It’s Hobbit Day!
In Professor Tolkien‘s Lord of the Rings trilogy, September 22 is the shared birthday of two famous Hobbits, Bilbo Baggins and his young cousin Frodo Baggins. The American Tolkien Society, in honor of this, has designated September 22 to be Hobbit Day in 1978.
This year Hobbit Day coincides with the Autumn Equinox, at least in the Northern Hemisphere. The fall equinox arrives on Thursday, September 22, 2022, at 3:20 P.M. EDT in the Northern Hemisphere. New Zealand, where Peter Jackson filmed the Lord of the Rings movies, is in the southern hemisphere. They are just beginning their Spring.
Hobbit Forming
Frodo and Bilbo Baggins were hobbits, first of the Shire, but in the grander sense, citizens of Middle Earth.
“I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us. They are (or were) a little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded Dwarves. Hobbits have no beards. There is little or no magic about them, except the ordinary everyday sort which allows them to disappear quietly and quickly when large stupid folk like you and me come blundering along, making a noise like elephants which they can hear a mile off. They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colours (chiefly green and yellow); wear no shoes, because their feet grow naturally leathery soles and thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads (which is curly); have long clever brown fingers, good-natured faces, and laugh deep fruity laughs (especially after dinner, which they have twice a day when they can get it). Now you know enough to go on with.”
Frodo and Bilbo
Bilbo Baggins was the hero of the children’s book, The Hobbit. His cousin and heir, Frodo Baggins, was the hero of the adult fantasy trilogy, The Lord of the Rings. Frodo called Bilbo ‘uncle’ out of respect and affection, but was actually his first cousin once removed on his mother’s side, and his second cousin, once removed on his father’s side. Bilbo, a well-off bachelor, adopted his cousin when Frodo was orphaned.
In Peter Jackson’s LOTR movies, Frodo was played by Elijah Woods. Ian Holm played Bilbo as an old hobbit. In the 1980 Rankin-Bass movie Return of the King, Orson Bean voiced both Frodo and Bilbo. In Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit movies, Martin Freeman played Bilbo as a young hobbit. Freeman was also Agent Everett K. Ross in the MCU and Dr. John H. Watson in the BBC’s Sherlock.
[su_note note_color=”#66d4ff” radius=”5″]Here is a recipe for lembas bread, from the eBook cookbook entitled, “Recipes from a Halfling’s Pantry: lots of these”: for extra protein, substitute almond flour for wheat flour.[/su_note]
Hobbits, of course, were well known for their love of food, their love of life, and their love of food, in that order. They loved to celebrate – well nearly anything, really. Bilbo Baggins was one of the most celebrated of all Hobbits, and so his 111th birthday (his “eleventy-first”), therefore, was destined to be a birthday party to remember.
In the spirit of the Hobbit way of life, and in celebration of the lives of two of the most important and influential characters in all the world of fantasy writing since humans first put pen to paper, we wish Bilbo and Frodo Baggins a very merry birthday indeed.
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
J. R. R. Tolkien
The Portalist suggested sixteen ways to celebrate Hobbit Day. You could easily combine one or more of these with your favorite fall traditions: baking molasses cookies, baking sugar cookies, drinking hot apple cider or hot chocolate or pumpkin-spiced anything, raking leaves or caring for your garden. Of course, rereading Tolkein’s books counts as well. Tolkein loved nature and the comfort of natural things, and Hobbits did as well.
No matter how you celebrate Hobbit Day, have a great holiday. Enjoy some good food and drink, especially, if you can, with friends. Reread a favorite book. Rewatch a favorite movie. Enjoy the day!
A bit of fun – here’s a fan music video edited together by Snobahr, using “Happy Birthday, Bilbo!” from “Fellowship! The Musical!”, and footage from Fellowship of the Ring.
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Susan Macdonald is the author of the children's book "R is for Renaissance Faire", as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in "Alternative Truths", "Swords and Sorceress #30", Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, "Cat Tails" "Under Western Stars", and "Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid". Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio's web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
