Twelve Festive Facts

Did you know... ? Here are twelve festive Tolkien facts:

1. Born in South Africa, J.R.R. Tolkien's earliest recollection of Christmas was of a "blazing sun, drawn curtains and a drooping eucalyptus".

2. In 1895, a three-year-old Tolkien moved to England with his mother and brother and enjoyed his first wintry Christmas with a real Christmas tree.

3. As a young man Tolkien used to spend part of his Christmas holidays with his Incledon relatives, whose custom was to perform theatrical entertainments, some of which were written by him.

4. In December 1913 Tolkien announced to his friends his engagement to Edith.

5. On 9th December 1936 Tolkien delivered his lecture Beowulf : The Monsters and the Critics .

6. Christmas 1920: Tolkien wrote his first illustrated letter as 'Father Christmas' to his children.

7. This first letter was written to Tolkien's eldest son, John, then aged 3, after him asking what Father Christmas was like.

8. Four days after being asked by his publisher, on 19th December 1937 Tolkien wrote the first chapter of the sequel to The Hobbit - it would eventually become the beginning of The Lord of the Rings .

9. Christmas 1943: Tolkien wrote his final letter as 'Father Christmas', to his daughter Priscilla.

10. On 3rd December 1953 Tolkien delivered the typescript of The Return of the King to his publisher.

11. A selection of Tolkien's Christmas letters was first published in 1976; a new paperback edition containing nearly all the pictures and letters is published in 2009.

12. The Hobbits' name for Christmas is Yule.