Tolkien’s “Father Christmas Letters”

I’ll admit it: Tolkien can seem heady and inaccessible at times. He’s a nerd’s nerd, and there’s no denying it.
But if you struggle to enjoy Tolkien (or if you love him…or if you’re just looking for a splendid Christmas read), then look no further. Today’s super-short post is about his Father Christmas Letters, a delightful collection of notes and drawings from “Father Christmas” to Tolkien’s children.
Check out these snippets and drawings! You’re sure to fall in love!

“On Fairy-Stories” Epilogue: Evangelium

“The Gospels contain a fairy-story, or a story of a larger kind which embraces all the essence of fairy-stories” (155). Remember how I told you that we’d be looking at the glorious intersection between fairy-stories and the Gospel? Today, my friends, that’s just what…

“On Fairy-Stories,” Part 5: Consolation

Hurray! We’re getting down to the real goods today, folks! This post and the next one are why I set about to discuss Tolkien’s “On Fairy-Stories” in the first place. Think it’s crazy that I slogged through four previous posts before getting around to…

“On Fairy-Stories,” Part 3: Recovery

A woman find a fabulous necklace that she absolutely adores, so she buys it but leaves it locked in her jewelry case. A man falls in love with the exquisite face of a woman, so he marries her and soon forgets to appreciate the…

“On Fairy Stories,” Part 1: The Basics

Ah, Tolkien. Perhaps one of the most brilliantly-creative minds of the last century. Certainly one of the most influential fantasy writers in the English language. And yet he’s a bit of an acquired taste, isn’t he? Read on to discover why some people have…

Stage 11: Resurrection, Part 2

Did you love the movie Interstellar? Did you hate it? Are you still baffled by it? Regardless, read on to see how it exemplifies the hero’s death and resurrection!

Stage Nine: Reward

You know that feeling when you finally finish something nearly impossible? Of course you do. The real question is, what do you do afterward? The ninth stage of the Hero’s Journey is that of Reward. Read on to find out how heroes celebrate and how they’re changed.