Bilbo’s Farewell Party

Preparations

In Third Age 2989, Bilbo took his orphaned younger cousin, Frodo Baggins, under his wing. The two shared a birthday, and they celebrated with lively parties in Bag End each year. As the years passed, however, Bilbo began to feel weary (possibly because of his use of his magic ring), and around Third Age 3001 he decided to leave his homeland the Shire. Bilbo planned to execute his departure as a mysterious and flashy "disappearance", which he would achieve with the help of his aforementioned ring.

The year came when Bilbo would celebrate his 111st birthday–—in addition to Frodo's coming-of-age——and the old hobbit announced "a party of special magnificence", which caused a sensation in the vicinity due to his eccentricity and wealth. Indeed, as much as a year before the party he had ordered special gifts from the Mountain and from Dale. They arrived in early September delivered by dwarves with long beards and deep hoods driving and odd-looking wagon full of odd-looking packages. Another stir came when the "conjurer" Gandalf, famous for his fireworks in Gerontius Took's parties years ago, also arrived.

During the following days, Bilbo was kept busy writing and sending invitations, managing his list and packaging the gifts. He turned away many curious folk who pretended they came to help, but really were only interested in the goings-on at the famous Bag End. The post-offices of Hobbiton and Bywater were overwhelmed by the number of invitations and responses, and his catering from miles around Hobbiton had depleted the stocks of most storerooms and storehouses.

In the days leading up to the party the large field in front of Bag End was repurposed for the needs of the feast; ropes, poles, lanterns, tents, pavilions and a new gate to connect the field to the road were all constructed.

Party

It was a huge and expensive celebration, attended by most hobbits in the area. Bilbo welcomed the attendees in person at the new white gate, handing out a present to each visitor——though some secretly exited by a back way and came in again by the gate to get a second gift. The children all received unique, beautiful, and some magical toys of dwarf-make.

Plenty of eating and drinking followed, as was customary for Hobbits. Moreover, there was music, as well as songs and dances. Many children came by parental permission (this permission was easy to aquire——especially since they were fed a free meal). At lunch and tea the guests sat to eat together. Finally, at six-thirty, Gandalf began a show with all kinds of fireworks. The last one was designed and made especially to honor Bilbo: a figure of a mountain which spouted a lifelike fire-drake that roared and whizzed three times over the crowd before flying and exploding above Bywater. And that was the signal for the supper.

After the last meal, Bilbo began giving his inevitable and much-dreaded speech, but the guests were already satisfied and full of good food and good drink, and they felt they could tolerate anything, cheering with every word. As Bilbo began his speech, talking about his age and thanking them for coming, they thought he had said what was necessary and started playing with the musical crackers and dancing the springle-ring. Bilbo blew a horn in order to silence them. Then he revealed to them that they were there for three reasons: to tell them that he was fond of them, to celebrate the birthdays of Frodo and himself, and to say farewell as this would be "the end."

Then, suddenly, Bilbo disappeared (he used the Ring for that effect, and Gandalf improvised a flash). The old hobbit then passed behind the surprised guests, who were mumbling and gossipping and seeking comfort in more food, and returned to Bag End. He was joined there by Gandalf, and the wizard persuaded him to leave the Ring in Frodo's keeping, after which Bilbo departed for the east with three Dwarf companions.

Aftermath

As the host's heir, Frodo had the duty of comforting the shocked guests and feeding them well. Around midnight, carriages came to take the important guests home, and those who were too drunk or heavy were taken by gardeners on wheelbarrows.

The next day, workers were ordered to clean up the Party Field. The installations, the decoration, the leftover food, the dishes and forgotten items like bags, gloves and handkerchiefs. The news of Bilbo's prank alarmed everyone, and Bag End was flooded by the guests, who demanded a logical explanation and to collect the presents Bilbo left for them.

The guests were so full that the next weeks there were almost no purchases of provisions throughout the district.

Everyone around Hobbiton and Bywater was invited, even from Buckland. Some were distant relatives living in faraway parts of the Shire. A few were overlooked by accident, but they came anyway.

A select 144 from the extended families of Bilbo and Frodo (including Gandalf and other special guests) joined the exclusive family dinner-party, held in the great pavilion by the Tree.

In alphabetical order:

Adelard Took and daughters
Angelica Baggins
Asphodel Burrows
Berilac Brandybuck
Bruno Bracegirdle
Celandine Brandybuck
Daisy Boffin
Dinodas Brandybuck
Doderic Brandybuck
Dora Baggins
Dudo Baggins
Eglantine Took
Esmeralda Brandybuck
Estella Bolger
Everard Took
Ferdibrand Took
Ferdinand Took
Thain Ferumbras Took III
Filibert Bolger
Folco Boffin
Fredegar Bolger
Frodo Baggins
Gandalf
Gerda Bolger
Gilly Baggins
Griffo Boffin
Heribald Bolger
Hilda Brandybuck
Hugo Bracegirdle
Ilberic Brandybuck
Lobelia Sackville-Baggins
Lotho Sackville-Baggins
Marmadas Brandybuck
Melilot Brandybuck
Mentha Brandybuck
Meriadoc Brandybuck
Merimac Brandybuck
Merimas Brandybuck
Milo Burrows
Minto Burrows
Moro Burrows
Mosco Burrows
Myrtle Burrows
Nora Bolger
Odo Proudfoot
Odovacar Bolger
Olo Proudfoot
Otho Sackville-Baggins
Paladin Took II
Pearl Took
Peony Burrows
Peregrin Took
Pervinca Took
Pimpernel Took
Ponto Baggins
Poppy Bolger
Porto Baggins
Prisca Bolger
Reginard Took
Master Rorimac Brandybuck
Rosamunda Bolger
Rufus Burrows
Sancho Proudfoot
Saradas Brandybuck
Saradoc Brandybuck
Seredic Brandybuck
Tosto Boffin
Vigo Boffin
Wilimar Bolger
The 3 daughters of Adalgrim Took (possibly)
Various Goodbodies, Hornblowers, Brockhousess, Grubbs (relatives of Bilbo's grandmother), Chubbs (relatives of his other grandmother.

1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 21/05/2026.