Thornwold Yule

Hosted in-person by

The Shire of Thornwold (Bellingham – Whatcom County, WA )

Event Summary

Event Main Contact (Event Steward): Yzabels de la Costa
Date: December 15 , 2024
Site opens at: 10:00 AM on December 15th 2024
Site closes at: 9:00 PM

Event site:
Squalicum Yacht Club
2633 S Harbor Loop Drive Bellingham, Washington 98225

Come join the fun at this year’s Thornwold Yule Gathering!

Event will be held at the Squalicum Yacht Club, 2633 S Harbor Loop Dr, Bellingham, WA 98225

Schedule

10 am Site opens for set-up

12-4 pm Bardic Competition

2-4 pm Silent Auction

2-4 pm A & S Activity

4 pm Table Decoration Contest Judging

4:30-5 pm Shire Honors, Table Decoration Winner Announced, and Other Acknowledgments

5 pm Dinner is Available

6 pm Dessert Auction Begins

7 pm Gift Exchange

8 pm Clean Up 8:30 pm Site Closed

Dinner

The culinary group of the Shire is pleased to offer this Norse and Anglo-Saxon inspired meal to our guests.

Mixed Greens with Honey Mustard Dressing and Herb Vinaigrette on the side

Rolls- with and without gluten available

Buttered Turnips (Vegetarian, Gluten Free)

Oat and Mushroom Pottage (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Pea Soup with Lamb

Roast Lamb

Beef and Apple Casserole (Gluten Free)

We have made efforts to make the menu accessible to a wide variety of nutritional needs and preferences, but we cannot promise that a dish will be completely free of all potential allergens as they will be prepared in mixed-use kitchens. Please use your own judgment when deciding whether or not to partake, and feel free to bring your own options.

Dessert Auction

Are you a baker, a blender, a sweets connoisseur? Join our dessert auction at Yule! The Shire of Thornwold will provide a Norse-inspired dinner, but it will be up to you to bring those final tidbits that finish off the meal. This can be anything from a plate of cookies, bits of tarte, or even *gasp* cheese and fruit! Items to be auctioned at the end of dinner. Refrigerator space may be available, please check with event steward or cook.

Silent Auction

Silent Auction at Yule! Please bring cash/checks so you can bid on tempting baskets and other lovely items. Think “potential presents” for others as well as useful stuff for yourself and your household. All funds go to the Shire of Thornwold to support our Full Contact Social and other projects. Donations of items welcome, but please keep them small (we’re not having a large table, this will not be like our annual mega-auctions at Sir Eddy’s in May.

Table Decoration Contest

BEST THORNWOLD YULE TABLE!!

Let’s see your inspired designs and decor for your feasting table come this Yuletide. Creativity, artistic vision and beauty are keys and ANY ERA is acceptable up to 1600. Winner will receive a basket filled with Viking/Norse items – some are unusual. Entry can be as much as a whole table or an individual place setting it will not matter for entry. Let ELYN “Leslie Munoz” leslie.e.munoz at gmail dot com know if you have any questions!

Gift Exchange

If you wish to participate, please bring a wrapped/concealed present with a price limit of approximately $25. SCA appropriate gifts encouraged, but not necessary. Please note, this is not a “white elephant” exchange. Please bring a gift that you would be happy to take home!

Participants will draw numbers to determine the order in which gifts are picked, with opportunities to open a new present, or steal an already opened gift. This will continue until all items have been opened, and have hopefully found loving homes!

Bardic Championship

HOW DO I COMPETE TO BE CHAMPION???

A) Show Up at Thornwold YULE September the 15th, 2024 (SUNDAY, Sunday, SUNday!).

B) Tell me you are entering.

C) Tell me WHAT you are doing to satisfy the THREE CHALLENGES OF A BARD! (Trumpet Blast) (NB: A trumpet blast is not required, but COULD be, if you wanted it to be one of your entries.)

C-1) Do some sort of Bardic “THING” (™) that might help someone to go to sleep. A lullaby, a quite bed time story, a gentle song…

C-2) Do some sort of Bardic “THING” (™) that makes people want to DANCE! (Like, teaching a DANCE) Or just play or sing or clap a jaunty song. Teach a MayPole (just a suggestion).

C-3) Do some sort of Bardic “THING” (™) that helps relieve tension, shed a tear, touch feelings. (Story, Song, Tune, Poem…)

OBLIGATIONS OF THE CHAMPION (subject to Shire approval)

RULES FOR IF YOU WIN:

1) Be Prepared to BRING THE FUN (as my Squire Humbolt says)

a) Where ever you go, try and do at least ONE THING that spreads joy. (Tell a joke, lead a dance, teach a silly game (Gurning comes to mind). Whistle a happy tune.

b) State loudly and proudly that you are the Bardic Champion of the Great and Mightly Shire of Thornwold!

(if you are shy, you can just shout this in your car at some point going to whatever event you are going to) (NB: Do NOT shout this at the poor person at the drive in you stop for coffee at).

2) Wear the Regalia PROUDLY. (and try really, really hard not to lose it).

3) Be the Champion, encourage Bardic Arts (and there are DOZENS AND DOZENS of them) as you can.

4) Show up at the event to choose your successor and help run the contest. Hand over the Regalia. Be a Bard.

That’s pretty much it. At least as I see it.

Bardic is like a LARGE Day Shade and can accommodate MANY an activity. You are free to PM me for ideas, for that, too, is part of a Bard’s job, to seek out information, research, and ask good questions.

In service to Crown, Coronet, and the long History of the Great, the Noble, the Important, and the WONDER-FULL Shire of (where?) T H O R N W O L D !

In service, Brand. GregRobin Smith-Dig on Facebook