The FOTR drinking game for dry-townies

[Brinniel]

When we see 17 years pass between the party and the departure.

Tell me about it! I have tried and tried (and have not yet succeeded) to convince my mom and sister that there was a time change in between the party and the quest. It just does not seem possible to them that 17 years can pass without any sign of change in the characters. Or that Pippin was really 12 and Merry was 19 when they played with the fireworks.