Celebration is a big part of life. Celebrating with others allow us to connect and focus on achievements, celebrate life, honor loss, and join together. Throughout time, celebrations have been documented, both in literature and in history. Today we will take a walk down literary lane and look at some note-worth celebrations, both big and small.
Harry Potter Turns Eleven
Starting with a small celebration but a big turning point, we have Harry Potter. There is no doubt, this celebration is undermined in the family. However, Harry’s 11th birthday sparked an important celebration for all 10-year-old fans of the series. This celebration is quiet and held in the dark, prior to Hagrid’s grand entrance. Harry counts down the seconds to when he turns eleven. Of course this count down ends with a BOOM as Hagrid enters. Nevertheless, Harry’s alarming celebration left a mark on many. I know I waited for my letter when I turned 11.
“Anyway – Harry,” said the giant, turning his back on the Durselys, “a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here – I mighta sat on it at some point, but it’ll taste all right.”
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, J.K Rowling
Jay’s Attention Grabbing Parties
One celebration stands out to me when I think about parties. Jay Gatsby hosted many parties and celebrations. Perhaps they weren’t celebrations in the typical sense, they were still held with intention. Gatsby hosted elaborate parties in hopes of attracting his love interest across the bay. These celebrations included whole orchestras, two dinner courses, dancing, and of course in the setting of a mansion. Gatsby’s parties embody the extravagance now associated with parties in the 1920s.
“The bar is in full swing, and floating rounds of cocktails permeate the garden outside, until the air is alive with chatter and laughter, and casual innuendo and introductions forgotten on the spot, and enthusiastic meetings between women who never knew each other’s names”
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
Bilbo’s Farewell Birthday Party
Back to birthday’s, we have Bilbo and the hobbits. Titled as his “Farewell Party”, Bilbo and friends gather around to celebrate Bilbo’s 111st birthday (eleventy first). This celebration includes lots of food, presents, song and dance, fireworks and most markedly, his disappearance. If there is one small thing we can learn from hobbits, it is how to celebrate. Although, I hope your celebrations do not end with your disappearance, I do hope they contain good food, good music and of course, good company.
“There were rockets like a flight of scintillating birds singing with sweet voices. There were green trees with trunks of dark smoke: their leaves opened like a whole spring unfolding in a moment, and their shining branches dropped glowing flowers down upon the astonished hobbits, disappearing with a sweet scent just before they touched their upturned faces.”
The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R Tolkien
Percy Jackson’s 16th Birthday
I think it is important to also recognize the not so pretty celebrations. Percy Jackson seems to have a feature on our blog currently, but I could not pass up an opportunity to discuss this birthday. While Percy’s 16th birthday is filled with more dread than celebration, the prophecy associated with it shows the importance birthdays can hold. When the prophecy is revealed, Percy comes to terms with the weight of his upcoming decisions. I hope your 16th birthday didn’t carry that much weight.
“A half-blood of the eldest gods
Shall reach sixteen against all odds
And see the world in endless sleep
The hero’s soul, cursed blade shall reap
A single choice shall end his days
Olympus to preserve or raze”
The Last Olympian, Rick Riordan
The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
Lets go back to light-hearted celebration. Once again, revisiting a previous topic at Umbra Ex Libris, we have the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. This celebration teaches us to celebrate even when there is nothing to celebrate. While Alice is frustrated with this idea, I must disagree with her. Celebrating the menial things can make us appreciate the good when our days are filled with bad. The Mad Hatter is very good at celebrating the little. In fact, he is demonstrating this skill with his own tea party. This party is held after he forgets a song in front of the Red Queen. I would argue survival after that mistake is a good reason to celebrate.
“Well, I’d hardly finished the first verse,” said the Hatter, “when the Queen jumped up and bawled out, ‘He’s murdering the time! Off with his head!’”
“How dreadfully savage!” exclaimed Alice.
“And ever since that,” the Hatter wnt on in a mournful tone, he won’t do a thing I ask! It’s always six o’clock now.”
A bright idea came into Alice’s head. “Is that the reason so many tea-thing are put out here?” she asked.
“Yes, that’s it,” said the Hatter with a sigh: “it’s always tea time, and we’ve no time to wash the things between whiles.”
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
The March Family Celebrates
Sometimes celebrations look different depending on the time. For example, in Little Women the March family comes to terms with their Christmas looking different than normal due to the present circumstances (civil war). However, through their hardship, there small celebration teaches readers how to appreciate the little things in celebration. Through the struggles of the March daughters, we watch as self-centered tendencies turn to generosity. The girls notice it is not the material possessions in a celebration that make it with celebrating, but rather the time and effort we pour into others.
“And when they went away, leaving comfort behind, I think there were not in all the city four merrier people than the hungry little girls who gave away their breakfasts and contented themselves with bread and milk on Christmas morning”
Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
Conclusion
From the bad to the good, things are worth celebrating. I find I learn the most through reading, and I have learned something different from all of these books. These different stories have taught me to embrace the day by day, have courage through the hardships, and rejoice in the end. I hope you all find a reason to celebrate, whether it be waking up in the morning or finishing up a hard day.
As always, happy reading!