Open the yule calendar, help make the video, join the parties!
It never fails. In the hobbit community on the LOTRO Laurelin server, November is always quiet. Not much is happening, besides the usual markets and inn nights. That's because we're all busy preparing for the Yuletide!
Yule is one of the two big hobbit holidays, Midsummer being the second. Naturally, us Laurelin hobbits pull out all the stops to celebrate properly. Here, I'll show yer how you can take part this year!
Open the hobbity yule calendar
Last year, Pycella had the grand idea to make a hobbity yule calendar, with new surprises every day until December 24th. Here's how it works:
From 1st December until 24th December, we will present you yuleish, hobbity surprises to help you prepare for the holidays and get into a cheerful mood. There will be recipes, drawings, poems, music, games and maybe even some silly things. The surprises will be presented here, in this thread. Each day, a new surprise will wait for you. We hope that you'll enjoy the calendar!
The 2017 calendar proved so popular, we just had to make one this year too. So what are yer waiting for? The first entry is open already. Go have a look!
You can open the calendar here: The 2018 Hobbity Yule Calendar
Last year, people outside of the Grand Order sent us letters commenting on the calendar and saying how much they enjoyed it. That was very grand and kind and much appreciated! If yer like, yer can use the comment system on this here blog post to leave yer calendar feedback this year. We would love to hear from yer!
Also, if you have entries that could go into the calendar, it is not too late! See here how yer can send yer entries to Pycella. We're particularly interested in pictures of real-life yule trees or local yule festivities this year, from all over the world. So if yer have such pictures, please send them in! (ideally also saying where in the world the picture is from).
Help make the hobbit yule video
Every year since 2012, the Laurelin hobbits have made a yule greetings video. Lots of hobbits take part, generally being bossed around by me for a few hours, then wait patiently until the final video is unveiled on December 24th.
This year, we'll meet two dates: Saturday December 1st and Tuesday December 11th.
For the video shoot on Saturday December 1st, we'll meet in Michel Delving. You'll all help the quick post deliver the yule mail to various parts of the Shire! Dress up festive-like, bring backpacks for the letters and be prepared to run!
Of course, true quick post hobbits wear the Harvest-brew hat.
So bring yours along! Don't worry if you don't have one, though. I have a few on-hand, in different colours (Evendim Blue for the true quick post look, or Crimson for the festive yule feeling). Meet up a little before we start, and we can have you outfitted and proudly wearing the cap while delivering letters.
If you'd like to see the yule videos we have made so far, ever since 2012, have a look here!
Join the parties
There will be lots of parties in the Shire, both before and during the yuletide. Here, I'll just list some of the things happening, in addition to the yule calendar and video shoots:
- December 8th: OAKS, where you can finally see the theatrical play "Ode to Old Bloodtusk"! There will be lots of yule songs too!
- December 9th: A mysterious mission to help, um, Lobelia!
- December 15th: The annual raising of the yule tree in Songburrow, with mulled wine, yule songs and perhaps another theatrical play?
- December 21st: The Green Dragon Friday yule party, in Bywater
- December 28th: The Green Dragon Friday new years party, in Brockenborings
- December 29th: Wassailing in Winterhome
- January 1st: The annual grand snowball fight in Frostbluff
Else, many of the regular events will happen too. The best places to keep track of them all is the calendar here on my burrow or the Laurelin hobbit newspaper, The Bramblebury Gazette. Both places you'll also find more details about all the events listed above (time, location, descriptions etc.). A few of the events are for hobbits only, but most are open for all. Welcome along!
I hope to see yer during the yuletide. Best wishes to all!