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Raise a glass to the Professor in honour of his 127th birthday
J.R.R. Tolkien by Pamela Chandler. © Diana Willson
J.R.R. Tolkien by Pamela Chandler. © Diana Willson

To mark J.R.R. Tolkien’s twelfty-seventh (127th) birthday, The Tolkien Society invites fans all over the world to participate in our annual Birthday Toast.

The Toast

After Bilbo left the Shire on his eleventy-first birthday in The Lord of the Rings, Frodo toasted his uncle’s birthday each year on 22 September.

J.R.R. Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein on 3 January 1892, and we invite you to celebrate the birthday of this much loved author by raising a glass at 9pm your local time.

The toast is simply:

The Professor!

All you need to do is stand, raise a glass of your choice of drink (not necessarily alcoholic), and say the words “The Professor” before taking a sip (or swig, if that’s more appropriate for your drink). Sit and enjoy the rest of your drink.

Note that we do not condone drinking alcohol if it endangers the health or safety of the drinker or others, or contravenes the law.

#TolkienBirthdayToast

Let everyone know what you’ll be drinking and where in the comments below, and share your pictures on Twitter or Facebook using #TolkienBirthdayToast.

If you’re not already a member, why not celebrate by joining The Tolkien Society too?

About the Author: Shaun Gunner
Shaun is the Chair of The Tolkien Society. First elected in 2013, Shaun has overseen the Society's expansion from 600 to 3,500 members. Shaun regularly speaks about adaptations of Tolkien's works and the future of Tolkien scholarship whilst passionately believing the Society needs to reach out to new audiences. In his spare time he can be found playing video games and Lego, or on Twitter. He chaired another charity, Mankind, and is a local councillor.