JRR Tolkien Day for the year 2024 is celebrated/observed on Tuesday, January 3rd. There are until the next observance.

J.R.R. Tolkien Day is celebrated on January 3rd as the author of “The Lord of the Rings” birthday, and you are invited to salute him. You may recall from the narrative that every year on Bilbo’s birthday, Frodo toasts his Uncle Bilbo. The Tolkien Society now invites followers to recognize Tolkien’s birth, which occurred on January 3, 1892, more than sixty years after the trilogy’s first publication. Create your own words of praise or use the official society phrase: “The Professor!” If you wish to celebrate J.R.R. Tolkien Day with a few additional meals in addition to the toast, Frodo would undoubtedly agree!

📆 When is JRR Tolkien Day?

This year, JRR Tolkien Day is on January 3rd. It is the 1st Tuesday in January; in 2024, it is on Wednesday.

Countdown to JRR Tolkien Day

Did you know: Sean Bean, who plays Boromir in the movie, is terrified of flying, so he began walking to places early in the morning, which he had to do in full makeup and costume because there were no tents or employees for those things on-site at his destinations.

You can also learn all cool things you didn’t know about and facts about January 3, 2023.

📜 History of JRR Tolkien Day

The conflict of these contrasting worldviews, as expertly represented by Tolkien, is intensified by the series of Peter Jackson films and their visual grandeur, which explains why the Tolkien Society, formed in 1969, is still active today.

The author interacted with the Society in its early days, with his assistant calling their leadership in 1972 after they sent him a container of top-shelf tobacco in honor of his becoming a Commander of the Order of the British Empire; she said he thought the gift was the highest honor of the whole thing.

In fact, it was the Tolkien Society that announced their intention to officially commemorate Tolkien’s birthday with a toast on January 3rd. So, after breakfast, “second breakfast,” “elevensies,” lunch, and a puff of Longbottom Leaf, invite a buddy over and toast the juggernaut of fantasy writing. The teacher!

☑️ JRR Tolkien Day facts

Second fiddle?
When Irish actor Stuart Townsend (“Queen of the Damned,” “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”) was removed at the last minute, Viggo Mortensen was chosen, the seasoned actor taking the job only due to his LOTR-fan son’s pleas.

Don’t take your eyes off the screen
Like the late Stan Lee in Marvel Comics films, writer-director Peter Jackson appears in all three “Rings” films, as do his children.

Moth-man prophecy?
The kind of moth used in the scenes of Gandalf calling his insect ally while imprisoned at the summit of Orthanc lives just one day; it was born that morning and perished immediately after the first successful take.

Things to do on JRR Tolkien Day

Read the books, or watch the movies or both
Reading one of J.R.R. Tolkien’s great works is the ideal way to commemorate J.R.R. Tolkien Day. If you haven’t read “The Lord of the Rings,” that’s an excellent place to start. You probably won’t be able to finish all three novels in one day. So go ahead and cheat a bit and watch one of the movies instead, or if you have the full day to celebrate, watch all three!

Eat a few extra meals or snacks
Hobbits do like a nice dinner… or a half-dozen meals. According to the novel, hobbits would “enjoy six meals a day, if they could get them.” And because these pint-sized powerhouses will devour just about anything that tastes delicious, your additional meals may include just about whatever you want; cakes, bread, and ale are all fair game. It’s a good thing hobbits don’t have to worry about counting carbohydrates!

Work the words “my precious” into every conversation
Gollum is one of the creepiest creatures in Middle Earth, if not all of literature, but referring to “the ring” as “my precious” is classic. Spend the day calling everything in sight “my precious,” whether it’s your wedding ring, your spouse, your car, or your desk stapler. Just be cautious around the margins of any volcanic chasms.

📅 JRR Tolkien Day Observances

YEAR DATE DAY
2024 January 3 Wednesday
2025 January 3 Friday
2026 January 3 Saturday
2027 January 3 Sunday
2028 January 3 Monday

Explore all January holidays, including Arts & Entertainment and other Books holidays.

We will continue to update this page with new information and fun facts about JRR Tolkien Day. So be sure to check back soon.