The illustration is by Lennart Helje
Letters from the North Pole
Every Christmas, over the years between 1920 and 1942, four children received a letter, in an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole, from Father Christmas.
They were the beloved children, John, Michael, Christopher, and Priscilla, of J. R. R.Tolkien. John, the first-borne child, was 3 years old when the first letter arrived in 1920.
The letters told wonderful tales, with illustrations, of Father Christmas and his life at the North Pole. There were stories that involved North Polar Bear, Snow Elves, Red Gnomes, and Goblins. The Goblins tried to invade the Storerooms but were thwarted by the Elves. One of the Elves, Ilbreth, became Santa's chief assistant.
The letters were edited by Baillie Tolkien, second wife of his youngest son, Christoper, and published as a book.There have been several editions, beginning in September, 1976, 3 years after Tolkien's death. Here is a link to the Introduction to the Letters From Father Christmas.
Here is the message in the first letter to 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. I hope I shall arrive on time: the snow is very thick at the North Pole tonight. Your loving Father Christmas."
The illustrations are from the letters sent to the children by Tolkien.
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Charles Dicken's Awakened The Christmas Spirit in England
The industrial revolution brought both prosperity and poverty to England. Landed gentry became wealthy business owners with a lack of regard for human welfare. A rising, comfortable, middle class developed alongside desperation, prostitution, and child labor. Charles Dickens never forgot his painful years as a poor boy working for many years under very harsh conditions. His imaginative fantasy, A Christmas Carol, was a wonderful story, and created great change among people.
"In the mid 1800s, Christmas was a dying holiday, much as it is today. Many of its traditions were being neglected, and even the idea of "Peace on earth, good will to men" was considered passe. Then something extraordinary happened: Charles Dickens published "A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas." It was an instant success, and launched one of the biggest comebacks in history: not of Dickens, but of Christmas.". . . Waitsel Smith
I recently reread A Christmas Carol and was once again caught up in this powerful story of fear, awareness, and celebration that had such a huge impact. Here is an excerpt that takes place when Scrooge meets the third ghost/spirit.
"Ghost of the Future!” he exclaimed, “I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me?”
It gave him no reply. The hand was pointed straight before them.
“Lead on!” said Scrooge. “Lead on! The night is waning fast, and it is precious time to me, I know. Lead on, Spirit!”
The Phantom moved away as it had come towards him. Scrooge followed in the shadow of its dress, which bore him up, he thought, and carried him along.". .
Here is a link to read it all: the Project Gutenberg's free ebook of the original Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
The illustration is by Harry Furniss.
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Humane Relationships
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Here is a link to the Reading of Dickens' Christmas Carol by Neil Gaiman at the NY Public Library
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Event of JoyThis post has become an annual event on this blog. I have looked at many terrific Flashmob musical events, but, for December, I keep returning to this extraordinary video . . .
People and musicians gather one by one, and then more and more people, in a wonderful video that celebrates the Joy of the season with music. This is also a timeless testament to humanity and hope. It builds, non-stop, to 6 wonderful minutes.
Here is the link to Joy... Ode To Joy
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Kwanzaa
"Unlike Christmas and Hanukkah, Kwanzaa was not born out of religion. Instead it is a largely social and communal holiday that grew out of the civil rights movement. . . it is now looked at as a chance for people of all races and backgrounds to celebrate African culture the same way we celebrate Irish and Mexican culture on St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo. . .Families celebrate Kwanzaa in many ways. Celebrations typically include a feast on Dec. 31, accompanied by dancing, African drums, singing, storytelling and more. Many also partake in the kikombe cha umoja, or unity cup, which is passed from person to person. . ."
Here is a link to read more from an informative article by Tyler McCarthy, quoted above, about Kwanzaa
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A Rescued Christmas Tale Classic
Mr Dog's Christmas at the Hollow Tree Inn, written by Albert Bigelow Paine (1861-1937), is a wonderful Christmas book and a rescued treasure. Paine was a prolific writer, his work ranging from lauded biography (Mark Twain and Joan of Arc); to popular travel journals; and to delightful children's stories and books. He created an entire world of stories of the Deep Woods and The Hollow Tree.
Over the years, the story, originally published in 1898, became lost to most of the world. However, it remained a favorite in the family of Betsy Cordes for three generations, and was read aloud, every Christmas Eve. Under the guidance of Ms Cordes, and with the wonderful illustrations by Adam McCauley, Mr Dog's Christmas at the Hollow Tree Inn has been given a new life.
Here is a quotation from the book:
"But by and by Mr. Dog thought about something else. He thought it would be too bad, too, for them to be disappointed that way. You see, Mr. Dog liked them all now, and when he had thought about that a minute he made up his mind to do something. And this is what it was—he made up his mind to play Santa Claus!"
Here is a link to the Picture Book Review for an excellent in-depth visit with Mr Dog and his friends.
Here's a link to learn more or to order this delightful Christmas book: Mr Dog's Christmas at the Hollow Tree Inn.
The illustration is by Adam McCauley.
...................................Circling the Waggins, a wonderful book by C.A. Wulff, is a journey into the heart and mind of a dedicated pet lover who shares her experiences, concerns, and deep emotions with the reader.The setting is a cabin-home in a national park forest. The characters are several adopted dogs, cats, and, for a while, domestic mice -- and two compassionate women. Here is an excerpt:
"I feel like we are haunted by the ghost dog of Christmas past. The season brings a million reminders of our Troll, a dog who had loved Christmas more than any other time of year. He would get excited at the first signs of holiday decorations, and his eyes would shine with a child’s wonder. On Christmas morning, he would race to be the first dog under the tree, to tear at the packages full of biscuits and rawhides. Each of the dogs would tear at a package, but Troll unwrapped with such gusto and fervor, that they would all abandon their presents to stand back and watch him, and then make off with whatever treats he had revealed."
Here is a link to a Goodreads review of Circling the Waggins
The photo of Troll is by C.A. Wulff.
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United by Festive Tales of Fantasy
"This time of year, the stories that most unite us are fantasies in which we are not (except as small children) asked to put our faith. Unlike, say, the biblical accounts of Adam and Eve and the birth of Jesus, these festive tales generally do not draw masses of faithful who insist as a point of dogma on their literal truth. On the contrary, either our playful seasonal stories are clearly understood from the start to be fictional or, in the case of Santa Claus, they become fictional in time."
Posted by Maria Tatar, quoting Stephen Greenblatt, on her Breezes from Wonderland Blog.
The illustration is by Jenny Nyström.
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Movies
Becoming Astrid
A new film based on the early life of Astrid Lindgren has received excellent reviews by critics and audiences alike. I have long admired Lindgren's talent, her writing achievements, and her life. "Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002) was a gifted, prolific, independent Swedish woman -- a single mother -- who wrote a very large number of successful children's books. She is best known for her Pippi Longstocking series. Her books have been translated into 70he August, 2018, posting of this blog.
Here is the Trailer: Becoming Astri languages. One hundred and sixty five million have been sold.
I wrote about Astrid Lindgren in td.
The photo is of Astrid and her daughter taken by an unknown photographer.
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Laurel and Hardy
Peter Bradshaw, writing in the Guardian: ". . . the melancholy twilight of comedy gods, Laurel and
Hardy (with) brilliant impersonations by Steve Coogan and John C Reilly (that) lift the muted charm of this biopic about their troubled music-hall tour of Britain. . ."
This is a film for mature audiences as the review and trailer reveal: Laurel and Hardy.
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Holmes and Watson
This one is for kids. Silly slapstick fun with two funny men: John C. Reily and Will Ferrell. Reily transitions from Oliver Hardy to Dr. Watson. Total irrelevance to Conan Doyle.
Here is a preview:Trailer: Holmes and Watson
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Mirai
Mirai opened to excellent reviews and audience reaction. Here's an excerpt from KennethTuran in the LATimes: "Without any preamble, Kun's courtyard refuge turns into a kind of magic zone where no-limits fantasy and recognizable reality unapologetically intertwine in a way that is quintessentially Hosoda."
Here is a link to the trailer for: Mirai
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"The team behind “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” throws an awful lot at the screen during this clotted two-hour-plus diversion, the latest installment in the J.K. Rowling-verse. As is often the case in a Rowling production, evil is ascendant, seeping through both human and magic realms like poison gas.
Mostly, though, because Rowling builds worlds, what “Grindelwald” has is a great deal of story. The movie is chockablock with stuff: titular creatures (if not nearly enough), attractive people, scampering extras, eye-catching locations, tragic flashbacks, teary confessions and largely bloodless, spectacular violence. It’s an embarrassment of riches, and it’s suffocating. . ." By Manhola Dargis in the NYTimes
Here is a link to the trailer: Fantastic Beasts, The Crimes of Grindelwald
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Therapy Dogs and Veterans Helping Veterans
This excellent documentary (4 minutes15 seconds) takes the viewer into the world of veterans with PTSD and other disabilities whose lives have been helped in tangible ways through PPH therapy dogs. Here is a link to this excellent, upbeat video: PPH Video
Paws for Purple Hearts uses therapy dogs trained by veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) to help their comrades with combat-related injuries... "PPH is built upon the trusted and time-honored tradition of Veterans helping Veterans... These programs have changed the lives of many Veterans struggling with PTSD.
Here is a link to their website Paws For Purple Hearts
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Why Am I ?...A Yelodoggie Illustrated Story Book
With the arrival of the Christmas season we continue our search for a publisher who will love Why Am I ?, recognize its potential, and launch it into the world.
Why Am I ? is a joyous book that helps children to understand and appreciate differences and to embrace that which is unique in each of us.
Why Am I ? teaches tolerance. We believe that Why Am I ?, C.A. Wulff's wonderful new book, should have wide distribution. Kids 4-8 love it and we see it as the beginning of a series.
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SAVE THE CHILDREN
In this season of hope for all of us who are fortunate to have access to wonders like the world of children's literature, I think of the ceaseless work being done by Save The Children to bring hope to millions.
"Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm.
We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.
In 2017, we reached over 49 million children directly through our and our partners' work. Follow this link to read our latest Save the Children Annual Review."
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Reading As Doorway to a Better Life
Mommy and Me and Talk to Me are two delightful complimentary books available to new mothers. Over 65,000 have been donated thus far, primarily to medical organizations that put them in the hands of new mothers.
Flint, Michigan, had a terrible problem with their city water supply and many infants and young children ended up with lead poisoning. A female pediatrician discovered the situation and brought it to the nation’s attention. The Yeager Family Foundation has partnered with her and in 2017 provided over 4,300 copies ofTalk To Me to help young children in Flint begin their journey on the road of reading.
Interviewer: Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions and clarifying things.
Santa: I’m happy that the story is finally coming out.
Interviewer: Is it a true story?
Santa: Absolutely.
Interviewer: Why haven’t we known about it before?
Santa: I think it was lost in the mists of time…It took place hundreds and hundreds of years ago.
Interviewer: Is it true that there was to be no more Christmas?
Santa: I’m sorry to say that it’s true. Until the dogs arrived.
Interviewer: The dogs?
Santa: It was a surprise to all of us in Santa Claus village. None of us, and that includes all the elves, had even heard of dogs.
Interviewer: Is that because you were so far North and rather isolated?
Santa: Well, that and the fact that dogs has just started arriving on planet earth. Prior to that time, there had been no dogs on Earth.
Interviewer: Really! Where did they come from? And how did they find you?
Santa: They had started coming down from their own planet – the Planet of the Dogs. They came down to help people. Somehow, they had heard we were in trouble, and one day, there they were, just like that.
Interviewer: How many were there? And what about the snow and the cold weather? Didn’t it bother them?
Santa: I never counted, but there sure were a lot of dogs. And most of them loved the snow. There were a few others that weren’t that happy with our weather, but they kept warm enough one way or another. And there were two nice kids, a brother and sister, who were with them. They could talk to the dogs and seemed to guide them.
Interviewer: I don’t understand how two kids and a big bunch of dogs could save Christmas. . .
You can read the rest of this brief interview with Santa and sample chapters of Snow Valley Heroes on www.planetofthedogs.net
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Joy to the World from
the Planet Of The Dogs
Photo of his dogs, Darcy and Caboose, courtesy of Richard Bradley (A Rock In My Shoe).
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"Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift."
-Mary Oliver
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