people are still poor and starving.

 

A Christmas Memory, Truman Capote

From the author of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, here is a short autobiographical story in which Capote recounts memories from a childhood Christmas spent with a distant cousin when he was seven years old and she was well over sixty. The relationship Capote enjoyed with his distant cousin is remarkably fresh and innocent, touched with moments of hilarity and very modest comforts. A story as sweet as mince pies or Christmas cake with an ending that left me feeling melancholic. This is a book that I will most likely cherish not only during the festive seasons.

 

The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Witty and clever as always, Sherlock Holmes shows a side to his character that makes him even more endearing: empathetic, forgiving and understanding. What a guy! 😁

These are some more books on my TBR list for this festive season.  Will upload a favourite quote when I am done with them. Many thanks for reading and festive cheers to all 🍷🍷.