Hello! How have you been? I wanted to pop in this afternoon to chat with you a bit about what's been happening within the Tea with Tolkien community lately... I'm calling it Afternoon Tea (volume one!).
Our Hobbit Party (2017)
I realize this post is nearly a whole year overdue, but I wanted to share as many photos as I could from our 2017 Hobbit Party! It was so fun looking back on all of these and thinking about my plans for this year...! You can read more about Hobbit parties and click through more of our Hobbit Party posts here.
The Heart of Tea with Tolkien
I realized that it's been a while since I've shared about what my hopes are for Tea with Tolkien and how I hope to serve you, my dearest reader!, so I wanted to take a few moments to write it all out for you...
Like Butter Scraped Across Too Much Bread
After carrying it as his own for sixty years, Bilbo has felt the weight and the slow-changing power of the One Ring. As he celebrates his Eleventy-first birthday, he has not aged visibly since he was fifty -- an effect of the Ring that leaves his friends and relatives puzzled (and envious).
Book Review: The Messiah Comes to Middle-Earth by Philip Ryken
In The Messiah Comes to Middle-Earth, Philip Ryken reflects on the three-fold offices of Christ as Priest, Prophet, and King as they are echoed in the characters of Gandalf, Frodo (and Sam), and Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings. The book is comprised of three lectures given by Ryken, as well as a response to each lecture.
Tolkien-Inspired Baby Names
As I've been reflecting on baby names and trying to decide on a name for our newest little one, I've been putting together this list of Tolkienian baby names to share with all of you! This list is in no way exhaustive, but I've included all of the names that I thought would be nice for a little hobbit lad or lass in case you're also searching for one.
Hobbit Party Menu Planning: Second Breakfast & More
As hobbits are known for their love for food, it is likely the most important element of any good hobbit celebration! Hobbits are known to feast from breakfast and well into the evening, preferring hearty, home-cooked comfort foods.
Mount Doom Bean Bags & Ring Toss: Hobbit Party Games
Two party games that our little hobbits loved last year were the Mount Doom Bean Bags & The "One Ring" Ring Toss. They were both very simple to make and were fun for little ones of all ages (especially toddlers and preschoolers)!
Almond, Citrus, and Lavender Lembas Bread
“Eat little at a time, and only at need. For these things are given to serve you when all else fails. The cakes will keep sweet for many many days, if they are unbroken and left in their leaf-wrappings, as we have brought them. One will keep a traveler on his feet for a day of long labour, even if he be one of the tall men of Minas Tirith.” -The Fellowship of the Ring
Shelob's Web: A Hobbit Party Game
Of all the Hobbit Party games we've played, I was most excited about this one! We have a little clearing of trees in our backyard and I had the idea to set up a giant spider web for the kids to cut through with their own (foam) swords!
Tolkien's Requiem (A Review & Giveaway)
If you've been searching for a simple way to understand Tolkien's Silmarillion, hoping to dig deeper into its themes and mythology, or wanting to learn more about Beren and Luthien before the June release of the restored edition of their tale... John Carswell's short but insightful book, Tolkien's Requiem, is the place to start.
John Ronald's Dragons (A Book Review & Giveaway)
Last week, a friend shared a photo of a library book she'd come across about a boy named John Ronald who loved dragons. And as my little ones have been getting older and asking me to read more often to them, I've been trying to be more intentional about the books I fill our shelves with... so I knew I needed this one. I posted a little about it on my Instagram feed but I thought I'd share a few more of my thoughts on this sweet biography of JRR Tolkien for children for those who were interested. The story itself was absolutely darling, and the illustration just brought it to life in the sweetest way!