Cozy blankets. Delicious snacks. Loving company. Heart-warming books. This is Jolabokaflod (ya-la-bo-ka-flod). When I first read about this heartwarming tradition, I just knew I wanted my family to partake in! According to Alex T. Smith, author of Winston Saves Christmas (awesome Advent book read aloud!), it started as an Icelandic tradition during WWII. The story goes, that paper was one of the few things not being rationed. So, the people of Iceland, which were already known for their overwhelming love of books, started the most beautiful trade during the festive season! On December 24, they would give their loved ones books. Then, they would get together, and read their new books the whole night together while drinking hot chocolate. Jolabokaflod = “Christmas Book Flood.” Sounds amazing right?!
When I heard about this tradition last winter, I knew right away that I wanted to share this with my boys! We are going on Year 2 and I just know this is a favorite that will continue to come back around. In fact, my youngest son asked if we could do Jolabokaflod this past summer! I responded with an overwhelming YES! The best part of this tradition is you can make it your own and there really is no wrong way to interpret it. There are, however, a few things to keep in mind when planning this for your own family or friends: books (of course!) and keep it simple. There are neverending events and activities during this festive time of year, that it can be somewhat noisy. Take this tradition as a reminder to s l o w d o w n and embrace the calm when it finds you.
Here are the simplified steps that work for my family:
- Pick a date: For my family, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is packed with plans! So for us, we go with the evening of December 23 (Christmas Eve Eve!). Yet, we keep it flexible in case something does come up that night.
- Remember the Books: The first year we did this, we simply gathered some of our favorite books already in our house, brought them down to the living room, and put our stash next to each of our spots. This year though, we decided to pick names and we are going to go to a local book store together, and choose books for our book trade. We will then wrap them and when it’s Jolabokaflod, we will give our book gifts and start reading! Sort of a Secret Santa exchange, book style.
👉Support a local Metro Detroit Bookstore
👉buy discounted used books online from Thrift Books
- Get Cozy: Choose a space in your home where everyone can have their own reading nook. Add blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, and all the coziness you can find! Light the fireplace or find a fireplace to stream on your TV, which is just as good as the real thing and less mess.
- Add Snacks: For my family, we do Jolabokaflod after we have had dinner. So this is the perfect time for light snacks and desserts. We sip hot cocoa and nibble from our own version of a snack charcuterie board (pretzels, marshmallows, chocolate, and crackers).
- Last but not least, READ: Read together or read separately. Or do a little bit of both! Enjoy the silence, enjoy the snacks, and most of all, enjoy the books in the company of your loved ones.
Merry Jolabokaflod to all, and to all, a Happy Book Flood night!
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