Monday, December 26, 2011

Twelve unusual Christmas reads

At The Daily Beast, Stefan Beck tagged twelve of the more unusual Christmas reads.

One title on the list:
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Father Christmas Letters.

Christmas has always been neck and neck with Halloween for the title of Best Time to Traumatize Your Kids. This year my cousin let one of her daughters torment one of her sons with fake threats from The Man Up North. The practice, whatever Child Protective Services may think of it, enjoys a distinguished pedigree. Tolkien used his Northern European imagination not to frighten but at least to compel belief in the corpulent, red-clad judge. His illustrated letters to his children, which feature a North Polar Bear, Ilbereth the elf, and goblins, are an invaluable template for those parents who find it funny to watch their kids’ eyes go wide and scared-shitless as Christmas approaches.
Read about another book on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue