Jolabokaflod: An Icelandic Christmas Tradition Perfect for Readers
The last couple years, I have participated in the Icelandic tradition of Jolabokaflod, or the Christmas book flood. It’s a tradition that began in the 1940’s, during World War II, when paper was one of the few things not rationed in Iceland, so people gave books as gifts. I love reading about this tradition and I’ve loved how I’ve interpreted it for myself and my family.
To this day, families gift each other a new book on Christmas Eve and spend the rest of the evening reading by a fire with their favorite warm beverage. Christmas Eve is my favorite day of the year. It’s looked different in recent years with the pandemic. We used to have incredibly long days on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, full of big parties and lots of company. In 2020, knowing we’d be having a quiet Christmas, I thought it would be the perfect time to start this tradition for us.
So now on Christmas Eve, I pick a book from my many stacks that I think a member of my family would like. I wrap it up with a hot cocoa mix and something fun (maybe a little Bailey’s Irish Cream or Kahlua, a mini bottle of champagne, etc). We all get a new pair of PJ’s and then we open our books!
Sometimes I’ll read my whole book in one night and sometimes I’ll just read a chapter. But it’s really special to go through all the books I’ve read and acquired throughout the year and see which ones we’ll find a better home with my family.
Last year, I reread Faking Under the Mistletoe on Christmas Eve and it was so perfect. I try to pick a story I love, a book I’m extra excited about, or a novella. I’ll make my decision on Christmas Eve but I’ll share the titles I’m thinking about.
The Mistletoe Bet by Maren Moore—This is a true novella so it’s about 131 pages, That’s the perfect amount of time to be able to read something start to finish on your own.
Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand—This used to go reread for me every year. I’ve gone through some growing pains with the author in the last couple years, but I do have a fond recollection of loving this book in particular. So, I may revisit it this year.
Faking Under the Mistletoe by Ashley Shepherd—I had such a good time rereading it on Christmas Eve last year, so I might not mess with perfection!
Booked for the Holidays by Chelsea Curto—This is decidedly not a novella (it’s nearly 400 pages) but a bookstore at Christmas sounds so perfect, doesn’t it?