No matter what holiday you celebrate, you probably have some kind of special tradition—whether it's one that's been passed down through your family for generations or something that you started yourself.
With Christmas quickly approaching, I wanted to talk about a beautiful Icelandic Christmas tradition: Jólabókaflóðið—In English, "Christmas Book Flood."
For those that don't already have a tradition, hopefully this will inspire you to start!
"For me, books have always been the greatest gifts. I love to give and receive them because I know they are a reflection of the giver."
— Colleen Mariotti
Jólabókaflóðið started out during WWII, after Iceland became independent from Denmark. Nearly all commodities were rationed during this time, but there was one product that wasn't: paper.
So, when Christmas rolled around in 1944, the Icelanders cleverly resorted to giving books to their loved ones as gifts, as there wasn't much else available to buy. This was the Christmas that Jólabókaflóðið was born.
Though it began out of necessity, the tradition clearly caught on, because it is still loved and celebrated today. Families exchange books on Christmas Eve, and the evening is spent reading together while enjoying a cup of hot chocolate or jólabland, a traditional Icelandic beverage.
That sounds like the perfect Christmas Eve to me!
"When people had little money and even less things to buy (not many imported goods were available), locally made books became the perfect Christmas present. Publishers went with the flow, a tradition was born, and ever since, almost all Icelandic fiction and most of the non-fiction is published in the month of November."
— Hallgrímur Helgason
In addition to this being a favored tradition for many families, Jólabókaflóðið has also changed the livelihoods of Icelandic authors for the better. This is where the "flood" comes into play, because the book sales in November and December have seen a massive increase since Jólabókaflóðið began. In fact, by the year 1950, more than 10% of the population of Iceland's capital city were working in bookselling, printing, or publishing—not including the citizens that were writers themselves!
Today, Icelandic authors rush to complete their newest work so it can be on the shelves by the beginning of November, as this is their most crucial time of year for sales. Jólabókaflóðið has made it possible for more writers to make a living, and most importantly of all, it highlights the collective impact that reading can have on a nation.
"Thanks to Jolabokaflod, books still matter in Iceland, they get read and talked about. Excitement fills the air. Every reading is crowded, every print-run is sold. Being a writer in Iceland you get rewarded all the time: People really do read our books, and they have opinions, they love them or they hate them. At the average Christmas party people push politics and the Kardashians aside and discuss literature."
— Hallgrímur Helgason
I don't know about you, but this is a tradition I can get behind! This is a tradition that could literally change the world, transforming the way we interact with one another and shaping a more positive future.
Evidently, Christopher Norris thought so too: after learning about the tradition in 2015, he met with the Consulate General of Iceland to discuss the idea of sharing Jólabókaflóðið with the UK—and hopefully, beyond.
In 2017, he went on to establish Jolabokaflod CIC, a non-profit organization dedicated to sharing this beautiful tradition and its impact with the world, while maintaining a heavy emphasis on its Icelandic origins and history. His website lists some great ways to get involved in the mission, but the best way is simple: gift a book, or two, or twenty! On Christmas Eve, pass out the books to your loved ones, make some delicious mugs of cocoa, and enjoy each other's company as you dive into the stories. The next morning, discuss the things you read—you'll find that it beats arguing about politics, football, or who makes the best mashed potatoes.
As you do this, be sure to say a thank you to the Icelanders that began this wonderful tradition, and for their willingness to share it with all of us.
In Iceland, book lives matter in every sense of that phrase: The shelf-life of the book, the lives in the book, the life of the writer and the life of the reader. God bless Jolabokaflod.
— Hallgrímur Helgason
I hope this inspired you to start a new tradition, even if you don't celebrate Christmas.
The impact reading can have on a society is profound, and I'd love to see the changes that could be possible if we can inspire more of the people around us to read.
I'd be delighted to talk more about this over on Discord, so please join me there if you haven't already. Myself and some lovely fellow readers are waiting for you!
As always, thank you for reading, and no matter what holiday you celebrate, I wish you the best this season!
'•.¸♡ Until next time! ♡¸.•'