In the last three years, hobbits have become synonymous with holidays and Mordor with mistletoe. If you’re like the estimated 150 million people who flooded theaters over the course of three years to see a hobbit named Frodo save Middle-earth, you may be feeling slightly depressed about facing Christmas without elves, dwarfs and wizards. Don’t despair! Follow this guide for surviving Christmas without Lord of the Rings.

Book It

While there’s always the option of watching all three extended versions and bonus features, for a stifling 30 plus hours of screen time, there are more mentally stimulating ways to satiate your LOTR cravings.

During the hype of the first movie, many fans broke out J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic books to soak up additional details about the Shire, Rivendell and Mordor. If you’ve already read the Lord of the Rings series, consider checking out its precursors.

The Hobbit, Tolkien’s first story, was written for his children. A classic in children’s literature, this exciting tale follows the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Frodo’s mischievous uncle. For the hardcore fan, Silmarillion, published after Tolkien’s death, provides an intricate detailing of the creation of middle earth and the falling out between the races of elves and men.

Get in the Game

Games make a comeback during the holidays around my house. My family, which has abandoned games for the previous 11 months, suddenly gets a hankering to indulge in competitive games of Outburst and Cranium.

While it’s open season for games, those with a serious Tolkien attachment can take advantage of Lord of the Rings editions of popular games such as Risk, Trivial Pursuit and Monopoly. What true fan can resist a night by a crackling fire testing his knowledge of Legolas and Gimli, with the added excitement of a miniature ringwraith pursuing you around the board?

Focus on Your Family

During the past three years, many of my fondest holiday memories center around the LOTR movies. Months before the movies appeared in theaters, my brother and I (who live four states apart) would begin discussing the trailers and plotting the exact day we’d watch the movie.

The year Fellowship of the Ring was released, my entire family piled into the car on Christmas Eve and drove 45 minutes to the nearest theater where the film was playing. We waited for an hour, laughing in the rain, with cold cheeks and noses, in a line that wrapped around the theater (We also devoured the large tub of popcorn to get the free refill that we were much too full to eat). The movie was well worth the wait, and the wait itself created an unforgettable memory.

A great movie can bond families together with a common passion and enthusiasm. But the holidays provide an abundance of memory-making opportunities that can also benefit others. Volunteer to serve a meal at a homeless shelter. Christmas carol at a local rest home or visit shut-ins. Put together a box of goodies for a needy family. Write letters to troops. These activities will create family memories that will warm hearts for years to come.

Talk about it

If you’re missing Gandalf and the gang this holiday season, your seeking friends may be missing them as well. Use the opportunity to discuss the themes found in the trilogy. Tolkien's fantasy adventure presents the story of eternity. The parallel between Middle-earth and the Biblical story of man's creation and redemption is undeniable.

Invite some friends over for a holiday party to watch one of the movies on DVD. Then take the opportunity to talk about it over cookies and hot cider. Finding God in the Lord of the Rings, by Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware offers some excellent insights into the spiritual parallels that can be drawn between Tolkien’s trilogy and the Christian faith.

Wait For the Lion’s Share

For those still in need of hope, The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, is scheduled to be released Christmas 2005. C.S. Lewis’ fantasy series should appeal to the same audience that ate up Lord of the Rings. Movies based on the six other novels in The Chronicles of Narnia are set to hit the big screen in the six consecutive years. Hold onto your hobbits, Aslan’s on the way.