Tolkien Reading Day was established in 2003 by the Tolkien Society to celebrate and promote the life and works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Fans are encouraged to use this day to share their favorite passages from Tolkien’s works while keeping in mind this year’s theme: Love and Friendship.
Dedicated fans will recognize the significance of celebrating Tolkien Reading Day on March 25th, as it’s the day the Ring was destroyed and Sauron was vanquished in The Return of the King (1955). What a day!
If you’re a major Tolkien fan like me, you might be wanting to step up your game when celebrating. So, I’ve come up with five Tolkien-inspired ways you can celebrate Tolkien Reading Day and share your love for his works!
1. Share Your Favorite Passages From Tolkien’s Work
Kick off Tolkien Reading Day by sharing your favorite quote from one of his books! Find a passage that relates to this year’s theme, Love and Friendship, and share it on your social media pages. Here’s one of my favorites from The Fellowship of the Ring:
You can trust us to stick to you through thick and thin – to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours – closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo. Anyway, there it is… We know a good deal about the Ring. We are horribly afraid – but we are going with you, or following you like hounds.
Merry, The Fellowship of the Ring
Friendship and camaraderie plays a huge role in Tolkien’s stories, so it’s no surprise that this theme was chosen. Go a step further with it; call up your friends and let them know how much you love and appreciate them. Who’s the Sam to your Frodo, or the Gimli to your Legolas? Find them and let them know how important they are to you.
2. Immerse Yourself in Nature
Tolkien loved nature, and his love is translated onto the pages of his books through his stories’ connection with nature. His Hobbits live a simple life with their cozy homes dug into the sides of rolling hills in the Shire. They tend to their bountiful gardens and happily live off the land and all it has to offer. His elves inhabit the sprawling woods and valleys of Lorien, Mirkwood, and Rivendell.
Honor Tolkien by appreciating all that nature has to offer! If the weather’s nice, go outside and head to your local park. Find a trail to walk and maybe even imagine you’re going on a quest while you follow its winding paths. Find a nice, quiet spot where you can get comfortable and lose yourself in a book for a bit. Or, round up your friends, grab a blanket and some food, and have a picnic. Whatever you do, do it outside and enjoy the fresh air!
3. Doodle Like Tolkien
Break out those pens and pencils and put them to paper, folks. Tolkien created a lot of illustrations for his stories like The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy, adding a level of depth to his stories that all of us fans appreciate. Use your imagination and see what comes of it, maybe you might create some inspiration for a novel of your own!
4. Create Your Own Language Like Tolkien
One of the things I’ve always loved about Tolkien is the fact that he created his own languages for the characters in his stories. It’s awesome. The dialects of Elvish and runes featured in the books add a whole other level of immersive world building that makes the books all the more enjoyable for fantasy lovers. Try your hand at making up your own language to emulate Tolkien. It doesn’t have to be perfect, have fun with it and be creative! In the end, that’s what it’s all about.
5. Read!
This one’s a given- grab a book and start reading! Preferably, read something Tolkien-related to celebrate today. But if you don’t feel like reading something by Tolkien, start reading that fantasy book you’ve had on your TBR shelf for the longest time. The beauty of Tolkien’s work is how immersive it is, and it’s what I love about being a bookworm. Reading books is a way to escape the annoyances of everyday life and get lost in a fictional world. Take today to do just that, you deserve it.