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!
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?
Our 12th Yule Calendar surprise is another drink recipe by Laurel! It has been inspired by a screenshot she took: "My Elf is wondering what's the mystery drink inside the Festive Yule Mug, and I'm providing the answer!" It is the perfect drink after a long day in the wintry Frostbluff.
We will start this week with two joyful songs by our talented LOTRO artist, Miss Holly! You might know her from the LOTRO music events. She has made a video of her two songs. In the latter one, many regular Green Dragon patrons are mentioned. I hope this video makes your Monday a bit merrier!
Hobbity Yule Greetings 2023
by Hollyberye
For our 10th Yule Calendar surprise, we have a Yule song by Saelo. He has written lyrics to a song that originally is quite grim. Here's what he says about the song:
The original version is a very grim one, and mind you, both versions of it! Its theme fits the grim events we see all around the world very well, hence why I thought, "Even if I don't have power to change how the events are going, I should have the power to reverse the lyrics of this song" and started to work on. My aim was writing a version where nothing is grim but rather sweet and warm. I think I managed it as well, somehow.
by Saelo
Another peaceful evening is lying
As the people to their houses vying
There is a sweet haste in every action
Indulgence has rooted in every expression
Spreading fun everywhere has become attraction
Open your mind to
Blossoming merriment of light hearts, my friend
And in your heart
You'll see the magic of the Yule time
The wintry of the weather seems like gone
When joyful tunes of the Yule hang upon
A choir sings about the sweetness of sharing
Moms give the children the most sincere looks of caring
Now step up and join the crowd happily flaring
Open your ears to
Joyful racket of excited children, my friend
And in your heart
You'll see the magic of the Yule time
The colours are so bright of the fireworks
Soaring on the sky like a flock of birds
The faces are liven up seeing this sightseeing
Of the crackers whistling, colourful dragons roaring
An exclamation follows every big explosion
And sound touches the hearts like an infusion
Night is filled with mysterious illusions
Open your eyes to
Glitters matching to the stars of night dome, my friend
And in your heart
You'll see the magic of the Yule time
Months have passed, days filled with great memories
Turned into songs and dazzling melodies.
Memories of happy days without any fear
Or somber days, eyes heavy with bitter tear
But that's the circle of life, passing of the time
The sun is sometimes hiding, and sometimes will shine
The life becomes the reflection of a secret chime
Open your heart to
All you see and hear and fathom, my friend
And in your heart
You'll see the magic of the Yule time
And in your heart
You'll see the magic of the Yule time
Here are the two versions of the song:
Barry McGuire - Eve Of Destruction
Eve 2012 (Eve of Destruction)
Today, we have another surprise by Yamy! She has sent us a very handy winter recipe. Sometimes, the worst happens and you fall ill on Yuletide. With Yamy's herbal infusion, you can treat yourself a bit before heading to the nearest healer. The drink sounds lovely, so you might drink it otherwise too!
Warm soothing herbal infusion recipe
They say that grandmas know best... Mine use to give me this soothing
natural infusion when I was a kid & not feeling well because a cold
or tummy ache. It always made me feel better very soon.
Ingredients:
1 cup of water
1 pinch of fresh anise leaf, or 3 small anise seeds (if using star anise then only 1 little piece of the seed)
¼ ounce of fresh ginger, or 1 pinch of powdered dry ginger
1 fresh mint leaf, or 1 pinch of powdered mint leaf, or 1 drop of mint extract
1 fresh spearmint leaf, or 1 pinch of powdered spearmint leaf, or 1 drop of spearmint extract
1 pinch of eucalyptus leaf or 1 drop of eucalyptus extract
1 flower of chamomile, or 1 leaf of Chamoli
1 leaf of "Paletaria"
1 tablespoon of sugar, or honey, or your favorite sweetener
Procedure:
Boil all ingredients together. It is very important that the sugar is boiled with the herbs so the natural soothing oils of them stick with the sugar. Otherwise they will not dissolve in the water. When the water starts to bubble, the infusion is ready. Pour it into your cup, wait that it cooldown a bit & enjoy!
In today's Yule Calendar entry, we continue and wrap up the Yule tale, A Wintry Spirit. This is the second and the last part of the story where we also find out who is this fellow visiting other people's burrows and tasting their foods.
After the stuffed Wintry Spirit did some searching, he realized that the homeowner might return soon. So he couldn't stay, although he wished it was possible. He took one last pastry and went out to what he knew that would be the last burrow to visit.
Once arrived, he decided that it had been enough for today, and he took off his mask. He now could finally rest and studied the two recipes he brought with him. Although they seemed really, really complicated. Gifio quickly realized that he wouldn't be able to make these pies at all and became sad. Suddenly he remembered that Miss Thassia loved cooking, So he decided to write her a message and wait for the order.
But waiting also gives you time for thinking. And that is also what happened to Gifio, and he started thinking over his actions and the more he thought about it, the more and more guilty he felt for entering the other hobbits their burrows. This unpleasant feeling became more and more unbearable. So he got an idea and went to Thassia to cancel the order and bake several "Spiced Apple Pies" and someone else for some "Apple and Cheese Pies". The two recipes he found, he brought back to Miss Pycella's mailbox.
Later, when the pies were delivered, Gifio decided to put on his mask once more and took off to the quick post. There he prepared many packages to be sent to all his friends on Yule. He used his disguise to scare off the clerk that he would come to haunt them if those packages were not delivered in time. He told him that it would be forever cold and wintry in his burrow if that would happen. That was enough to convince the clerk, he would make it a personal issue to make sure these packages were delivered in time!
So, my friends, I wish you all enjoyed the pies that you received and my apologies for entering your burrow. A merry Yule to you all from yours truly, Gifio!
PS: If you ever want to know what delicious pies Miss Pycella had made, I suggest you ask her if you can bring her a visit! As for me, I will not reveal the secret. I even don't know if I found the right recipes.
