AN: I don't own any of these characters. I am merely borrowing them from Tolkien.
Wishing you all a happy Yuletide.
Advent Day 21
Yule.
Yule is a time of peace and hospitality. The four free peoples of Middle Earth can all agree on that. In fact, it is one of the few festivals that most of their beliefs, traditions and celebrations run almost seamlessly along side each other, and can even blend and overlap. Never is this more noticeable than in the newly reclaimed Erebor. The vast mountain houses, not only the dwarrow (whose ancestral home it is), but a small smattering of hobbits, a handful of humans and even a solitary elf.
During Yule the halls are decked with swags of greenery and a large pine is brought in from outside, the decorations on this tree range from elven lights, to handcrafted metal and glass, to carved wooden objects. The staircases are hung with bells and ribbons, while uncut gems cluster around the candle fittings. The fires burn brightly in every grate and wreaths of varying materials are hung on nearly every door. Mistletoe is known to pop up above secluded alcoves and the smells of peppermint, cloves and gingerbread fill the air.
The kitchens never seem to sleep and the festival days are filled with delicious foods. Roast meats are served with a smattering of interesting sauces. Delicate cheeses sit alongside freshly baked loaves and savoury biscuits. Pickled and fresh fruit and vegetables are cooked and served in tureens and fresh butter. Decanters sparkle on the tables, overflowing with mead, ales, wine and cider. And the deserts are show stopping in their glory. Rich trifles, light cakes, poached fruit and delightfully, decadent chocolates.
The common areas brim with people at all times of the day and the vaulted ceilings echo with song and laughter. Dancing is an enjoyed pastime. The rhythmic stomp of dwarven boots, the flowing eleven motions, the structured dance of man and the almost wildness of hobbits blending to form a new dance. Barriers come down and the whole kingdom becomes as if one family.
AN: What do you think then? I love to hear your thoughts.