Icelands christmas eve tradition of giving books will. This tradition is known as jolabokaflod, which translates roughly to christmas book flood in english. The world is embracing iceland s jolabokaflod christmas eve tradition, where friends and family give books as gifts, then settle in for a night of reading, often with a cup of hot chocolate. The practice of giving gifts during christmastide, according to christian tradition, is symbolic of the presentation of the gifts by the three wise men to the. The publishing world is at its busiest in the months leading up to christmas. Books have been the christmas gift of choice in this small nation for decades.
Many of the festivities are related to ancient norse traditions, while others tie in to the christian calendar, even though nowadays most icelanders celebrate these events in a secular way. Icelanders have a beautiful tradition of giving books to each other on. Like those in iceland who exchange christmas books and enjoy mouthwatering chocolates around the fireplace with friends and family. Jolabokafloobook flood an icelandic christmas tradition. If you book this tour during your stay in reykjavik, i promise you. This tradition is the reason for the word jolabokaflod, or christmas book flood. The book flood tradition, according to the reykjavik grapevine s hildur knutsdottir, dates to world war ii, when strict currency restrictions limited the amount of imported giftware in iceland. Icelands book and chocolate tradition is the perfect way. But in iceland, the best christmas gift is a book and it has been that way for decades. In iceland, there is a lovely tradition to gift books to each other on christmas eve and then spend the night before christmas reading.
Christmas in iceland eat your way through christmas treats. Christmas in iceland means a flood of books under the tree the jolabokaflod, or christmas book flood, is a muchloved tradition that has been celebrated in iceland since 1945. While decorated bread is also a tradition in quite a few countries, round, leafthin, deepfried cakes with patterns created by making cuts through the dough are not known anywhere else than in. Adopt jolabokaflod, which is icelands tradition of exchanging gift books with loved ones on christmas eve. The power of the written word is so significant to the citizens of the nordic island, that publishing companies there even hold an annual book drive for a very special national tradition that takes place every christmas eve. Publishers produce a holiday book catalog that goes to every home in the country and giving books for the holidays is a tradition that dates back to the period of austerity following world war ii when imports were severely limited. After i found out icelands christmas eve tradition, i didnt just want to adopt a new holiday tradition. Why iceland celebrates the coolest christmas tradition in. Christmas in iceland means a flood of books under the. Jolabokaflod is the icelandic tradition of reading books on christmas. In addition to spending christmas eve tucked in with a good book, icelanders will often enjoy hot chocolate or jolabland a.
This tradition began during world war ii once iceland had gained its. Christmas gifts are often exchanged on christmas day itself, december 25, or on the last day of the twelveday christmas season, twelfth night january 5. The icelandic christmas period is an intriguing mixture of religious practice and traditional folklore, beginning on 23 decemberand ending on epiphany, 6 january. Icelands christmas eve tradition of giving books will make you want to move there. The cozy icelandic christmas tradition youll want to steal.
Though christmas book flood does refer to the christmas eve gifting tradition, it also, more generally, refers to the months before christmas. The annual book flood tradition begins with a publishers. The holiday season starts off with the delivery of the bokatidindi, which is a catalogue of every single book published in iceland. The icelandic tradition of giving books on christmas eve if youre a lover of literature, you will want to add this idea to your holiday traditions. The beautiful icelandic tradition of giving books as gifts during the holidays by lindsay shapka in book list, culture, people i recently learned about a beautiful icelandic gift giving tradition that takes place every christmas. Jolabokafloobook flood an icelandic christmas tradition this is a yearly tradition of publishers publishing hundreds of titles of books from sept until dec that is where the name book. Each year, iceland celebrates whats known as jolabokaflo. If youre a book nerd like me, you lament the fact that many people view books as cheap, lazy, and even boring gifts. Christmas season starts when the first yule lad comes to town days before christmas eve, and finishes when the last one leaves town twelfth night. And from the moment the catalog arrives until christmas eve, all of iceland is gripped with bookbuying fever. Why iceland celebrates the coolest christmas tradition in the world.
This tradition began during world war ii once iceland had gained its independence for denmark in 1944. The tradition in iceland is that everyone must receive at least one book for christmas to take to bed on christmas eve along with some chocolates. The christmas eve bookgiving tradition is the culmination of a monthslong national literary celebration called jolabokaflo. Jolabokaflod is iceland s national holiday tradition. Iceland publishes more books per capita than any other country in the world, with five titles published for every 1,000.
There are so many books published before christmas in iceland, that its called a christmas book flood. The icelandic tradition of giving books as gifts on christmas eve so friends and family can read them that night. This tradition is known as jolabokaflod, which translates roughly to christmas. Book lovers will want to adopt this lovely holiday tradition, which melds literary and holiday pleasures into a single event. Thus begins icelands christmas eve book tradition of jolabokaflo. This tradition is part of a season called jolabokaflod the christmas book flood because iceland, which publishes more books per capita than any other country, sells most of its books between september and november due to people preparing for the upcoming holiday. The icelandic tradition of giving books as gifts on. Many families were unable to splurge on holiday gifts. The christmas traditions of iceland december has arrived, along with record breaking amounts of snow, turning reykjavik into a winter wonderland. Over in iceland, christmas eve is celebrated with something called jolabokaflod. To make the most of this many people enjoy relaxing in the sofa with a full stomach of.
In iceland, there is a beautiful tradition to gift books. From there, people begin to celebrate various christmas traditions, leading up to christmas day. And so, beginning in november, hundreds of books are released onto the market and the talk is all about books in the media. In iceland this is known as the christmas book flood.
It begins on the fourth sunday before christmas day, which is the sunday nearest november 30 and ends on christmas eve. The book in iceland is such an enormous gift, you give a physical book. In publishing, the holiday season is a time to look back and celebrate the most successful books of the year. Books are a common christmas gift in iceland, with dozens of new literature being published before each christmas. In the united states, popular holiday gifts come and go from year to year. And from the moment the catalog arrives until christmas eve, all of iceland is gripped with bookbuying. I think reykjavik is a beautiful city all year long, but christmas time, that is when this little city really shines. Like this beautiful christmas gift giving tradition in iceland. On christmas eve in iceland, its traditional to give books and then stay in to. Icelanders have several unique holidays and celebrate the more common ones in special ways. The icelandic name for this tradition is jolabokaflod, or the christmas yule book flood.
Iceland celebrates christmas unlike any other country in. Loosely translated as christmas book flood, jolabokaflod is a practice where everyone gives books on christmas eve, then spends the rest of the evening curled up somewhere cozily reading those books. The tradition is so intrinsic within the icelandic culture that the majority of books in iceland are sold between september and december in the christmas book flood or the jolabokaflod. Jolabokaflod is a wintertime tradition loved by icelanders across the world. Jolabokaflod icelands wonderful christmas book flood. In iceland, people spend christmas eve giving each other. Jolabokaflod started during world war ii, when paper was one of the few things not rationed in iceland. In iceland, the most popular christmas gifts arent the latest iproducts or kitchen gadgets. A good book is the gift that keeps on giving and nowhere is this sentiment truer than in iceland. Jolabokaflod involves giving books as presents on christmas eve. The cozy icelandic christmas tradition youll want to. Iceland might be the best place in the world to be a book loverand christmas in iceland might be the best time of year. Because of this, icelanders gave books as gifts while other.
Every year around christmastime, publishing houses across iceland unleash a deluge of new books on the marketplace and inundate bookstores with stacks of fresh titles for the holiday season. Celebrate christmas the icelandic way by immersing yourself in the cultural traditions and ageold folklore of our country. Iceland has the most lovely christmas eve tradition. Iceland has a decadesold gift giving tradition during christmas that is worth emulating in other countries. There they give books to each other on christmas eve and then spend the night reading, usually curled up under a cozy blanket while eating chocolate. Given that other products and gifts were few and far between, icelanders made the best of the situation and gave each other books to enjoy. As many countries do, iceland celebrates chrismas mostly with good food and gifts to loved ones, but unlike most countries that have a single father christmas santa claus character, icelandic children are fortunate enough to be. Christmas in iceland lasts for 26 days, from the 11th of december until the 6th of january, and iceland has santa clauses, or yule lads.
The icelandic trend of giving and reading books on christmas eve is. Advent is the beginning of the church year for most churches in the western tradition and iceland as well. In iceland, people spend christmas eve giving each other the gift of books. Icelanders have a beautiful tradition of giving books to each other on christmas eve and then spending the night reading. In fact, its the one time of year that we simply refuse to travel. Icelanders exchange books as gifts and then spend the. Literary iceland revels in its annual christmas book.
The beautiful icelandic tradition of giving books on christmas eve. Ready to shake up your familys christmas eve traditions. The beautiful icelandic tradition of giving books on. The book flood tradition dates back to world war ii, when iceland was struggling financially. The tradition is so intrinsic within the icelandic culture that the majority of books in iceland are sold between september and december in the christmas book flood or.
Updated 1222019 its no secret among friends and family that were nuts for christmas traditions, decorating our house from wall to wall and immersing ourselves in local holiday celebrations. Jolabokaflod is a favorite icelandic tradition that dates. These 20thcentury gift books follow from a tradition of sumptuous books given as holiday gifts. We offer a range of wonderful icelandic christmas gifts including sweaters, cardigans, and knitted accessories for the whole family, plus intricately detailed icelandic christmas ornaments and figurines based on the icelandic yule lads folk tales. Iceland s tradition of exchanging books on christmas eve then spending the evening reading them is bringing readerly inspiration to the world. Sometimes the biggest ideas can come from the smallest of places. But even we didnt know much about how christmas around the world is celebrated until we began researching this story. A christmas gift or christmas present is a gift given in celebration of christmas. Discover the origins of christmas traditions from around the globe, like caroling in australia, eating baklava in greece and celebrating sinterklaas in. Literary iceland revels in its annual christmas book flood. In september, the iceland publishers association mails a book catalog called the bokati. It signifies the time between september and december when the. Christmas traditions and celebrations around the world. Jolabokaflod, which translates roughly to christmas book flood in english, is the icelandic tradition of giving and receiving books at christmas.