Kaylee's Special Yule Holiday in Rivendell

By KathyG and Dreamflower

SUMMARY: This story is an off-shoot of "An Unexpected Adventure", posted here; in that story, four children have found themselves in Middle-earth.  The three older children have found themselves pulled into the Fellowship's quest, but the youngest has been left behind in Rivendell, to the care of Elves and Bilbo.

It’s Yule, and Kaylee misses her siblings.  How do Bilbo and the Elves set out to cheer her up?

NOTE: This story was meant to be a holiday treat, but we didn't finish it quite on time.  We hope you enjoy it.  KGandDF

-oo000oo-

Bilbo made his way to the dining hall for a nice second breakfast.  He had already had a first breakfast in his own cosy little quarters: just some toasted bread and a bowl of porridge with honey and dried cherries.  For this breakfast, he had chosen two rashers of bacon, two boiled eggs, and a muffin, along with his tea.  

After filling his plate from the side table, he made his way to a sparsely habited dining table, where he saw Kaylee sitting with Eledhwen and Mairen.  He came to sit in one of the seats across from them.  As he pulled the seat out, a serving Elf came to place a cushion in the seat.

"Thank you, Inglor," Bilbo said.  He raised his eyes across the table.  "I hope that you do not mind my company this morning."

"You are most welcome, Master Bilbo," said Mairen, speaking for all three of them.

Bilbo glanced at Kaylee, who was barely picking at a bowl of frumenty.  "How are you today, Miss Kaylee?"

"I'm okay, I guess," she replied tonelessly.  She took a spoonful of the frumenty and swallowed it, and then she looked up at Eledhwen.  "May I be excused?"  She cleared her throat.  “Please?”

"You may, little mistress," Eledhwen said.

Mairen also answered, "Wait for us on the front terrace."

"Yes, ma'am."  Kaylee slid out of her chair and headed off the terrace, dragging her feet.

Bilbo watched her go with a worried expression.  "Is something amiss with the child?  She is usually so cheerful and full of energy."

"She is missing her brothers and sister," said Mairen.

"I see."  He looked at his plate, and made quick work of it, leaving half of one egg and a bit of toast.  He wiped his face with his napkin and stood up.  "With your leave, ladies, I should like to speak to Kaylee."

"Of course," said Mairen, as Eledhwen nodded.

-oo000oo-

“I miss them!”  Snuffling, Kaylee clasped Lucy against her chest.  “I miss Kevin and Jennifer and Joey!  I miss Mommy and Daddy!  Now I’m all alone here with Lucy!”  With another sniff, a tear ran down her face.  With a whimper, Lucy started licking her cheek.

Why couldn’t I have gone, too!

"Miss Kaylee?"

It was Mr. Bilbo.  She was glad it was him.  The old hobbit was very kind.  "May I sit here?" he asked.

Nodding, she sniffed.  Lucy put a paw on Kaylee’s knee and whimpered.  Mr. Bilbo took a white fine-linen handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her.  She blew her nose, and patted Lucy.  "It's okay, Lucy."  She turned to Mr. Bilbo.  "Thank you," she whispered.

Bilbo nodded and patted her on the back.  He didn't say anything, and Kaylee relaxed and leaned against his side.

For a while, they sat quietly, and then Kaylee spoke in a mournful voice, "I miss everyone really bad."

Bilbo rubbed her back.  "I know, dear.  I miss Frodo and Pippin and Merry."

"We didn't have any real Christmas, and now it's over," she said mournfully.  Or any real Easter, either!  We got sent here before the Easter bunny even got to come, she thought.  Out loud, she said, “Santa Claus didn’t come bring us anything.”  

Bilbo had heard about this Santa Claus.  Joey and Kaylee's story had kindled a lot of gossip about this odd imaginary character.  

“Does Santa Claus always bring you presents?” Bilbo asked her.

Kaylee nodded vigorously.  “Every Christmas!”  She smiled.  “Last Christmas, he gave me a doll that eats and drinks and wets.”

“Did he, indeed?” Bilbo asked, and Kaylee nodded.  "I seem to recall hearing about that." 

"I just wish the time wasn't all mixed up.  We missed spring and summer both and landed here in the fall!"  Kaylee began to cry once more.

Bilbo looked at her forlorn face, and as he rubbed her back, an idea came to him.  "You know, we have a holiday in the Shire that I haven't really celebrated since I moved to Rivendell.  It's called Yule."

Snuffling, Kaylee looked at him.  “What’s Yule like?”

"Well," said Bilbo, "it takes place at the turning of the year.  We start to prepare for it a couple of days before the last night of the year.  And then, on First Yule—which is the last day of Foreyule, our last month of the year, you see—in the morning, all the hobbit uncles and grown-up cousins gather all the little hobbit small fry.  They take them out to gather up evergreens for the Greening of the Halls."

"What's that?" Kaylee asked.

"Well, they go out into the woods, and gather laurel, and holly and bay, mistletoe and myrtle, and sometimes branches from pine or cedar.  Really, any sort of bushes or trees that stay green in the winter, and then the children will bring them back to their homes, and the mothers and aunties and older girls will help them to decorate the smials or cottages with wreaths and garlands."

"Oh!" Kaylee exclaimed, wriggling.  "We kind of do that at home during Christmas!"  She paused.  "Do they bring trees in, too?  And decorate them?  Like we do?  And wreaths?  Do you hang wreaths on your doors?" 

"Er, no," Bilbo said.  "Not whole trees, generally speaking; our homes couldn’t hold them.  But yes, we do make and hang up wreaths, and the greenery is often decorated with ribbons and bows, and sometimes apples are hung upon the branches."  He paused for a moment.  "Also, while they are out doing the gathering, the uncles and grown-up cousins bring in a big log.  It is usually a large tree that has fallen earlier in the year, they cut a piece of it large enough to fill the fireplace.  That is the Yule log."

"Ooh!  Ooh!"  Kaylee bounced a bit.  "My grandma makes a cake that looks like a log!  They call it a Yule log!  It’s made of chocolate—it’s yummy!"

"You don't say!"  Bilbo began wondering if he could make such a cake.  He was quite sure if he asked, the Elves could do it.

"At any rate, that is the Greening of the Hall.  In the evening, after the greening is done, the log is brought in.  We sing special songs, and the Yule Log is lit, and after that we have a feast."  He grinned as he remembered the feasts of Brandy Hall.  "Then afterward there is dancing and storytelling.  We also give gifts to one another during the day, and perhaps sometimes in the evening."

"Do you wrap them up, and then everyone tears off the wrapping and show what they got?"  Kaylee wiggled.  “Do kids hang up stockings?  So presents can be put in them?”

"Oh, no."  He paused.  "In the Shire, gifts are always given privately.  Also…"  He held out his feet and wiggled them.  "...as you see, hobbits don't have any stockings!"

Kaylee giggled.  "I forgot."  Bilbo smiled once more, glad to hear her laughing.  Kaylee added, “We put our presents under the Christmas tree.  And me and Joey and Megan hang up our stockings on Christmas Eve.  And on Christmas Day, when we get up, our stockings are filled with presents!”  She smiled.  “Not our socks, not the ones we wear.  Mommy got us all special Christmas stockings just for putting presents in.  We always take them out of the stockings first.  Mommy and Daddy won’t let us unwrap the presents under the tree till after breakfast.”

Just then, Mairen and Eledhwen strolled out.  "Well, Master Bilbo, we are pleased to see a smile upon our Kaylee's face,” Mairen said, smiling.  “You can work wonders."

Bilbo stood up and gave a small bow.  "I was just telling her about Yule in the Shire, and she was reminded of a similar festive winter celebration in her homeland."  He paused briefly.  "You know that Yule is tonight.  Perhaps it might be allowed for us to have a small celebration?  I know it is a bit short notice…"  His voice trailed off.

The two Elven maidens looked at one another. Eledhwen said, "I believe that if we ask Lady Arwen's leave, it might be possible.  We can find her in the solar, if you wish to ask her now."

Kaylee jumped up so quickly that Lucy gave a startled small yip of surprise.  "Oh, yes!"  Her squeal of delight was so high-pitched that the hobbit and both Elves winced at the unintentional assault on their sensitive ears.

-oo000oo-

The Lady Arwen was more than glad to give permission, especially when Kaylee looked up with her big blue eyes and begged, "Pretty please!"

Arwen quickly organized everything.  Mairen's husband Avorn was put in charge of finding the Yule log, along with his friends Baragund and Thalion.

Glorfindel volunteered to help Arwen to supervise the gathering of the greenery, and Arwen charged the maidens of her solar to prepare to make garlands and wreaths, while Bilbo offered to assist the cooks in planning the feast.

Arwen dropped in on her father to inform him of her plans for the last-moment festivities. 

He was delighted with the idea.  "Is there anything I might do to help?"

"None that I can think of, Ada, but thank you for offering."  She bid her father farewell.

-oo000oo-

Soon enough, all were busy at their assigned tasks.  Eledhwen took Kaylee back to Kaylee's room to bundle her up in a warm cloak with a fleece-lined hood, and a pair of gloves.  She changed Kaylee's stockings as well.  While, so far, Rivendell had had no snow, the air was crisp, and the wind was brisk.  And there had been frost that morning, some of which still lingered in the shady areas.

“Can we make Christmas cookies?” Kaylee asked Eledhwen, bouncing on her heels as her nanny bundled her up.  “Uh, Yule cookies!  And fudge—chocolate fudge?  And eggnog?  Can we have a turkey and dressing and cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie?”

Eledhwen laughed.  “Is that what you have for dinner?  What is chocolate?  And turkey?  Is that a bird?”

“Mm-hm.”  Kaylee nodded vigorously with a broad smile.  “It goes, ‘gobble-gobble’!”

“I see.  And what else?”

“And Christmas candy!  Candy canes and chocolate-covered cherries and other chocolate candy and stuff like that!  And Santa Claus brings me and Joey and Kaylee presents!  On Christmas Eve!”

With an amused smile, Eledhwen rose to her feet and took the little girl’s right gloved hand.  "I see,” she said, as they left Kaylee’s room.  “Well, we shall drop by the kitchens and speak with Master Bilbo and the cooks.  Remember that we are doing all this on the spur of the moment, and we might not have some sorts of ingredients as you have in your homeland."

"Oh."  She was quiet for a moment.  "Well, it's not really Christmas.  It's only New Year’s." 

Eledhwen smiled.  "That is true.  Here is the main kitchen.  Let us go in and speak to Master Bilbo and Gilthalion now."  She took Kaylee's hand as they went in.

Kaylee had been to the big kitchen before on many an occasion, with Joey and sometimes with the hobbits.  She looked around, and Bilbo spotted her.

"Ah!  Kaylee!  I thought you were going greening with the others!" he exclaimed.

"We are," said Eledhwen, "but Kaylee was telling me about some of the foods her family has during their holiday, and she told me of some foods that I am unfamiliar with.  We thought to ask Gilthalion if he might know if we have them, or if he knows some good substitute?"

"Eledhwen said she doesn't know what turkey is, or chocolate," Kaylee added.

Gilthalion smiled at her.  "Can you tell me what sort of thing a 'turkey', Miss Kaylee?"

"It's a big bird." She held her arms wide. "It has a red floppy thing on its head, and a big tail like a fan.  And it goes, ‘gobble-gobble’!"  With a giggle, she gestured again, imitating a fan opening.

"And what is 'chocolate'?" he asked.

This stumped the little girl for a moment.  "Umm…it's brown and sweet.  Unless it's for baking.  Or making hot chocolate."  She made a face, remembering when she was little taking a bite of an unsweetened bar of chocolate.  It was really bitter, and so was Hershey’s cocoa, until sugar was mixed with it.  She sighed.  "It comes all different ways.  I don't know."

The cook bent down to look her in the eye.  "I do not believe we do have these things, but can you trust us to make a good feast without them?"

Bilbo was standing behind him, and he nodded at Kaylee.  "You like the food here, dear."

She nodded back at them.  "The food here is always yummy.  It's okay."  With a kind smile, the cook straightened his back and patted her head.

Eledhwen tugged slightly on Kalee's hand.  "We must go now, Kaylee, or the cart will leave without us."

Kaylee looked alarmed.  "We have to go now!" she said.  "'Bye!"

Kaylee skipped alongside the Elve-maid and saw that the cart was indeed ready to go.  The cart was empty save for Curubo, the head groom sitting in the driver's seat, for he was to drive the cart.  There were dozens of Elves standing around, waiting to go.

Glorfindel was standing next to the cart with Asfaloth.  He bowed to Kaylee, his eyes twinkling.  "Miss Kaylee, would you do the honour of riding with me?" 

She grinned and made a curtsy, like Arwen had taught her.  "Yes, I will ride with you!"  The Elf leaped atop his steed and reached down to pull Kaylee up in front of him.

Eledhwen climbed on the cart alongside the driver.  Glorfindel gave the signal, and Curubo flicked the reins.  Afalof trotted off at a leisurely pace, so that those who were walking could keep up.

Kaylee grinned and looked about her.  They were driving in a direction she had not yet explored, towards the forested area to the west of the valley.  There were lots of pine trees and other evergreens in that direction.

At first, she was quiet, but then she giggled.  "The cart isn't a sleigh, but it only has one horse."

Glorfindel glanced down at the child.  "And what does that mean?" he asked.

"I know a song about a sleigh with one horse."

"Ah!  I see.  Can you sing it for us?"

"Sure!”  Kaylee wiggled.

“Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh…”*

Her childish treble was sweet, and she sang clearly to the end of the song.

Soon, they came to the edge of the forest, and everyone halted.  Glorfindel dismounted and lifted Kaylee down.  Eledwhen and Curubo got out of the cart.

Glorfindel called out to everyone, "Spread out, and let us find all kinds of greenery, which we can festoon the Halls."

When they spotted a large holly tree entwined with ivy, one of the Elves who worked in the orchards looked at it.  "It looks like the ivy is strangling the tree.  It will die if we do not trim this tree.”

This was good news for the gatherers.  They pulled down most of the ivy and many of the holly branches laden with red berries and piled them in the cart; while they worked, Kaylee regaled them with a chorus of “The Holly and the Ivy”.  They also found some cedar branches.  When the cart was almost full, they headed back home, but by a slightly different path.

In the herb garden, they found bay leaves and some rosemary.  Now they turned back home, to unload their bounty.

Mairen and Arwen's maidens were ready to take the greenery in hand. They had ribbons and cords with which to make garlands and wreaths.  They immediately began to decorate.  Kaylee helped wherever she could, loudly singing “Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly” as the decorations were hung.  Sometimes Glorfindel would lift her up above his head so she could hang a wreath high up.  The Halls of the Last Homely House smelled of greenery. 

While they worked, the Elf asked her questions about the holiday of her homeland.

“Where does Santa Claus put your presents?” Glorfindel asked.

“Under the Christmas tree!  And in our stockings!”  Kaylee gave a little skip.  “We can always tell which ones he brought, ’cause they’re not wrapped!  We can play with them and the presents in our stockings, but we have to wait till after breakfast to unwrap our other presents.  Last Christmas, Santa Claus gave me a Baby Alive doll.  And several other toys, too.  And a Little Golden book.”

“Indeed?”

“Uh-huh.”  Kaylee nodded.

“And why is your doll called a Baby Alive doll?”

“It eats and drinks and wets.  I took it on the camping trip.”  She pouted.  “I wish I didn't forget to take my backpack to the cave.  My doll was in it."

“I see.”  Glorfindel nodded.  “Have you ever seen Santa Claus bring your presents?”

Kaylee shook her head.  “He won’t come while we’re awake.”

“I see.”  Glorfindel glanced up at Eledhwen and Mairen, both of whom winked at him, their eyes twinkling.  Glorfindel grinned knowingly and then turned his attention back to helping Kaylee.

Soon, most of the decorations had been hung, and Eledhwen and Mairen told the little girl she needed to take a nap before the feast.  

"Do I hafto?" she whined, although she knew the answer.

"Yes, Miss Kaylee.  You want to be fresh for the feast, and the Hall of Fire after, do you not?"  Mairen's voice was gentle but firm, and Kaylee did not argue.  She always fell asleep in the Hall of Fire, but she wanted to stay up the whole time tonight, if she could.

-oo000oo-

Mairen awakened Kaylee in time to get her cleaned up and dressed for the festivities. 

Stretching her arms above her head, Kaylee yawned, and then remembered.  "The feast!"

"Yes, tithin nin, the feast, and the Hall of Fire afterward."  She took a small box from the purse hanging on her belt.  "I know that this is a time for gifts in your homeland.  This gift is from Eledhwen.  I hope you like it." 

"A present?"  Kaylee said softly.

"Yes.  You may open it."

Kaylee lifted the lid.  "Oh!  Oh, it's beautiful!"  Inside were two things.  One was a small decorative comb, such as some of the Elf-women wore to keep their hair, and a string of beads, which turned out to be a bracelet.  She bounced on her heels in delight.  "Oh, thank you!" 

"Avorn carved the comb, and I painted it.  Eledhwen strung the beads on the necklace."

"It's beautiful!"  Kaylee lunged at Mairen and hugged her about her legs.

Soon, Kaylee was dressed in the pretty blue gown she had worn to the first feast after she had arrived in Rivendell.  It was pale blue, with flowers embroidered in flowers around the neck, sleeves, and hem.  Mairen did her hair, combing the front hair to the back and behind her ears (her hair was held back with the new combs), and then the Elven nursemaid helped her to put on her new bracelet.

There was a knock at the door, and Mairen opened it.  It was Bilbo. 

"Is Miss Kaylee ready?" he asked.

Mairen glance back at her charge.  "Are you ready?"

Kaylee smiled.  "Oh, yes!"  She looked at the hobbit, who was standing there with his elbow held out.

Mairen bent down and whispered in Kaylee's ear, "Put your hand on his elbow; he's your escort this evening."

"Oh!  Okay!"  She giggled and did as Mairen had told her. 

Bilbo walked beside her.  "How do you like our Yule celebration so far, Miss Kaylee?"

"It’s been really cool, and fun, too."

Bilbo had been confused when he’d first met the McCloud children and discovered that the word "cool" meant something that was "very good", just as he had learned that a "kid" was not only a baby goat in their homeland, but also a child.  Now, however, he just nodded and smiled.

When they entered the feast hall, Bilbo passed the table where she usually sat with either Mairen or Eledhwen and led her right up to the table on the dias.

Her eyes were wide.  "Are we going to eat at the big table?"  She was very surprised.

"Yes, you have that honour tonight," said Arwen, who had stepped up behind Kaylee.  "You will sit beside my father, and Master Bilbo will sit beside me.”  Kaylee looked to see that both seats had pillowed cushions on them.  There were the two big fancy chairs in between the chairs with the cushions.  Master Elrond and Lady Arwen always sat on those chairs at mealtimes.

She glanced up to see Master Elrond also standing there.  He helped her up to sit on the cushion, before he gave the signal for everyone else to be seated, before he and Arwen sat down between Kaylee and Bilbo.

Elrond glanced down at Kaylee and smiled.  "Are you comfortable, little one?"

Kaylee blushed.  Master Elrond was very nice, but he also made her feel like she should use her very best manners when she was around him.  "Yes, sir," she said.

"I am glad to have a chance to speak with you again." he said.  "Are you enjoying your Yule?  I am sure it is not quite the same as your ‘Christmas’.  We have no Santa Claus here."

"Yes, sir.  But it's been lots of fun, anyway."  Maybe it wouldn't be too hard to talk to him.  "Us gathering up the stuff to make decorations was really fun!  At home, we buy our decorations.  The real things are prettier, and smell better."

"That is good to know," he replied, with a smile.

Just then, the servers came, and they placed a large roasted bird on the table.  She could tell it was probably not a turkey, but it smelled really good. 

The feast was delicious, and there were roasted vegetables, and fresh bread and butter, and a thick soup that was all creamy and smelled like onions and other things.  She kind of wished that there was a hobbit on her other side.  They would always tell her what was in the food just from tasting it.

Elrond coaxed her to tell him all about her day, and he didn't seem at all bored.  Kaylee decided that he was fun to talk to.  He told her a little story about when Arwen was her age, and how her brothers had tricked her into throwing snowballs at him one winter. 

Soon, the sweets were coming in!  There were dishes of nuts coated with sugar, little white cookies shaped like eight-pointed stars, and a pie with real fruit on top and a creamy filling on the inside, and then, finally a huge Yule log cake!

Then Gilthalion himself brought it to the table and placed it in the centre.  He bent down when he placed the platter on the table.  "I am sorry, Miss Kaylee, but we had none of the 'chocolate' that you told me of.  But I hope that you will like it as well."

While it looked a lot like the Yule log her grandmother made, it was not at all the same.  The white "snow" on top was not frosting, but that white stuff that came on the top of lemon pie.**

And the brown on the log was spices, cinnamon, and something else.  The inside of the cake was moist and sweet, and full of fruit.  It was delicious!  True, it wasn't like the Yule log cake at home, but wow!  It was really good!  She wished she had not eaten so much before, or she would have asked for seconds!

When the meal was over, it was time to go to the Hall of Fire.  Bilbo came and was her escort again.  She took his elbow, and they walked the small distance from the Feast Hall to the Hall of Fire.

Kaylee grinned when she saw that it, too, had been festooned with greenery, and to her surprise, near the centre of the room, upon a table, stood a small cedar tree.  It was no taller than Kalee herself, but it was planted in a pot, and on it were draped silver and gold ribbons.  On top was a white candle burning brightly.

"It's a Christmas tree!” she squealed in delight.  “Oh, who did it?  I have to tell them thank you!”

Smiling, Arwen looked at her.  "It was my father who had the idea."

Kaylee looked up.  Next to Arwen, Elrond smiled down at Kaylee.  "I recalled you and your brothers and sisters telling us of the Christmas trees of your land.  We do not have little balls and lights to hang upon it, but we hope it is a nice surprise."

Kaylee took a deep breath, to say something, but all she could think of was to just hug him around the knees, giving him a look that thanked him. 

With a smile, he reached down and patted her on the back.  "You are very welcome, Kaylee."

As more people came into the Hall, Bilbo led Kaylee to a spot with two cushions had been put out especially for them to sit.  They were near the place where Elrond and Arwen sat on their own chairs.

There was bustling and chattering as many Elves came in.  But then, Lindir came in, and the noise stopped, for he was the chief bard. 

He took his place in the middle of the Hall near the little tree and glanced at Master Elrond, who gave a nod.  Then he began to play his harp. The music was like all Elven music, wonderful, and then he began to sing.

The song was about two wonderful Trees that grew across the Sea.  They were so bright that they could light up the world, brighter than the Sun and the Moon.  All the Elves knew that it had a sad ending, as did Bilbo, but for Kaylee's sake, Lindir didn’t sing the song all the way to that part.  Instead, he ended it as the Trees were being celebrated.

And then, to her surprise, Lindir turned to her and asked, "Miss Kaylee, we know you have many songs of your land.  Could you sing one for us?"

Fortunately, Kaylee was used to singing at church and with her family, so she was only a little taken aback, and just took a moment to think up the right song.  She got up and stood next to Lindir, and he moved away.

“O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us!
They are green when summer days are bright;
They are green when winter snow is white.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!
How oft at Christmas tide, the sight,
O green fir tree, gives us delight!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!

“O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Forever true your colour.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Forever true your colour.
Your boughs so green in summertime
Stay bravely green in wintertime.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Forever true your colour.

“O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You fill my heart with music.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You fill my heart with music
Reminding me, on Christmas Day,
To think of you and then be gay.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You fill my heart with music.”*

When she finished, Lindir asked her to sing it again, and when she did, all the Elves sang with her.  They knew it from hearing it just once!

This time when they all finished, she went back to her cushion.  Bilbo got up and said, "This is a Yule song from the Shire.  I hope you will enjoy it:

“Light the Yule log, blazing cheer,
Giving warmth this time of year,
Turning back all thoughts of fear
As we hold close our loved ones dear!

“The day is short; the night is long.
Against the dark, we sing this song—
Let our hearts be filled with light,
And may the world again grow bright!

“We put up many stores ahead
Against the cold months left to tread.
Shall we now have meat and bread?
Our bodies and our hearts be fed!

“The day is short; the night is long.
Against the dark, we sing this song—
Let our hearts be filled with light,
And may the world again grow bright!

“Though the world is dark and cold,
While we have a hand to hold,
And we are safe within the fold,
Our spirits may be brave and bold!

“The day is short; the night is long.
Against the dark, we sing this song—
Let our hearts be filled with light,
And may the world again grow bright!

“Light the Yule log, blazing cheer,
Giving warmth this time of year.
Turning back all thoughts of fear
As we hold close our loved ones dear!”*

As he finished the final stanza, Avorn and Thalion came in with the huge log, which they placed on top of the low burning fire in the centre of the room.  The new log caught on fire quickly, blazing brightly and crackling.

"And now," Bilbo said, "in honour of the festivities, I shall tell a story of the Shire.  This story is one for children, about two young hobbits named 'Tip and Tulip'."

Once there were two little hobbits named Tip and Tulip. They were brother and sister, and they lived in a cozy little smial with their mama and their papa and their auntie.

One morning, on First Yule, Tip and Tulip awakened to find that there had been a magnificent snow in the night.  Outside their hole, all was white and cold, and the snow was much deeper than ever they had seen it before.  They could scarcely contain their excitement at first breakfast, and coaxed their mama to allow them to go out and play.

But of course, they had to open their Yule gifts first.  There were snuggly new hats, scarves, and mittens, and Tip got a new ball, while Tulip got a new dress for her dolly.  Then they had to have second breakfast.

After they ate griddlecakes and eggs and sausages and fried taters and mushrooms, and each had a cup of warm milk with honey and cinnamon, their mama told them they could finally go out to play in the snow.

Auntie bundled them up in their warmest coats and their leggings, and they put on their new hats and scarves, and bounced out to play in the snow.

First, they ran about making footprints, and then they had a lovely snowball fight.  But finally, they decided to make a snow-hobbit.  They began to pack the snow and gather it up, until they had formed the snow-hobbit’s body.  Then they made a little snowball and rolled it about in the snow until they had a snowball the size of a hobbit’s head: there he stood, a body and a head, but no face nor anything else—but their papa called them, then, to come in for elevenses.

They came in from the cold, their cheeks as red as berries, and had some lovely soup and toasted sandwiches.  But they were eager to finish their snow-hobbit, and so they had barely finished their third helpings before they were begging their parents to let them go out again.

“But Mama,” said Tip, “we need something to make our snow-hobbit’s face!”

“And Mama,” said Tulip, “our snow hobbit will need something to wear!”

So, Tip’s mama took him into the larder, and he picked out a nice carrot to use for a nose.  And she took him to her sewing box, and they found some lovely black buttons to make his eyes.  And Tulip’s auntie took her to the mathom room, and they found an old weskit of their papa’s.

Then Tip went to their room and got his old hat and scarf, while Tulip found some of her old mittens.

Now they bundled up warmly, and went out once more into the snow, and soon, they had finished him: he looked magnificent, in his bright green hat and scarf and scarlet mittens on the ends of the broken limbs that Tulip had found for his arms.  The yellow weskit fit him perfectly.  His button eyes shone brightly, and his carrot nose was at a jaunty angle.  Tip took off his mitten, and with a finger, traced a happy smile upon his face.

What a splendid snow-hobbit he was! thought Tip and Tulip.  They stood back to admire their handiwork.

But now it was time for luncheon, as their tummies loudly told them.  So, in they went, and there was a lovely lunch—they had some ham and roasted potatoes, and there was a large pot of beans and some carrots cooked with a honey glaze, and baked apples for afters.  The two little hobbits ate heartily and filled in all their corners, and then they once more begged leave to go out and see their snow-hobbit.

Once more, their auntie and their mama bundled them up, and out of the smial they ran, eager to play.

But—

They did not see their snow-hobbit where they had left him!  There was no sign of him at all!  He could not have melted, for if he had, where would be the carrot and the buttons and the clothes they had put on him?  They gazed in dismay at the slightly dented snow where he had stood, and tears sprang to Tulip’s eyes, as she thought of all their work wasted.

“Someone must have stolen him!” said Tip crossly.

“Stolen whom?” said an unfamiliar voice.

Tip and Tulip jumped in startlement and turned.  There was their snow-hobbit!  It was he who had spoken!  He had come alive!

They gazed at him in wonder.  Finally, Tulip said shyly, “Oh, my!  How did you come to be alive?”

The snow-hobbit gave a little bow and said, “This is a Yule snow!  There is sometimes magic in a Yule snow!”

The two little hobbits ran to hug their new friend.  He did not feel at all icy and cold, as they would have thought.  “Will you play with us?” said Tip.

“Of course!” said the snow-hobbit.  “That is the very reason I came to life!”

Oh, what a splendid time Tip and Tulip had with him!  He showed them how to build a snow-smial, and when he lay down upon the snow, they could sit upon his back, and he would slide down the hill, much faster than the fastest of sleds!

They had such a wonderful afternoon, they even forgot to think of the time, and were quite startled when they heard their papa calling them in for tea.

“Oh, dear!” said Tulip.  “It will be dark after tea!”

Tip nodded.  “They won’t let us come back out after tea!  It will be too dark.  Can you come in and take tea with us?”

“Alas,” said the snow-hobbit, “that I cannot do!  But I have had a good time with you today.”

Sadly, Tip and Tulip hugged him good-bye.  “We will play with you again in the morning,” said Tip.

The snow-hobbit gave them a sad smile and said, “Perhaps,” and patted them on their heads with his mitten hands and sent them in for tea.

So, Tip and Tulip went in for tea, and afterwards, they sat in the front room and listened to their papa reading them stories, and then they had supper and were tucked up snugly in their little bed.  They fell asleep dreaming of all the fun they would have with the snow-hobbit on the morrow.

But when they woke up in the morning, the snow was all melted and gone away.  Tip and Tulip were very sad to find a puddle, with a very wet weskit, hat, scarf and mittens, and two buttons in it where last they had seen their snow-friend.  They gathered these things up with tears in their eyes and took them in to dry before the fire.

When they told their mama and papa about why they were sad, their parents patted them on the heads and told them they had very good imaginations.

But when they told their auntie, she winked at them and said for them to save the snow-hobbit’s things, in case it should snow again next Yule.***

Kaylee loved the story.  It reminded her of “Frosty, the Snowman.”  She remembered that Frodo had told them about Tip and Tulip before the hobbits and her brothers and sisters had left with the Fellowship, even though he had not told them any stories about those little hobbits.  This was her very first time being told a Tip and Tulip story.  I’ll ask if he has more stories about them, she thought.

There were many more songs, and then there was dancing.  Bilbo took her hand and brought her up to join the circle.  Kaylee thought it was more like a game than a dance.  And it was kind of slower than the dances she was used to, but it was still fun.

After a few dances, she felt tired.  She really wanted to stay up all night, like the Elves did.  But when she began to yawn, Bilbo led her back to the cushions, and they sat down.  She leaned on Bilbo's shoulder.  It was so comfortable…

Soon, she was fast asleep.  She didn't even wake up when Eledhwen picked her up, carried her up to her bed, and changed her into her nightgown and tucked her up under the covers.  There, she had sweet dreams of playing in a silver garden on the Moon.

-oo000oo-

A/N: *Both "Deck the Halls" and "O Christmas Tree" are in the Public Domain.  "Light the Yule Log" is an original song by Dreamflower, and it can be found in "The Shire Yule Songbook" (https://archiveofourown.org/works/1100714/chapters/2214254) and in a few other stories, but appeared first in "Seas Between Us Long have Roared" (http://storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=5103&cid=30540).

**The "white stuff" that the cook used on the Yule cake was meringue.

***Bilbo's Tip and Tulip may be found in Dreamflower’s anthology of holiday stories, "Shire Yule" (http://storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=5103).