JÓLABÓKAFLÓÐIÐ
AN ICELANDIC CHRISTMAS TRADITION TO BE TREASURED
Catherine Lawson
Christmas is a time to embrace traditions. Wrapped up in the rituals of the season are moments which make memories; buying our tree on the first Saturday in December, making favourite foods to be enjoyed with the people we love, opening one present each on Christmas Eve… It’s through those traditions that we all make Christmas our own. And it’s all of those little things, when bound up together and wrapped in red ribbon, that make our Christmases glitter with magic.
Here in Scotland, our cultural traditions, like the rest of the UK, include listening to festive chart toppers on the radio from 1st November, hanging stockings on Christmas Eve, eating too much turkey, and listening to the King’s speech. There might be carol singing, tree felling, and mince pie making in between, depending on how we personally like to celebrate, but the point is this; no matter what shape or form they take, we all have those special, keenly anticipated things we do to acknowledge the season and all that it means to us.
Across the rest of the world, it’s no different. From making homemade advent calendars in Switzerland, to roller skating to Christmas mass in Venezuela, every country has its own traditions which thrill each generation. Our Scandinavian neighbours, however, have some of the most charming rituals which combine the religious significance of the season with traditional folklore charm and the beauty of living in a winter wonderland: in many ways they have the perfect Christmas package.
In Finland, families gather for a candle lit sauna as snow falls softly from a starry sky; it’s a ritual which cleanses body and soul ahead of a festive feast. In Norway, children leave porridge for the Nisse – a white-bearded, red-hatted spirit from Nordic folklore who protects and helps families, unless he’s ignored… And in Denmark, families dance around Christmas trees decorated with stars, hearts and candles, singing songs as the scent of fresh pine fills the air.
It’s in Iceland, however, that one of the most universally loved Scandinavian traditions can be found: Jólabókaflóðið (Christmas Book Flood). In this cosy ritual, families and friends exchange books on Christmas Eve which they open and read by the fire with their loved ones; it’s a peaceful time of togetherness and the very definition of hygge. As traditions go this one is relatively modern, dating back to 1944: paper was one of the few products left unrationed during the war and so books became Christmas gifts of choice.
A love of literature has always been deeply ingrained in the Icelandic culture and so it was no surprise that celebrating the joy of books became such an important part of the festivities. As a nation of avid readers and writers they boast a 100% literacy rate rooted in a proud cultural heritage which cherishes the role of books in learning and life. Reading together on Christmas Eve is a reflection of that value, the soft rustle of turning pages and the warmth of unwrapped words weaving the past into the present. Far from being a solitary activity, reading together in companionable silence with family and friends is one of the most treasured times of the season.
It isn’t the books alone that make the moment, though, even if they are at the heart of this comforting tradition. Equally important is the gifting and sharing of chocolate whether in bars or in mugs. Sweet treats might not have been part of the original Jólabókaflóðið experience, but they have become increasingly popular, chocolate being a natural companion to a good book. And let’s face it, can there really be anything more glorious in the midst of the festive rush than a welcome reprieve by the warmth of the fire, with those you love, as you lose yourself in the quiet magic of words and the slow melting sweetness of chocolate? It’s there, in the sharing of those unfiltered moments, that we might just find the meaning of Christmas.
