December 24, 2023

 

 

Here we are! It's Yule Eve, and time for the last Yule calendar surprise: The Laurelin hobbit Yule video by Lina. Each year, she makes a festive Yule video with the help of other LOTRO players (mainly hobbits, but the videos might also feature dwarves, snowbeasts and oinkers). Below, you can watch the video and learn more about its background. If this looks like fun to you, you are most welcome to join our little hobbit roleplaying community on the Laurelin server. Maybe you can join in the making of the next Yule video as well!

This is the 7th Hobbity Yule Calendar that I have organized so far. Each year, I am a bit anxious if folks are still interested in taking part in it and sending entries. And each year, year after year, people still amaze me with their wonderful contributions. The LOTRO community is simply amazing. Master Tolkien would be really proud of you all: you bring the light to dark places when all other lights go out. I wish you all a merry Yule and happy new year!

Also, if you need some like-minded company today and tomorrow, feel free to join us in a special Yule party at a virtual Green Dragon inn on a Discord server. There are channels for general chatter, posting food pictures, Yule songs, Yule videos etc. There is also a voice channel for Yule music and chatting with others. There is also a text chat available, if you don't want to speak in voice. I (Pycella) am hosting the Discord event, so please contact me if you have any questions. (Edit: event is over for now.)

But without further ado, here's the Laurelin hobbit Yule video 2023, with a short introduction by Lina! For the full post, please take a look at Lina's biscuity burrow.

The 2023 Yule video

Every year since 2012, I have made Yule videos where the hobbit players on Laurelin are invited to take part. And they do! Lots attend the video shoots, send in screenshots and offer up ideas. Many thanks to all who helped out! Yer assistance and good cheer was absolutely vital for the making of this video! I really hope I didn’t forget to add pictures yer sent in…

If you think this all looks fun, please join us hobbits on Laurelin. There are lots of things happening here. You can read about the events in my own hobbit calendar or in the Bramblebury Gazette, the local hobbit newspaper.

So here it is: The 2023 Laurelin hobbit Yule video. Full-screen and high-definition very much recommended! More on the making-of it below.

 

“Oinklins” – the 2023 Laurelin hobbit Yule video

 

Oinklins

The last year has been challenging. Many of the hobbit roleplayers on Laurelin have struggled… with economic worries, health, loss of loved ones, and the ever-increasing uncertainty over what the future will bring.

That weighed a bit on my mind when planning this year’s Yule video. Should I let real-life troubles reflect on the storylines in the video? Perhaps I’d better go for a more sober approach this time?

Nah. Not a chance.

I firmly believe that it is good to take some time off from the real world when playing online games. Embrace lighter themes, explore the fantastic, and have fun along with others. And that’s the approach I took with the Yule video this year too: Go for the usual light stuff. If anything, the stories in this video are sillier than usual.

As always, the video has two main segments. This time, both are inspired by real Yule movies. The first one should be pretty self-explanatory for anyone who has seen Gremlins, Joe Dante’s classic Yule-monster horror adventure from 1984. Sadly (?), there are no Mogwai in Middle-Earth. So instead, I chose a pig as the creature which should not be exposed to bright lights, water and late-night feeding. A Hogwai, so to speak.

Of course, in the movie, the gremlins create havoc in a small snow-decked city. Finding a suitable place in LOTRO for lots of scary oinklins was challenging. Frostbluff would have been perfect, but since the video was shot in early December and well before the Yule festival started, that area was not yet available to the public. In the end, I went with eternal Yule video favourite place Kauppa-Kohta, in south-eastern Forochel. That gave some challenges too, including avoiding lots of wandering tall NPCs, dealing with constant “zone texts” displayed in the middle of the screen when crossing boundaries, and the seemingly unfixable jankiness of the LOTRO servers which ruined many fine shots in both segments.

Ultimately, you can’t really do much property damage in LOTRO’s static game world. Instead, I turned the segment into a chase sequence, having the oinklins chase two hobbits all the way from the top of the valley and down through the village. That meant a lot of start and stop sequences, where the actors had to run for 10 seconds before stopping and coming back, so I could reposition the camera for the next step. Intersped through the chase are small re-enactments of scenes from the movie, with the oinklins playing tricks on the villagers. And just to reassure everyone, no hobbit got stuck in a chimney for several days during the making of the video…

The second segment was inspired by Love, Actually. I considered making a full-scale Yule video based on this movie, with working title Pie, Actually, if for no other reason to rile up all those curmudgeons who think that hobbit roleplaying is only ever about pie. In the end, though, I went with one of the long-running in-jokes on Laurelin that everyone wants to play the drums, but the local shirriff Nimelia won’t let them. Thus, this story from the movie gets a somewhat different resolution than in the movie.

And no, you won’t get Will Whitfoot snogging with his secretary behind the stage. Instead, another in-joke character from Laurelin’s Shire makes a guest appearance. You also get lots of Yule screenshots sent in by hobbits. I am still amazed that so many spend their time helping make these videos, it really wouldn’t be possible without yer all.

Thank you again, and a happy Yule to everyone!

 

December 23, 2023

 

 

Our 23rd Yule Calendar surprise is this year's collective entry: the slideshow of Yule Calendars! I asked you to send me pictures of your personal Advent calendars. They come in many forms these days. Also, we managed to get one sneaky elf on the shelf as well!

Yule Calendars by LOTRO players

December 22, 2023

 

For today's Yule Calendar surprise, we have a special treat for you! The Hobbitry-in-Arms hobbit roleplaying kinship have joined their creative forces to make a Yule song for the calendar. With the help of kinship hobbits and other friends, they shot this merry video. A big, big thank you for everyone involved, especially Demelsa who worked hard to put everything together with wonderful results.

 

The Quickpost delivered this song with the following note: Never work with tweens or barnyard animals; the tweens come armed and dangerous with snowballs, and the sheep care not for the director's vision and wander out of shot at will.

 

Twelve Days of Yuletide (LOTRO)

December 21, 2023

For our 21st Yule Calendar surprise, we have another recipe, this time by Miss Lina. It's a simple Yule treat that will vanish fast from the table (and if Miss Lina is there, it might be that they vanish already before reaching the table).

 

Picture and recipe from this site

Chocolate rice buns

One of my favourite Yuletide cakes is chocolate rice buns. I got hooked on these even before biscuits! Yer fingers will get sticky when eating them, but that's part of the fun. So the little ones always love them. If there are any left after I helped myself, that is...

Baking them is pretty simple, it is mostly about mixing puffed rice with chocolate and fat, then leaving them to cool in muffin cases. Here is a recipe I have used in the past, which bakes between 20-25 buns:

Ingredients:
300 g butter
300 g dark chocolate
1 pinch of vanilla sugar
1 pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 dl whipping cream
150 g sugar
150 g puffed rice

How-to:
Melt the butter in a saucepan.
Remove the pan from the heat, then add chocolate, vanilla sugar and salt. Stir gently until the chocolate has melted.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and cream until fluffy.
Pour the chocolate/butter into the eggs bowl, then add the puffed rice. Fold until the rice is well covered by the chocolate batter.
Leave for five minutes, then stir well before portioning. Use a tablespoon to portion the batter into 20–25 muffin cases.
Store in your freezer until it is time to eat.

Variations: 

• Traditional recipes often use coconut fat instead of butter.
• Many add a splash of strong coffee to the chocolate batter. A dash of Cointreau can work too.
• You can add a few raisins, chopped nuts/almonds or similar to the batter. Some orange zest can be nice as well.
• Some use rice crispies instead of puffed rice.

December 20, 2023

 

 

Today, we have another surprise by Yamy! It is a very special Yule song with a strong message. Here's what Yamy tells us about it:

Everybody likes to listen to happy carols and celebrate. Some carols have a different tone. This particular one, traditional of my place, wants to make us remember about the less fortunate & move us to help the ones in need during the holidays. I am not the author but Tony Croatto, I made a translation from Spanish to English. While it is easy to play this one with most instruments, it sounds the best with guitar like string instruments like lutes & harps.

A child called Jesus

At the door there a child called Jesus
with torn clothings, barefoot, and unkeep
he comes with maracas at this Yule time
bringing a carol, he wants to sing.

At the door there is a child called Jesus
with torn clothings, barefoot, and unkeep.
I don't have time, I can't listen
tell him that there are sick people, that the landlord is not here
He is one of those, from the Low Estates
of those who steal from me, a son of evil.

At the door there is a child called Jesus
with torn clothings, barefoot, and unkeep
close the door, I don't want him here
my friend is waiting for me, I have to go
to go party now, I'm going to party
tell him it's annoying, it's getting late.

At the door there is a child called Jesus
with torn clothings, barefoot, and unkeep
tell him to leave me alone once and for all...
that he is not the child of the Creator.

At the door there is a child called Jesus
with torn clothings, barefoot, and unkeep.
There is no stable, there is no beds
and neither a star for will shine.
Not even the Gift Givers will care for him.

At the door there is a child called Jesus
with torn clothings, barefoot, and unkeep.
Jesus brother, Jesus friend,
Stranger Jesus, neighbor Jesus,
Jesus the neighborhood, Jesus the people,
Jesus the life, simply
Jesus!
with torn clothings, barefoot, and unkeep
he comes with maracas at Yule time
bringing his carol to the human kind...

Original lyrics here.

December 19, 2023

 

 

For our 19th Yule Calendar surprise, we have another recipe, or actually two! Aodhfin shares us how they make their beloved Yule pasta with pesto. And, as we all love dessert and sweet things, Aodhfin has added a biscuit recipe too.

 

 

Finn's Christmas Pasta and Biscuits

 

Hullo all, so every year I am asked to make a pasta with pesto for my friends.
I have a bit of a secret recipe that makes your pesto looks green, but the basil in the pesto not overwhelming.

I also have a small recipe for the biscuit loving hobbits!
I hope my small recipes can bring some christmas cheer around this year!

With lots of love, Finn 

~
 

Pesto recipe:

Pasta:
spirelli or tagliatelle, any pasta is good, but those 2 are the best.

Pesto Sauce:
Oil
Pine nuts
basil plant leaves from a fresh plant (not too much)
Pecorino or parmigiano cheese
salt/pepper
Spinach
Cherry Tomatoes

Because I am making this sauce for years, I don't know the volume, I do it by feeling, but this is how I do it.

I blend the oil, pecorino/parmigiano and pine nuts in a blender.
I see how it tastes, depending on the taste I start to add a bit by bit the basil leaves.

Add salt/pepper and mix the sauce with the pasta.
Depending on the cheese and pine nuts, it is possible you need more oil.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and mix them with a spoon under the pasta and sauce.

________________________________________________________________________

Biscuit ingredients:

110 grams soft butter
225 grams brown sugar
2 eggs
275 grams self-raising flour (depending on how stiff the dough is, it is possible you need a 100 grams more)
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoon honey (can be more depending on how much you like honey)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or a vanilla extract bag (I always use 2)
1 teaspoon white wine or grape juice (I also always add more and I use rose)
2 tablespoons of oatmeal flakes (dry)

Optional: cinnamon

Making the biscuits:

1. Poor one glass of wine to drink, because it is nice to drink wine.
2. Mix the butter (melt it on a fire), sugar, eggs, honey, vanilla and wine.
3. Add the flower, oatmeal and salt.
4. Let it get cold for 1 hour.
5. Pre-heat the oven on 200 degrees Celsius.
6. Put the biscuit dough on a plate with baking paper.
7. Sprinkle the cinnamon on top.
8. Bake for 6–8 minutes.

December 18, 2023

 

 

For our 18th Yule Calendar entry, we have a Yule recipe! It's a traditional Karelian stew that is also served at many Yule feasts in Finland. In my childhood home, we always serve this stew on Yule, in addition to the baked ham, vegetable casseroles, beetroot salad, and Karelian pastries. In my experience, the stew is more common in the east than on the west coast where the people have other specialities on the table.

Here's an old family recipe by Her Finland. I guess there may be many versions of this dish, but this one is close to what I have eaten myself. You can serve the stew with boiled or mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam. Visit the original recipe page to learn more about the dish. The preparation is pretty simple, you just have to wait for a long time before you can take it out from the oven!

Picture from Her Finland

Karelian stew

Ingredients with Finnish measurements:

¼ kg beef round steak
¼ kg pork round steak
1 big onion
2 carrots
1 teaspoon salt
10 whole allspice berries
1 bayleaf
Water
A bit of butter

Ingredients with US measurements:

0.5 lb beef round steak
0.5 lb pork round steak
1 big onion
2 carrots
1 teaspoon salt
10 whole allspice berries
1 bayleaf
Water
A bit of butter

Peel the onion and carrots. Chop into big cubes. Cut the meat into 3 x 3 cm cubes (1 x 1 inches). Butter the surface of a large stew pot.

Brown meat cubes in a separate pan with butter.Brown evenly for a great taste and color. After browning, add everything into a pot for the stew.

Rinse the pan used for browning the meat with water and pour the water into the pot. The water should only just cover the meat and veggies, but not any higher. Add in the spices.

Let stew slowly simmer for 2-3 hours in an oven at 350 F /175°C. If the meat starts to get really burned, cover the meat with foil or a lid.

Serve with boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam, and pickled cucumbers.

December 17, 2023

 

 

On our 17th Yule Calendar surprise, we continue the tour at the wintry place Yamy shared with us. First, we explored the big yard and had some winter fun. Now we are entering the villa itself.

 Here we stand at the entrance and are welcomed by a Yule bunny. What's inside that snowglobe?

They also have a chest! Probably full of treasure... biscuits and pie!

 Their living room is quite comfortable! A good place to nibble at those biscuits.

There are also presents under the Yule tree! The pig and the bunny are probably eager to open them!

Umm... I hope this place isn't called Caerbannog?

Here are some kind of hunting trophees and a dwarf inspecting a dwarven display. Mysterious!

Upstairs, there's also someone hooting! Wait, is that Yule tree walking?

 

The top floor is full of crates and bags. They don't run out of ingredients!

 

Oh dear, now things are getting scary! That's a mistletoe. Let's go through quickly!

 

Now this is a hobbit heaven! Food all around!

 

Let's bring some food for the dwarf too and play a bit together!

 

We won't get hungry in this place!

 

 

However, you best be careful, there might be a trap. Or a scary little mouse!

This room is filled with the scent of smoked fish!

 More mysteries downstairs... It looks like a winter spirit is warming itself up by the fireplace!

 

This must be where they take their chilly Yule baths!

 

Oh dear! It's a trap!

 

After this adventure, we need a rest! Time for a lullaby.

 

Thank you giving us this tour at the wintry house, Yamy!

(Pictures by Yamy, captions by Pycella)

Address:

 Home of Iluvequel
3 Colt Road
Staffwade neightborhood
Kingstead homesteads, Rohan

(Server: Gladden)

December 16, 2023

 

 

In our 16th Yule calendar entry, we have have some pigs and a puzzle! Some Shire pigs want to celebrate Yule like any other Shire residents, so they have dressed up in a festive outfit. Here are two pictures that the intelligent master painter Arthur made of these pigs.

 

 

 

If you are up for something more, you can also solve a jigsaw puzzle made of the first picture. The below link will take you to the Jigidi site where you can solve it. As a reward, you will also get directions to a wintry place that you might have missed on your travels in Middle-earth. You will need a slightly bigger waistbandsize (i.e. level) to get there though. As for what happened at that place, well, it must be another puzzle to solve!

PIG_2023_1

December 15, 2023

 

 

Our 15th Yule Calendar surprise is a recipe by miss Tulppaani, our Green Dragon patron! It's a gingerbread mousse you can prepare for the Yule feast. If you have any gingerbread cookies left...

Gingerbread mousse

 

 

                                                     200g milk chocolate

                          2dl whipping cream

                          200g quark

                          8 pieces of gingerbread cookies

 

 

 1.  Melt 200g of chocolate in a microwave at low heat, let it cool a little bit.

2.  Whip the cream.

3.  Combine the chocolate with the quark and then add the whipped cream, mix them.

4.  Crush 4 gingerbreads, add them to the mousse and again, mix!

5.  Pour the mousse evenly into the dessert cups or do it like me, put it into a drinking glass.

6.   Decorate the dessert with rest of the gingerbread cookies.

 

                                                   Enjoy!

December 14, 2023

 

 

For our 14th Yule Calendar surprise, we invite you to a hobbity Yule concert! This is the Bullroarers Yule Concert from Saturday 2nd December on the LOTRO Laurelin server. Bunch of merry tunes to sing and dance to! Many thanks for the Hobbitry-in-Arms kinship for organizing this party and a special thanks to Miss Demelsa for making this recording for us!

 

Bullroarers Concert - Roarin' Around the Yule Tree (LOTRO)

December 13, 2023

 

 

For our 13th Yule Calendar entry, we visit a wintry home somewhere in Middle-earth. Yamy has led us here and welcomes us for tour on the premises. In this entry, we will take a look at the yard, and later, we will take a peek indoors too. Put some warm clothes on and come along! (Pictures are LOTRO screenshots by Yamy, captions by me.)

Here we are, at the entrance to the yard. Strange snowhobbits are greeting us!

It's snowing and it's a bit cold, so we better bundle up!

There's also a little winter home for birds as well!

 You better watch where you are going on this yard. Is this a Yule bath trap?

Here, you can also warm up a bit by training your rolling pin martial arts!

 There are more cool snowhobbits at this frozen villa!

 That Yule tree doesn't look too friendly... we better head the other way!

 This here looks like grand place to throw some snowballs!

This must be the stable – but it's for elks! They must be handy in winter time.

There are some young hobbits playing in the yard! Maybe they are up for a snowball fight?

 

After having wintry fun outside, we need to warm up! Let's ask if we can come inside?

To be continued...