Hobbit Day comes but once a year, so why not make it a party of special magnificence by adding some book-related frivolity to the festivities?
For those of you who don’t know: Hobbit Day is on September 22 each year, and is the observation of Bilbo and Frodo’s birthday party! Tolkien fans around the world gather together in large parties or small groups to celebrate the joyous occasion! (It is also the day after the original publication date of The Hobbit!)
Now, on to the Tolkien-themed silliness!
You can try greeting each other using this simple formula from The Hobbit!
Greeter: _[Greeter’s name]_, at your service!
Respondent: __[Respondent’s name]__, at yours and your family’s.
As the host or hostess, you can always excuse the tardiness of a meal (or course) by reassuring your guest with a quick paraphrase of Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings (*a word of caution, this one might not go over as well if you are around book purists!*):
“[food that the group is waiting on] is never late, Frodo Baggins! Nor is it early, it arrives precisely when it means to”
Don’t forget to make some memorable toasts!
- The easiest one is the simple “May the hair on [your/his/her/their] toes never fall out!” from The Hobbit.
- If anyone is feeling particularly verbose, they can give Bilbo’s birthday toast from the first chapter of The Lord of the Rings! This could be especially entertaining if someone has a party popper for just the right moment, or if it leads to murmuring about what is meant by the compliment “I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.”
- On a more somber tone, you could use Thorin’s final words from The Hobbit: “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” Although, this might cause more introspection than you want at your Middle-earth themed party!
Whatever you do, don’t upset your host by performing your own rendition of “Chip the Glasses and Crack the Plates!”
I would recommend, even if you don’t want to do all of the silliness above, that at some point when everyone has a glass of their favorite beverage, just take a moment to raise a glass with the simple toast “The Professor!” It is a nice way to honor the memory of the creator whose work brings us all together!
If you want to make it a really memorable day, you could take it in turns to share the story of how you came to Middle-earth, and maybe something about what you have found there. I would be elated if anyone used my basic questions from the Tolkien Experience Project to get to know their fellow celebrants better! After all, that is the whole point of the project!
However you celebrate, and whoever you do it with, just know that there are many others celebrating with you on this day! May it be a joyous occasion indeed!
Luke Shelton PhD 