Spring has sprung in winter 

Towards the end of the year, daylight is getting sparse and the temperatures plummet.  Eventually, after a long warm period – the winter is coming. Or at least so it has been in previous years. Not so much this year, at least if you ask the Mayor. Despite the protests from the weather gammers, he has declared that spring is here and that we can have another spring festival to celebrate. Maybe he wants to promote more spring-related romance between hobbits, or maybe just keep the folk well occupied with picking blooms and getting lost in hedge mazes while he can just stay in the Town Hole and focus on his favourite pastime, sampling pastries and other baked goods. May King Saelo, who organized a “springing royal fest” earlier in September, claims that he has nothing to do with the Mayor’s shenanigans. However, nature seems to be on Mayor’s side, at least in some gardens – for example, Miss Hollyberye’s azaleas and daisies are still blooming strong one month before Yule, as if it actually was springtime. Some local nannies are also taking advantage of the opportunity to give the youngsters even more baths – the spring bath, and the pre-Yule bath. The local Shirriffs are hopeful that the sudden change of weather might make people forget the “Shirriff season” (the season for throwing snowballs at bounders) and that the Pink Snowbeast (who is especially talented at throwing snowballs at bounders) might not appear, but that is mere wishful thinking.

Regarding bounders, not all of them are busy hibernating behind rocks and drinking Shire inns dry: Shirriff Nimelia has been polishing the Songbook tool at her forge. It is a tool that helps bands find the right music notes in their large songbooks. The newest version includes the new instrument, the handknells, and the tool can also be used by hobbits who speak a strong dialect. If you would like to give it a try, you can get your own from Miss Lina’s noticeboard. In addition to the jingling bells, the tool features many handful functionalities that make it faster and easier to find the right notes, even if you’re as tipsy as a bounder.

Preparing for the Yule and winter 

Nature might be slowly falling asleep, but the hobbit community is bustling. Yuletide is traditionally a busy period with many events and festivities. Folks are restocking their larders, cleaning up their burrows for Yule, dusting off old decorations and planning Yule gifts for others. With The Gazette filling up with seasonal events, there is no shortage of activities to select from. Any hobbit is also welcome to contribute to the communal projects, such as Miss Lina’s hobbit Yule painting. It is an artwork made with such vibrant colours that the picture almost seems to move (at least after a couple of mugs of eggnog). For the painting, she invites everyone to join as models. The painting consists of two parts that will be captured on canvas at two separate meet-ups. The first was already last weekend, but if you missed it, no worries – you will still have a chance to join the second one on Tuesday 9th December. For instructions, please look for more details in The Gazette. Miss Lina would also like to add a personal festive portrait of everyone in her painting. Make sure that the Quickpost delivers it to her by the end of 18th December at the very latest, so she can add it there for all to see.

Another way to contribute to the hobbit community in the Yuletide is the Hobbity Yule Calendar. This calendar of 24 festive surprises started as a Yule project by the Grand Order 8 years ago, and soon it became a tradition where anyone was welcome to help out. The calendar entries can be festive pictures, poems, stories, short articles on local Yule traditions, recipes and so on – things that hobbits are interested in. This year, the Yule calendar appears again on its special noticeboard with daily surprises from 1st to 24th December. Miss Lina’s magical Yule painting (mentioned above) is the last surprise to look forward to. At the time of the publication of this Forecast, there are still many spots to fill in the Yule Calendar, so if you have anything suitable, feel free to send them over to Miss Pycella. No need to be shy about your entries, simple ones are also grand, such as a merry picture with your hobbit friends. There is a chance that this might be the last Hobbity Yule Calendar, so this might be your last opportunity to send an entry, if you have been pondering to do so.

An eventful year ends – with many events 

The Big Move to new neighbourhoods and burrows has changed the Shire significantly, but some things remain – like the many merry events that fill up the calendar at the end of the year. May Queen Rosenbleume invites everyone to write winter poems and lyrics on the 7th December. Later on the same day, hobbits are also invited to help get the Yule tree of Songburrow Hall raised in the yard to mark the beginning of Yuletide. Afterwards, they will be rewarded with a good feast and maybe some merry berry music.

On Friday 19th December, hobbits gather at the Green Dragon to celebrate Yule at their beloved inn. On this special Green Dragon Friday, we focus on Yule-themed entertainment, and everyone is welcome to contribute, as long as there is space in the evening programme (contact Miss Pycella, if you would like to sign up in advance). There will also be a festive Yule menu, a speech, and maybe even some raffles and surprises. On Saturday 20th December, it is time for Master Geoadoc’s Grand Yule Market by the borders of the Shire. You will have a chance to shop for the finest foods and fares, test your luck in raffles, and maybe even meet Sinti Snowbeard, the kind dwarf who hands out gifts. If you have a cute pet (that is not a snake), you can bring it along. There are grand prizes for Yule-themed outfits and the pets as well.

After the eventful weekend, many hobbits retire into their burrows and enjoy the proper Yule days with their close ones. However, Barmy knows that there are some who might be lonely on Yule, or who might still wish to catch up with their hobbit friends during those days as well. To make this possible, he opens some special rooms at the Green Dragon on 24th and 25th December. There are rooms for food, Yule music, nooks for stories and also some general banter. After the proper Yule days, the Brandy Badgers will go wassailing in Winterhome and sing some carols for people on the snowy streets. The year ends, but the events still go on. On 1st January, hobbits return to Frostbluff to combat each other at the Grand Snowball Fight and maybe pay a visit to the local theatre. On 2nd January, the Green Dragon Friday moves to Brockenborings where hobbits celebrate the New Year at the Plough and Stars inn, while Barmy can rest a bit and maybe even clean up the Dragon. Sometime later in the new year, the Brandy Badgers will do another round of wassailing – this time, in the Shire, where they will bless the local farms with music and spilling drinks and drive the bad spirits away to secure a good harvest for the upcoming season.

There are also rumours of other Yuletide events that are in the plans, so best read The Gazette regularly so that you do not miss anything of interest. The latest dates and event information is also available in your latest Gazette issue, so it is good to check it carefully before you wrap your Yule gifts in it.

This year has brought many changes to the Shire, and it makes you wonder, how the upcoming year might turn out. We have said many goodbyes, but also made some new friends. The community seems to thrive, even though we have faced many challenges – sticky roads, heavy storms, moves to new places, missing furniture… We have survived it all, together. Some folks might have left us, but we are always happy to have them back, whenever they might return, we greet them with a warm hug. And maybe a snowball, if they are bounders, and then a warm hug. 

Now we have had four years of seasonal Shire Forecasts – 16 issues in total! If you have something for next year’s Spring Issue (news, gossip, or pictures), please send it to Miss Pycella. She might send you a pie in return!

Many thanks to all our readers, a Merry Yule and a Happy New Year!