The start of something new

'New year, new start,' Marcho said, lifting his mug high. 

'What're you on about now?' his twin asked him, setting his own mug down. 'Bree-land's harvest has only just finished!'

'Blooting's the proper start of the New Year; or so said Great-Grandad, remember? 'Twasn't until Hobbit-folk came to Bree that we changed our reckoning to match the local calendar...'

Although Blanco might always watch for opportunities to correct his older brother (older by half an hour, as it was), he was never inclined to waste a toast. Picking up his mug again, he hefted it high and proclaimed, 'To Great-Grandad!'

*** 

According to various sources drawing from Tolkien's writings, during their wandering years, Hobbits reckoned in terms of months (governed by the phases of the moon) rather than days or weeks. Furthermore, before they came to Bree and adapted their calendar to fit with the local customs, their New Year began with the month that followed harvest (Blooting in Bree, Blotmath in the Shire, which changed from the first month of their year to the eleventh month some time after T.A. 1300 when Hobbits first arrived in Bree, according to Tolkien Gateway's article, "Bree Calendar" [https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Bree_Calendar]).

***