How to Throw a Hobbit Day Feast

from a self-proclaimed expert

September twenty-second is Hobbit Day, if you didn’t already know. The reason for this is simple. Frodo Baggins and his dear uncle Bilbo share a birthday on that day, and are the most delightful birthday buddies in all of fantasy.

It delights me endlessly that I happen to share a birthday with two of my favorite characters in literature. Bilbo with his well-stocked pantry and introverted nature…Frodo who grew up enjoying hearing his uncle’s adventures, but also loved his hometown and was quite content to spend his days among the old trees and green, sprawling landscape. I relate to them deep in my bones. I long for the cozy simplicity of a Hobbit hole, I stock my pantry with tea and bread and cheese, and I never say no to a good potato.

Photo by Joshua Bayliss on Unsplash

Hobbit Day has become a joyous celebration in our family, for many reasons. Eleven years ago, on my eighteenth birthday, my family celebrated with our very first Hobbit Day Feast. Four years ago, a local dance group had a big “Hobbit dance,” with old-timey dancing and a live band playing songs from the Peter Jackson films. I told our bible study group that we should go together, and we did. My husband included. He arrived late, wearing nice jeans and a black t-shirt, and I thought he looked very handsome. He danced every dance with me. Our first time ever dancing together, at the Hobbit dance. We went for ice cream afterward. A week later we had our first date.

Would you believe that my husband also shares a birthday with Bilbo and Frodo? Not only is my husband my birthday buddy, but we share a birthday on HOBBIT DAY? Our first Hobbit Day as a married couple was three years ago (yes, we got married very quickly), and I intend to celebrate with a Hobbit feast forever.

The spread at the first Hobbit party of my married life

Now, to throw a proper Hobbit Day party you don’t need any special reason. The love of cozy Hobbit lore is the only reason you need. And since there are no rules, really, most things are up to you. As someone who has thrown eleven feasts, however, I have quite a few tips to help you prioritize and create a truly “Hobbity” vibe.

1. Music is a must, but like all things Hobbit, simple is best. For ambience, try playing the LOTR soundtrack by Howard Shore. While you clean up, try listening to JRR Tolkien himself sing “Chip the glasses and crack the plates.”

2. For entertainment, read aloud some poems from The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings. You can also have people bring riddles and put everyone’s wit to the test. Fireworks are also a great option if one of your guests is a wizard.

3. Appetizers are easy. Charcuterie boards with crackers, cheese, meats, and dried fruit are perfect Hobbit fare. You can also make my husband’s favorite: goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. These are best served warm, but they are easy enough to prep ahead of time.

4. Vegetables can be thrown on a sheet pan and roasted to make things easy. Carrots, broccoli, zucchini, onions! If you’re feeling fancy, a spaghetti squash or acorn squash can add a bit of savory-sweetness to your plates.

5. A main course can be as simple or extravagant as you like. My brother, for instance, has offered to make a Beef Wellington for this year’s party. Roast chicken, ham, fish (raw, if Gollum is there. Perhaps he’d try sushi?), are all great options!

6. For sides, potatoes are an absolute must. Boil them, mash them, cut them into chips to serve with fish. Mushrooms, of course, will please the Pippins and Merrys of your guest list. My favorite way is to serve these stuffed mushrooms, a staple I keep on hand for easy yet elegant sides. Fresh bread from a bakery or your own oven, if you’re keen on baking is also a delight, just don’t forget the butter, or Bilbo might begin to remember how tired he is in his old age.

7. My personal favorite is the dessert. Samwise would be disappointed if there isn’t a bowl of fresh strawberries with cream. Sauron eagerly lies in wait for my mother’s yearly “one ring” cake. It’s a lemon pound cake that she bakes in a bundt pan. Delicious, and none of the side effects poor Frodo had to endure.

8. If Gandalf is over, make sure to offer to fill his glass with the best you have to offer. For Bilbo’s favorite wine, “Old Winyard,” simply use brown construction paper to cover the label of a sparkling juice. My favorite is sparkling apple cider. Tea can be served at any time, of course, or if you prefer, warm apple cider and hot chocolate.

9. Decor is easy, because the coziest, most hobbit-like thing is to enjoy the natural ambience of your home with the people you love. Although, if you must, you could put up a sign that says “No admittance, except on party business.” That should let guests know they’ve reached the right hobbit hole. If you’re particularly grouchy, just leave it up all year, and then only the most persistent wizards will deign to knock at your door.

Now is the time to start planning your delectable spread. Invite your friends for an evening of cozy entertainment. Transport your living room to a hole in the ground in the Shire. Throw a Hobbit feast. And if you do, be sure to tell me about it!

God reminds me every year during my birth month that I am so loved and so very very blessed. I am looking forward to sharing more Lord of the Rings themed posts this month, in celebration of God giving me a birthday on Hobbit day.