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Bilbo had no chance to ask about the strange, colourful tubes at the top of each place setting during their Yule meal prior to the event. They were festooned in holly leaves, and no one mentioned them until after the main meal had been eaten.
“Time for crackers!!” Kíli exclaimed as the last of the plates were cleared away. There was a round of cheers.
Bilbo mimicked Bofur and Thorin on either side of him, crossing his arms and pulling when directed despite his perplexity. The collective cracks startled him, some of them delayed as members of the Company failed to pull the tabs correctly, the tubes splitting apart and depositing small gifts and multicoloured paper crowns on the table.
“Your crown, Your Majesty.” Bofur said, reaching across Bilbo to snatch up Thorin’s blue paper crown and offer it to him with a flourish.
“Thank you Bofur.” Thorin said solemnly, taking the crown and arranging it on his head.
“And yours, oh Burglar.” Bofur made a similar gesture to Bilbo, who clumsily shook out the purple crown and giggling, failed to get it to stay on his head. Bofur rescued him as Thorin, majestic as always, retrieved Bofur’s for him.