A Hobbit Birthday Party

September 22 marks the mutual birthdays of hobbits Frodo and Bilbo Baggins, two of the most loved characters in J.R.R. Tolkien’s books The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The day is actually known as Hobbit Day! So, we thought it would be a fitting theme for my nephew Eli’s fourth birthday last Saturday. Here’s a quick look at our Middle-Earth celebration.

FOOD

Chef JB and Steph of The Regali Kitchen made the coolest dragon cake and cupcakes. This is the third year that my sister has ordered a cake from them, and it’s kind of hard not to when they do such amazing stuff like this.

Underneath Smaug’s hoard of gold was the most delicious dark chocolate cake with light caramel frosting. The orange cardamom cupcakes with pomegranate frosting were topped with edible hobbit-themed toppers like a pipe, a hobbit door, Bag End, weapons, Sting, a barrel, the one ring, and a hand-painted map with awesome details.

Everything was not only beautiful to look at, they were all really delicious (though we felt pretty bad for destroying such beautiful artwork). Kids seemed to enjoy eating the dragon though! To get a closer look at all the intricate details, check out The Regali Kitchen’s album.

For the rest of the food, we just customized labels of Middle-Earth fare for dishes ordered from CCME Home Made Food Stuff and snacks.

Lasagna: Lonely Mountain goblin squares
Empanada: Bilbo’s Meat Pies
Chicken lollipop: Bombadil chicken pops
Pork cutlets with stuffed cheese: Laketown Pork Barrels
Cheese Rings: Gollum’s Precious Cheese Rings
Buttered mushrooms: Shire mushrooms
Small tarts and pies: Lembas & Sweets: Honey-Cake
Krispy Kreme Donuts: Radagast’s Glazed Rings
Hotdogs & marshmallows: Roasted dragon innards
Iced Tea: Ent-Draught
Mug Rootbeer: The Green Dragon Ale

DECORATIONS

We originally wanted to have a simple picnic party outdoors in a garden to minimize decor, but it had been rainy all week. So we just decided to hold it indoors and tried our best to transform a function room with DIY, recycled (from my sister’s The Lord of the Rings themed wedding) or borrowed decorations.

We borrowed a set of festive cloth streamers (which was used in a cousin’s wedding) to decorate the venue, I had a map of Middle Earth printed on a tarp to serve as a backdrop, we made a hobbit door (out of a hulahoop, corrugated board, old manila envelopes as bricks and painted styro ball), and brought in some plants to make the room look more Middle-Earthy.

The tables were decorated with Tolkien and Middle Earth books and dragon figurines.

GAMES

Bring Me: Hobbit Style (certain items from The Hobbit like a gold ring, a key, someone with hairy feet, etc.)

Dragon egg squashing game (for pairs 1 kid-1 adult): A balloon is tied to the ankle of the adult who has to protect it, while kids have to stomp on balloons of the other teams. Last pair standing wins.

Treasure hunt with several tasks (including searching for clues in a Hobbit House tent, getting through a spider web forest & shooting an orc with a bow and arrow)

Slaying of the Dragon (piñata made by Pinatas by Mguzon) which was filled with gold chocolate coins and ring pops. We ended up not smashing this because it was too cute.

COSTUMES

It’s pretty easy to put together hobbit-style costumes with what you have in the closet. Just stick to certain colors: green/brown/white. Kid guests came as little hobbits, a knight, an elf and even a spider! Cute!

Some of us used the occasion to play dress-up. My cousins helped a lot in the preparations, making of the crafts and decorating the venue. Themed parties is sort of our thing.