“ | Why we chose such a stupid name remains a mystery. [src] | ” |
— Hiccup H. Haddock III |
Snoggletog is an annual holiday which is celebrated on Berk. Snoggletog is inspired by modern day Christmas. Stoick and Hiccup call it the "winter holiday".
History[]
Gift of the Night Fury[]
At some point, generations before the events of Gift of the Night Fury, Berkians noticed how the dragons left for a certain amount of time every winter, leaving the village in peace. So they created a holiday to celebrate this one time of the year where they didn't have to worry about dragon raids. And most of their festivities involved poking fun at and pretending to kill the dragons.
However, after the Vikings and dragons made peace, Stoick declared that Snoggletog would involve their new companions and changed the theme of the holiday. The first Snoggletog with dragons promises to be the best of them all. But the festivities are interrupted when all the dragons in the village hear a distant roar and the villagers witness flocks of dragons flying over Berk. Their own dragons join the flock, leaving the Vikings bewildered. Everyone is devastated at losing the company of their dragons during what should be a joyous time, so Astrid tries to come up with new ideas to distract them from their sadness. She mixes up a mug of what she considers a new traditional drink called 'Yaknog', and comes up with a game that resembles "mistletoe" called "Missing Toe", which involves punching instead of kissing.
As part of Snoggletog in Gift of the Night Fury, Fishlegs chains his dragon Meatlug inside a barn so she can’t leave. Ruffnut and Tuffnut find out that Meatlug had laid eggs inside the barn. Astrid realizes that the other dragons must have left for the same reason; in order to lay their eggs. As another way to distract the village from their sadness, she comes up with the idea to give the eggs away as surprise gifts.
Meanwhile, Meatlug took Hiccup to an island full of dragons, where he immediately realizes why they left Berk. There are lots of dragons celebrating their own sort of holiday, with hatchlings to care for. Hiccup soon finds a way to bring all the dragons back, and the villagers are overjoyed that their dragons have returned.
Toothless finally reappears during the holiday festivities in the Great Hall that night. For Hiccup, it was his best Snoggletog ever because Toothless had proved his loyalty. The Vikings celebrate Snoggletog that year along with the return of their dragons.
Dragons: Defenders of Berk[]
Snoggletog is mentioned by Gobber in "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", saying there are only 42 shopping days left until Snoggletog, so he's been pretty busy in his workshop making gifts for clients.
Dragons: Race to the Edge[]
Gobber mentions it again in "Crushing It" when he in his delusion mistakes Skullcrusher for his favorite pet yak, Pepe, who he says his family ate for breakfast one Snoggletog.
It's mentioned again by Hiccup in "Quake, Rattle and Roll", when he tells Fishlegs that the last time he's seen his friend so excited was Snoggletog morning when they were seven years old.
It's also mentioned by Tuffnut in "Team Astrid" when he noticed a net shooting catapult of Dagur's, and wonders if Dagur might give it to him for Snoggletog if he asked.
Tuffnut mentions it again in "Between a Rock and a Hard Place" when Hiccup attaches a new yellow tail to Toothless. Tuffnut dramatically says that wearing yellow after Snoggletog is a "fashion faux pas", parodying the fashion "rule" of not wearing white after Labor Day.
How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming[]
Snoggletog was celebrated on New Berk, ten years after the dragons left for the Hidden World. Hiccup decided to bring back the Snoggletog Pageant in order to show Zephyr, Nuffink, and other young children how Vikings and dragons became allies.
Snoggletog Log[]
Hiccup and Astrid host a Snoogletog party at their house with their friends and children.
Games[]
School of Dragons[]
Snoggletog is celebrated in the game School of Dragons with special dragon saddles and clothing the player can purchase for their Viking avatar. Snoggletog decorations are also placed around Berk and on School of Dragons Island. Snoggletog is also mentioned in some Farm Jobs, which the player is asked to harvest certain crops for rewards. One such Job asks for turtle eggs and elderberries to make pudding, most likely a nod to Christmas Pudding.
Dragons: Rise of Berk[]
This section requires expansion. |
Dragons: Titan Uprising[]
This section requires expansion. |
Significance[]
“ | I love Snoggletog so much. To me, it's an opportunity to celebrate the bond that hold us together - love, family, friendship, and neighbors. [src] | ” |
— Astrid |
Snoggletog is the most significant holiday in Berkian culture and is greatly looked forward to by the Hooligan Tribe. Originally created to celebrate the short time dragons would disappear from Berk each year, it was later repurposed to reminding everyone on Berk of significant events, such as the ending of the War between Vikings and Dragons, or influential Chiefs like Stoick the Vast. The Vikings also remind themselves of what is most important to them personally on Snoggletog, such as Astrid wanting to celebrate love, family, and friendship or Hiccup realizing that loved ones are always nearby. Thus, Snoggletog can be described as a holiday that's all about remembrance.
Practices[]
Snoggletog Pageant[]
To celebrate the week where the dragons would leave Berk in peace, the village kids would put on a pageant. It showcased Viking warriors massacring dragons and the exuberence of triumph in the end. But after the dragons and Berkians became friendly, the pageant, and all the violence in it toward dragons, was sidelined in favor of more dragon-friendly activities. About fifteen years later, however, and ten years after the dragons left for the Hidden World, Hiccup brought the tradition back. But this time it was to celebrate dragons and remember the bond they once had with the people of Berk.
Decorations[]
People will decorate the exterior of their homes and help do so with outdoor public structures in the village common areas.
Making Yaknog[]
Astrid comes up with a recipe to make a drink called Yaknog to bring out the festive cheer of Snoggletog. It's found to be horrible and barely palatable, as Snotlout gets sick and starts crying after having some, and Hiccup gags and spits it out. Even Fishlegs and the twins refuse to consume any because of the smell.
Later on, as seen during the events of How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming, it's seen that drinking "Yaknog shooters" without spitting it out had become a Snoggletog game and custom.
Preparing Gifts[]
“ | I was looking for your helmet. Odin needs a place to hide your goodies! [src] | ” |
— Stoick to Hiccup |
Similar to how Santa places his gifts in children's stockings, Vikings are to present gifts in helmets, boots, or other places for little children. The children believe the gifts come from the god Odin. In Gift of the Night Fury, dragon eggs were tied up in ribbons and placed there. However, it was also that year that it was discovered that dragon eggs, at least Gronckle eggs, violently explode when they hatch, so the giving of eggs was not repeated.
Building Snoggletog Trees[]
In the center of the village during Snoggletog, a giant tree form, made with treetrunk pole supporting a cone-shaped framework, is then covered with wooden planks painted green and decorated with shields. This resembles the modern day Christmas tree. Astrid and Stormfly help by using Nadder spines to attach the decorations.
Once these trees are built, they are commonly decorated with lights. Many Vikings believe that this tradition originated from Vikings observing the Singetail Grovelout, whose flame-tipped tail can often be seen emanating from the branches of a large pine tree.
Gathering at the Great Hall[]
Vikings of Berk gather at the Great Hall to celebrate, eat, and catch up with friends. The Great Hall is decorated with items such as colorful lanterns, jingle bells, and other festive ornaments. People gather there and wear festive clothes. Gobber, for example, wore a helmet with reindeer antlers and holly plants on it, and sleigh bells on his prosthetic arm.
Dragons Laying Eggs[]
Until sometime after being liberated from the Red Death, dragons all flocked to an island called The Berkery to lay their eggs, with plenty of pits full of water. Gronckles push their eggs into them where they can then explode safely. Then, after their young have hatched and are capable of flight, the dragons return to their homes.
Sighting a Snoggletog Wraith[]
According to Dragons: Rise of Berk, a Snoggletog Wraith appears on the eve of Snoggletog. According to legend, if one is sighted, it will grant a snowy festive day.
Preparing Dragon's Food[]
After the dragons leave for the Hidden World, it becomes a Snoggletog tradition for those who once had a dragon to continue preparing their dragon's favorite food as if they were still present and celebrating with the Vikings.
Trivia[]
- Dean DeBlois came up with the term "Snoggletog" during early production of Gift of the Night Fury because he was aiming to create a silly word that would fit nicely in Cressida Cowell's book series.
- In 2015, DreamWorks Animation celebrated Snoggletog on December 18.
- Given Snoggletog is celebrated around the Winter Solstice, and with how close to the Arctic the Isle of Berk is, the holiday should take place during two weeks of Polar night.
- This is mirrored in the Dragons: Race to the Edge episode "The Longest Day", when there's two weeks of continual daylight around the summer solstice.
- In reality however, based on Berk's location transferred onto a real map, Berk should experience about two and a half months of both Midnight Sun and Polar Night every year.
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