Hobbit Day is a name used for September 22 in reference to its being the birthday of the

hobbit Hobbits are a fictional race of people in the novels of J. R. R. Tolkien. About half average human height, Tolkien presented hobbits as a variety of humanity, or close relatives thereof. Occasionally known as halflings in Tolkien's writings, ...

s Bilbo and

Frodo Baggins Frodo Baggins is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings, and one of the protagonists in '' The Lord of the Rings''. Frodo is a hobbit of the Shire who inherits the One Ring from his cousin Bilbo Baggins, described familiarly ...

, two fictional characters in

J. R. R. Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, ; 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlins ...

's popular set of books ''

The Hobbit ''The Hobbit, or There and Back Again'' is a children's fantasy novel by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published in 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the ''N ...

'' and ''

The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's b ...

''. According to the fictional setting, Bilbo was born in the year of 2890 and Frodo in the year of 2968 in the

Third Age In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the history of Arda, also called the history of Middle-earth, began when the Ainur entered Arda, following the creation events in the Ainulindalë and long ages of labour throughout Eä, the fictional un ...

(1290 and 1368 respectively in Shire-Reckoning.) Tolkien Week is the week containing Hobbit Day.

Observance

The American Tolkien Society first proclaimed Hobbit Day and Tolkien Week in 1978. It defines Hobbit Day as September 22, and Tolkien Week as the calendar week containing that day. The society acknowledges that Hobbit Day pre-dates their designation. Due to the discrepancies between the fictional Shire calendar and the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...

there is some debate about when to celebrate Hobbit Day, since the actual birthday would be between September 12 and 14 in the Gregorian calendar, as explained in the appendices of ''The Lord of the Rings''.

Celebration

The Fellowship of the Ring ''The Fellowship of the Ring'' is the first of three volumes of the epic novel ''The Lord of the Rings'' by the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It is followed by '' The Two Towers'' and ''The Return of the King''. It takes place in the ficti ...

'' opened with a celebration of Bilbo's birthday. It was a large party with food, fireworks, dancing and much merriment. Some Tolkien fans celebrate by emulating the hobbits' parties. Others simply go barefoot in honour of the

s, who don't wear shoes. Some schools and libraries use this as an opportunity to pique interest in Tolkien's work by putting up displays and hosting events. According to ''

'' appendices, "There is no record of the Shire-folk commemorating either March 25 or September 22; but in the Westfarthing, especially in the country round Hobbiton Hill, there grew a custom of making holiday and dancing in the Party Field, when weather permitted, on April 6." In Gondor, however, "in honour of Frodo ''Yavannie'' 30, which corresponded to the former September 22, his birthday, was made a festival, and the leap-year was provided for by doubling this feast, called ''Cormare'' or Ringday."''The Lord of the Rings'' 50th Anniversary text, page 1112.

References

{{Calendars September observances Tolkien fandom Unofficial observances

Observance

Celebration

See also

References