ROCHESTER, N.Y., Dec. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The holiday season is full of interesting traditions. Most of these are grounded in the real world, but not all of them. In the latest episode of his podcast, The Halfling, host and Tolkien expert Jaron Pak breaks down how holidays have found their way into Middle-earth.
The episode is packaged in a slightly altered version of the show’s typical 15-minute format. It opens with a brief nod to the 20th anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first film in Peter Jackson’s iconic trilogy. This is timely, as the episode was released on the exact date of the anniversary itself.
After this brief deviation, Jaron dives into a detailed breakdown of many of the most prominent places where holidays and celebrations infiltrated into Tolkien’s creations. Some of these focus on the cultures and traditions of Middle-earth’s own inhabitants. These span the gamut, from immortal celebrations between Elves and Valar to Dwarvish and Gondorian New Years to an intricate breakdown of the obvious love that Hobbits share for special occasions.
Jaron also touches on external holiday elements associated with Tolkien’s world. This starts with an analysis of how Peter Jackson’s films have become required holiday viewing. It also dives into Tolkien’s own real-world Christmas creation in the form of the author’s posthumously published "Letters from Father Christmas."
From beginning to end, the episode is loaded with festive fun. It’s also a great way for podcast fans to introduce themselves to Jaron’s light-hearted yet information-filled podcasting style. The author and host is well aware of how overwhelming Middle-earth can be. He has already spent years creating reader-friendly breakdowns about The Lord of the Rings and related content for millions of readers on the entertainment site Looper.
In his podcast, Jaron tirelessly continues his efforts to fluidly condense complex yet interesting Tolkien topics into accessible narrative stories. Many of the episodes are focused on exploring characters, events, and places that could figure prominently in Amazon’s upcoming multi-season Middle-earth series. Jaron breaks each topic down into multiple, bite-size installments that are perfect to consume on the way to work, while driving, or during any other brief, multi-task-friendly activity.
Thus far, he has already covered a variety of fascinating characters, including the overlooked Elvish Lord Glorfindel, Aragorn’s misunderstood ancestor Isildur, and currently the arachnid menace Shelob. He is also preparing to do an in-depth walk through the life and times of Elrond of Rivendell, which is set to kick off in January 2022.
For anyone looking for some nerdtastic easy listening during the holidays, The Halfling is offering just that — not just in the form of deep, hard-to-find Tolkienian lore, but currently with a holiday twist attached, as well.
About The Halfling: The Halfling is a podcast launched by writer and Middle-earth enthusiast Jaron Pak. The serial entrepreneur currently has projects that include, among other things, a successful freelance writing business as well as his homesteading/prepping website, HomesteadOrDead.com. Jaron has spent his personal life obsessing over Tolkien’s world and writings. He has regularly written about Middle-earth for years for the online publication Looper. In mid-2021 he funneled his passion into his own podcast, The Halfling, which explores the nooks and crannies of Middle-earth, with a particular focus on how it will impact Amazon Studios’ related show. Learn more at The Halfling’s BuzzSprout page or by subscribing to the show via any major audio streaming service.
For questions, contact:
Jaron Pak
326333@email4pr.com
585.489.6252
SOURCE The Halfling
