This is very sad I know - but any ideas for a small LOTR themed gathering?

taliwillow

It's my 30th birthday this year and as I have mobility issues so can't really be up and about too much, and due to this I have kind of lost my partying spirit so decided to do something a bit more chilled out. So the plan is that a group of between 13 and 30 of us (still waiting to hear back from some but 13 definites so far that will include 6 children as we are all families) are going to stay in some cabins in the woods for the weekend. So I thought I would have everyone over to our cabin on the evening of my birthday and I would provide some drinks and nibbles. Then this got me thinking, wouldn't it be fun to do something a little bit different from just my usual sensible drinks and nibbles. On reflection, when trying to think just of what kind of birthday cake I should have for this sensible gathering, I realised that since having my children and getting ill I have lost me. I have no hobbies or major interests, I just work, look after the children, the house etc. I also got thinking about the fact that for our wedding we did a lot of things to please others and not ourselves, but I feel that I am stronger now and would love to do something how I want it, without worrying about whether other people will approve. So having thought really hard about what kind of theme we could use based on what I like, the only thing we could come up with is to create a hobbit feast and have a LOTR theme. I do actually think this is quite fitting as we will be in the woods (hobbits are very back to basics aren't they?) and our whole family are big fans of the LOTR films and I am currently reading the books.

So I just wondered, do you think this is a terrible idea (although I suppose on the basis of me being tough enough now to not care what other people think I shouldn't really be asking that question) and if you don't think it is a bad idea, how would you go about creating such a thing? I have always been the boring sensible type so although I have done a lot of organising of charity events, I have always done the serious stuff and never the imaginitive part. I was thinking the food would be simple things like meats, breads, cheeses, fruits, 'taters', salad etc.
I'm not sure how you would decorate the cabin to give it that rustic feel. And I suppose I would need to serve everything on wooden cheese boards or something like that? I imagine there won't be enough seats for everyone to sit down so they will need to be able to eat on the move.

Taliwillow

Tiglath

It sounds fabulous - can I come too? I'll have a think tomorrow about the practical aspects of it all, as I've done a variety of themed parties in my time where people contributed a song or a poem or whatever. You could also invite people to dress up if they want.

http://midearthfoodie.wordpress.com/

Kitchenbunny

Oh what a lovely idea! I'd be there in a heartbeat It sounds wonderful, and the food sounds perfect too. A log cabin would have a Hobbit-hole kind of feel to it anyway, and if you're going to be in the woods, hopefully you can get outside and maybe have a picnic as though on a quest yourselves.

I hope you have a fabulous time.

KB xx

Mrs_Bones

It sounds a lovely theme and your woodland setting will be perfect for it. I'm another who'd love to come, hehe you may need a bigger cabin.

Just had a quick google and there are quite a few ideas on there for all sorts of things from the food to decorations and invites. I just typed in Lord of the rings party.

Also got some nice picture inspiration on Pinterest if you can look on there. If you want to dress for the occasion there are some lovely medieval dress on ebay that would fit into the theme.

mum2one

Good for you, it sounds like you put everyone else 1st and not yourself, what season of the yr is it, - thinking warmer weather - grab a blanket - have a picnic, that way you haven't got to worry about seating everyone and they could mix and move.

In theory if your doing a block blocking then you should be near to each other, so what about rather than you doing all the food and tasks ask every family if they can do something.

i spent my 30th in Tunisia with friends and we ended up dressing up in fancy dress, but the great thing was the whole hotel got involved, and it really made it.

It sounds an amazing idea, and you can make a whoole day of it, - treasure hunt with the kids, etc xx

pinkladymel

You think you're sad - I had a LoTR wedding!!

If you trully want to be sure in your heart that it's the right decision - put the films on. As soon as I watch them, I fall in love with it all and feel excited! By the end of it, you will either think that perhaps you'd like something else.. or will be planning like mad and counting down the days Either way - you'll have watched an amazing film LOL

If you do decide on a LoTR party.. keep a notepad handy during the films and jot down anything you notice. I love the little dinner party they have in the beginning of the Hobbit - full of chat and song, great food and good friends being happy. There are plenty of eating scenes.. medieval-esque sort of banquets, you could concoct an exciting menu of middle earth treats and drinks such as Lembas bread (Just found a link, check it out! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Middle-earth_food_and_drink)
You could use that list as a sort of menu to give you an idea of what you want to serve - then you could ask people you feel comfortable with, if they could bring a dish each - no work for you!

Blankets.. big picnic plaid-esque blankets, or grey woolen like Hobbit cloaks. Ok, i'm getting carried away here, but seriously, blankets on the floor.. the children can get down on them and have a great time eating dinner in a novelty way whilst the adults take the chairs! (if there are no children, well, sitting on the floor is kinda fun anyway, right?!)

Pinterest is your friend - there are so many amazing ideas on there. We're currentely looking in to a woodland setting for when we renew our vows and if you think outside the box, there are beautiful ideas to search for that would tie in - woodland games etc.

I am also 30 this year - in my head i'm still 17 so i'm not quite sure how this large number has crept up on me!

I know it's hard when you have been nothing but a mum and wife but always remind yourself that children do not wait, they grow and they change and they leave - it seems to go in a flash. When they leave, you will remember the many memories of your devoted time and you will feel fulfilled that you gave it your all. Perhaps this is a little mental sign to you that you need to find yourself again too. It is not selfish or unreasonable to do things just for you. I'm currentely doing a '30 things for thirty' list that involves 30 things i'd like to achieve before turning 30. To others, they're boring - there are no bungee jumps or shark swims on the list - but to me.. 'Take a class in something new' or 'Have a new haircut' are major things and take a lot of confidence.

Good luck - and if you need any ideas or help - give me a yell!!

taliwillow

Thanks for the replies. I am so pleased to see that I am not the only one who is sad enough to think this sounds like fun!

In answer to some of the questions posted, it is actually going to be in December so possibly not a picnic outside kind of weather. But this is kind of a good thing as if my birthday was in the summer months we would never have been able to afford the cabin. There will be a few children there, the youngest will have turned 5 the week before.

I don't really feel I can ask anyone else to help with the food as they are having to pay for their own cabins so I think it will just be kind enough of them to come so I can at least bear the brunt of the cost and work for the food. But at least as the food options for a hobbits feast are fairly simple then the work required isn't too much as I imagine people will be creating their own perfect meal from the basics I put out. I was thinking of trying to look in charity shops throughout the year for some wooden chopping boards to serve things on as wooden boards aren't cheap plus the fact they are used will make them look more rustic. I did look online to try to find some wooden drinking cups but the cheapest I could find were £13 each so not sure if it is worth the cost for a one off or not? Also, I'm not sure how many of our guests actually know anything about LOTR so it could be totally lost on them anyway.

I am now very excited about the idea just because I love planning things and it's a bit different from the things I usually plan.

Any more ideas would still be very welcome. I am wondering about dressing up (which I have never ever done before as I am so straight and boring) so was wondering about learning to use a sewing machine this year and see if I can make something for myself and my husband and our 2 daughters. I think one of my daughters would love to be like Arwen but the other one will most certainly want to be Legolas!

Thanks so much for your support - feel like I need it at the mo as I am in more pain with my back and leg problems and am a little concerned that I won't still be walking by my birthday so feeling a bit low at the moment - I do have a back up plan for this though - we are going to book a cabin with a hot tub so I have told my husband that if I can't walk by then he can put me in the hot tub for the evening and everyone else can get on with the do! - so this is really good for me to have something positive to focus on.

Thanks again

Taliwillow

Tiglath

If you really want to go oldschool and medieval, you can create bread trenchers for plates at a fraction of the cost, and have no washing up afterwards:

http://www.fraxinus.com/cookbook/sides/trenchers.html

Seriously - I'm IN that hot-tub with you. We can introduce ourselves later

taliwillow

Have just found this:

http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2012/09/21/how-to-throw-a-hobbit-day-party

I love it! Hadn't thought of the games too. I do have an outdoor rope throwing thing that can also be used indoors so this would be great to entertain the children (and some adults!). So just need to think of a few more things. Oh I am so so excited!! And I really love all of your positivity. I really wish I could invite you all. Maybe we should try to arrange to have lots of MSE LOTR fans book out the whole of the woods one weekend and have a giant hobbit feast!

Kitchenbunny

I just had a really geeky thought too - party games could have Middle Earth related prizes. For example, you can buy candy rings which could easily be claimed to be 'rings of power'. Or even the One ring Hide & Seek, where one person has the One ring and has to hide, and the rest have to be Ring Wraiths and try to find them...

I'm feeling really inspired now!

KB xx

taliwillow

And I have just found out that the place we plan on visiting on the day of my birthday is believed by some to be Tolkiens inspiration for some of the places in LOTR. So it could all fit together very well. We are sat watching the second disc of The Fellowship of the ring now. We have the extended editions so they are very long. But we don't mind. Just means we will prob spend the next few evenings watching them all.

I wonder if it would be worth sending the man who plays Aragorn an invite? Now him arriving in full costume would get me very excited!!!! Doesn't seem to do much for me without the Aragorn costume though. I think its to do with the longish wavy hair.