Middle-earth Meets the Manger

They're taking the presents to Bethlehem!

Photo by Kenneth Lin on Unsplash

[a manger in BETHLEHEM. MARY and JOSEPH stand above the CHRIST CHILD, who is in a MANGER. A ragtag group is gathered around them, with the WISE MEN¹ at their head]

CASPAR: Along with my fellow wise men, Melchior and Balthasar, I have brought a gift for the baby. I give gold, a gift worthy of a king!

MELCHIOR: My gift is Frankincense, a symbol of deity for this most special child.

BALTHASAR: I bring myrrh, for use in burial.

MARY: Thank you for these…most interesting gifts. Love that you skipped over practical gifts like diapers or onesies and went all out on the symbolism… I see that we have more gifts? What do you three bring?

ARAGORN: You have my sword.

LEGOLAS: And my bow.

GIMLI: And my AXE!

MARY: …

FATHER CHRISTMAS: I just got back from Narnia and hear we’re giving children swords and bows? I’d love to get in on that!

JOSEPH: No thank you, we already have plenty *glares at Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli*

GANDALF: Drums… drums in the deep…

LITTLE DRUMMER BOY: *stops drumming* sorry about that

TOM BOMBADIL: Hey dol! merry dol! ring a dong dillo!

FATHER CHRISTMAS [to GANDALF]: Who is that guy?

GANDALF: Bombadil? No one is quite sure…

JOSEPH: Some Silent Night this is! Mary, did you know—

MERRY: Did I know what?

JOSEPH: No, Mary, M-A-R-Y did you know?

MARY: About all this? No way

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Appendices

• I’ve got a few more newsletters for you before the close of the year! Be on the lookout for a few more Jokien with Tolkien issues over the next week and a half

• I enjoyed this “Very Lord of the Rings Advent” series in the

  Born of Wonder
  newsletter by Katie Marquette. Here’s a link to part 1:
  

  A Very Lord of the Rings Advent Pt.1

  If you liked that, here’s Part 2 and Part 3

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1. Yes, I know that they most certainly weren’t there that first night along with the shepherds. But, as you’ll see, this is hardly the least accurate part of this nativity scene