Rethe is the Shire calendar month corresponding roughly to March in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth chronology.
The Shire calendar is used by Hobbits and is described in the appendices to The Lord of the Rings. Its months have names different from those of the Gregorian calendar, although Tolkien provides approximate correspondences so readers can follow the dates.
Rethe is the third month of the Shire year and broadly matches March. The calendar also includes special days outside the normal monthly sequence, including the two Yule days at the beginning and end of the year and the Mid-year’s Day holiday.
Tolkien’s calendar details help give Middle-earth the texture of a historical culture rather than a simple fantasy backdrop. Readers often confuse Rethe with other Shire month names such as Afteryule, which corresponds roughly to January, or Halimath, which corresponds roughly to September.