Are you a fan of JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings (LOTR) and the Hobbit? Then you’re in luck! September 22 is Hobbit Day, and the week containing Hobbit Day is also celebrated as Tolkien Week.
Why September 22?
Because it’s the birthday of the two main characters – Bilbo Baggins and his nephew Frodo Baggins. Bilbo was born on September 22 in 2890 and Frodo in 2968 in the Third Age.
Ok, there is some debate about the correct date, but this is due to the difference between the Gregorian calendar and the Shire calendar. Tolkien himself suggested that the Shire calendar is ahead by about ten days depending on the month.
How to Celebrate Hobbit Day?
• Host “A Long Expected” party (the name of the first chapter in The Fellowship of the Ring).
• Food is important. Fix some recipes found in An Unexpected Cookbook: The Unofficial Book of Hobbit Cookery. Don’t forget the Lembas bread and wine!
• Go barefoot on Hobbit Day. Have you ever met a Hobbit who wears shoes?
• Watch the movies. Make sure you have lots of snacks.
• Choose a passage or more about Hobbits from one of Tolkien’s books to read aloud together.
• Play games such as Riddles or Name Guessing (everyone has a character’s name taped to their backs, and has to ask the other participants ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ questions to figure out who he is).
Having a LOTR themed wedding?
While your actual wedding date may not fall on Hobbit Day, you can still celebrate Hobbits and LOTR. There are a lot of fun things you can do:
• Choose 7 people for your wedding party. Then, including you and your fiancé, you will have your own “Fellowship of the Ring”
• Have a sign at your ceremony that says, “We Are One Fellowship Here. Please Choose A Seat, Not A Side.”
• Have a sign at the entry of your reception that says “Speak Friend And Enter,” or “No Admittance, Except On Party Business.”
• At the conclusion for your ceremony, ask all of your guests to say Alámenë (/a.’la:.me.ne/) which is Elvish for “Go with our blessings.”
• During the ring exchange, say “With this one ring I thee wed, with this one ring I give you my love and devotion, with this one ring that binds us together as long as we both shall live.”
• Include in your wedding vows:
Bride/Groom: I promise that you will always have my sword.
Bride/Groom: And you will always have my bow.
(Wedding Party:) AND MY AXE!
• Name your tables after places in Middle Earth, such as: Rivendell, Misty Mountains, Gondor, and Helm’s Deep
• Decorate clear vases with elvish text, or other LOTR designs. Print your designs on clear label paper, cut out, and easily attach them to your vases.
• Print your programs and/or signage using the “Hobbiton Brush Hand” font (You can download it for free here).
• Want to include a Lord of the Rings/Hobbit motif?
How about the White Tree of Gondor, Elvish Leaves, or (my favorite!) Arwen’s Evenstar? You can print them on programs, menu cards, or any signage you may have at the entry or on the bar.
Have get creative and have fun on Hobbit Day.
Are you planning your own Hobbit Day inspired festivities? What are you planning to include? Let us know in the comments below.
Photo credits:
Tree of Gondor and Arwen’s Evenstar – Alapitz29 | Wikimedia | (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Hobbiton – Steve Shattuck | Flickr | (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The One Ring – Bandita | Flickr | (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Hearts, Joy, Love!
Jean
Looking for fun ideas, or need help with your wedding plans?
Weddings From The Heart can help. Contact me today at [email protected] or by phone or text at 937-581-3647!
My husband wouldn’t have minded a LOTR wedding! Good tips here.