On January 3, the Tolkien Society invites Tolkien fans throughout the world to join in the tradition of the annual Tolkien Birthday Toast, in honor of J. R. R. Tolkien’s birthday. The beloved author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings was born on January 3, 1892, in Bloemfontein, South Africa, making 2017 the 125th anniversary of Tolkien’s birth.
Photo credit: Valdis Longbeard.
Here is how the Tolkien Birthday Toast works. At 9 pm your local time on January 3, do the following:
- Stand,
- Raise a glass of your choice of drink (it does not need to be alcoholic),
- Say “The Professor!”
- Take a sip of your drink.
You may then sit back down and enjoy the rest of your drink, perhaps sharing your thoughts on what the Professor’s work means to you with your friends.
For all of us who cherish Middle-earth, the annual Tolkien Birthday Toast is an opportunity to join in spirit to honor the man who created that wonderful world and everything in it. Many locations have special gatherings to honor Tolkien on his birthday. If you have a local event, please feel free to tell us in the comments, so other fans near you can join in!
How will you honor the Professor on his twelfthty-fifth birthday? You can tell us in the comments below. I know that I will once again raise my glass to “The Professor!”
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