2021 A to Z: Letter H…Weird Holidays

2021 A to Z: Letter H

is for

Hobbit Day (September 22)

Hobbit Day (September 22) falls in the middle of Tolkien Week. (Lucky blog reader, today you get two Weird Holidays mentioned in one post!)

Hobbit Day is scheduled to fall on Bilbo’s and Frodo Baggins’ mutual birthday, the date of the Long Awaited Party (translated in text by Tolkien as September 22). 

Here’s some Hobbit trivia: Tolkien envisioned these small people as a separate race, like the Elves and the Dwarfs. Therefore, Hobbit is always capitalized.

Why did Tolkien pick Sept 22?

Fan theories say September 22 is around the day of the Autumn Equinox.. Autumn is often referenced as the time when shadows lengthen and the world grows colder… much as it does in the Lord of the Rings, when Sauron learns his ring was found by a hobbit in the Shire!

Fan Controversy

Some students of Tolkien, however, claim that it is a mistake to celebrate those characters’ birthday on September 22, as the narrative refers to the Shire Calendar, which diverges significantly from ours. Appendix D of The Lord of the Rings explains that the Shire calendar does not correspond exactly to ours and is in advance of ours by about ten days.

Celebrate Hobbit Day

If you want to eat like a hobbit, here are the seven meals you need to eat in a day:

• Breakfast – 7 a.m.
• Second Breakfast – 9 a.m.
• Elevenses – 11 a.m.
• Luncheon – 1 p.m.
• Afternoon Tea – 3 p.m.
• Dinner – 6 p.m.
• Supper – 9 p.m.

“Quite a merry gathering! I hope there is something left for the latecomers to eat and drink! What’s that? Tea! No thank you! A little red wine, I think for me.”

For some great party ideas, check out Bryton Taylor’s In Literature: The Hobbit; an Unexpected Party Menu and Recipes. Her photos are spectacular!

Just remember: “home is behind, the world ahead” – J.R.R. Tolkien.

Featured image: “H is for Hourglass” from Digital Synopsis, created by UK based graphic designers Liam + Jord