No, it is not January 1st. Nor is it the start of the liturgical year. And my birthday is not for another six days. But March 25th does start the new year in a few special worlds. (Spoilers for Lord of the Rings ahead, so if you have not had the chance to read through this lovely series or watch the movies, be warned.)
J.R.R. Tolkien was incredibly intentional about choosing March 25th as the date where Frodo completes his quest. In the Catholic calendar, today is the Feast of the Annunciation, the celebration of the Incarnation, also known as Lady Day. And as I learned in a Tudor history book I was reading at the start of the year, England (and as a result, colonial New England) celebrated the New Year on March 25th.
Most of Europe adopted the new Gregorian calendar in 1582, but Queen Elizabeth did not adopt it due to the antagonism between the Catholic and Protestant powers at this time. (English people did however began celebrating January 1 as New Year’s Day along with the rest of Europe. No reason not to party 🥳) This also accounts for the funky double dating if you've ever combed through any colonial record keeping for fun (just me? 😅) The Gregorian calendar was not adopted in Britain until 1752. Just 170 years, no biggie. For a better illustration of what this means, George Washington was born on February 11, 1731 under the Julian calendar, but after the change to the Gregorian calendar in 1752, his birthday became February 22, 1732.
Linking all this back to Tolkien, Gondor proclaims their New Year on this date after Frodo successfully completes his quest.
“[Gandalf speaking to Sam]…in Gondor the New Year will always now begin upon the twenty-fifth of March when Sauron fell, and when you were brought out of the fire to the King…" (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 283 RotK)
And, also on the 25th of March, two years after Frodo's heroics, according the the reckoning of Gondor the Fourth Age of the Sun (i.e. "Age of Men") begins. 🤯🤯🤯
tldr; Tolkien made the new year in Middle-earth March 25th, just like it used to be in Merrie Olde Englande.
The absolutely glorious sticker of Our Lady, the Morning Star with "Hail Mary" in Quenya tengwar script is from @rebecca.gorzynska. Although she harkens to Elbereth (or Varda if you've read The Silmarillion) she's Mary 😊
This year’s theme for Tolkien Reading Day organized by The Tolkien Society is hope and courage in J.R.R. Tolkien’s works. So perfect. Happy Tolkien Reading Day, friends 🤍
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