On September 22nd, 1290, by Shire Reckoning, Bilbo Baggins was born; later, he would come to share the birthday with his cousin, Frodo Baggins. And, one birthday, when Bilbo turns 111 and Frodo turns 33, Bilbo disappears!
This is the opening chapter of The Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring, the classic novel by JRR Tolkien. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, (born on January 3rd 1892), created an unforgettable world when he set out to chronicle the stories of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. Beginning with The Hobbit, first published in 1937, JRR Tolkien unraveled a world of elves, wizards, men, dwarves, dragons, and, yes, hobbits. Inspired by his passionate interests in British mythology and inventing languages, Tolkien's Middle Earth has gone on to become the blueprint for much of modern, Western fantasy as we know it today.
If you yourself are a lover of Hobbits, and Tolkien's work, there are plenty of ways you can celebrate International Hobbit Day, held every year on September 22nd.
Hobbit Party Traditions:
- Give gifts to your guests--hobbits don't receive gifts on their birthdays; they give them away!
- Eat good food--Hobbits eat seven meals a day, including the famous second breakfast. Favorite Hobbit foods include fruits and veggies from their gardens, along with potatoes, fresh bread, and cheese.
- Tell stories--Bilbo Baggins tells the stories of his adventures on his birthday, including how he out-riddled Gollum and tricked the dragon Smaug. Tell your own daring stories, or make them up!
- Wear jewelry--Bilbo Baggins wears The One Ring for the last time at his famously infamous birthday party.
- Have fun!--In The Hobbit, Thorin Oakenshield praises Bilbo Baggins, saying, "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." The thing that makes a party truly Hobbity is if it brings together people in the spirit of kindness, good cheer, and laughter.
In order to help you celebrate Hobbit Day, we've collected a list of some of the books from Tolkien's legendarium, the many films based on Middle earth, and some other titles to whet your mighty Hobbit appetite. This list can be found here, in the new version of our library catalog! Be sure to check out the list, which will allow you to easily find and enjoy the best of the Alachua County Library District's expansive catalog. If you want to know more about our new version of the catalog, as powered by Aspen, you can find all the information you need here.