I am not the first to make this argument, nor shall I be the last, but just in case you’re not immediately nodding in agreement, allow me to state my case:
The Lord of the Rings—and its surrounding Middle-earth stories—is a Christmas movie. Or rather, trilogy of movies. And TV shows. And animations. And books. They all count, for what better use of your holiday break is there than cozying up on the couch with some second breakfast and enjoying all 683 minutes of The Lord of the Rings? (The extended editions, of course, we’re civilized here.)
The story is about rings, which make excellent presents, my loves, often given by the Lord of Gifts himself, Sauron (he has many names). Now, we’re not saying he’s anything like Santa, but have we ever seen them in the same room?
Although if we’re talking about old men with long white beards, LOTR has us covered, too. The chief of which is Gandalf, or Mithrandir—Mith-reindeer, if you will—who sacrifices himself only to return from the dead, with a fresh new set of threads to boot. Jesus who?
The central characters are Hobbits, who love nothing more than to eat, drink, and be Merry (and Pippin, we can’t forget Pippin). There are also Elves—and what Christmas story is complete without them? Of course, in LOTR, it is the Dwarves who make all the best toys and trinkets, and they should not be discounted from the merriment. In fact, they are a must at any festive occasion! There’s snow, and magical trees, and rousing songs that could fill any tavern with good cheer, and everyone is invited.
But perhaps the most important fact of all: The Fellowship of the Ring set out on the journey from Rivendell on December 25th. In Tolkien’s works, where it can take anyone three days to two thousand years to achieve something, choosing to set out on a quest on Christmas Day is rather on the nose. And as Gandalf once said, always follow your nose—and it’s leading you right to your next LOTR marathon. Happy happy, merry Merry!
Want more from our Hostage Holiday Collection?
Catch up on the Although Things Explode It Really is a Christmas Movie series
