Book Flood for kids: why it matters

 

What is the Icelandic “Book Flood”?

In Iceland, the months leading up to Christmas are dominated by books. Publishers time their big releases for late autumn, and the new titles are all gathered into a catalog called Bókatíðindi (the Journal of Books), which is mailed to every household in the country. The arrival of this catalog is considered the official start of the Christmas season. (Wikipedia)

The idea is simple:

1. New books get released in a big pre-Christmas wave.

2. People use the catalog to choose which books to buy for friends and family.

3. On Christmas Eve, everyone exchanges books, makes hot chocolate (or Christmas ale), curls up, and spends the night reading. (Arctic Adventures)

No pressure to perform. No party small talk. Just warm socks, a blanket, something sweet to drink, and a new book.

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How did Jólabókaflóð start?

The tradition has roots in Iceland’s long literary culture. This is the country of the sagas: epic, centuries-old stories about families, feuds, and survival that helped shape Icelandic identity. Reading and storytelling have been baked into the culture since at least the medieval period. (Wikipedia)

But Jólabókaflóð as we know it dates back to the 1940s, during and just after World War II. Iceland had strict import restrictions and rationing. Most consumer goods were hard to get.

Paper, however, was not as tightly rationed.
That made books one of the few practical, available gifts. So people started giving more and more books at Christmas. It stuck. (Jolabokaflod)

In 1944, the first national book catalog was sent to households, and that annual “book flood” of new releases turned into a genuine phenomenon. (Wikipedia)

Today, a huge slice of Iceland’s yearly book sales happen in the lead-up to Christmas, and the tradition helps support a strong literary ecosystem for such a small population. (Smithsonian Magazine)

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What Christmas Eve looks like in Iceland

Obviously, every family does it their own way, but the pattern is familiar:

• Daytime: final errands, cooking, last-minute gift wrapping.

• Evening: families gather, exchange gifts… with books as the star of the show.

• Night: everyone disappears into their new reads, usually with hot chocolate, coffee, or jólabjór (Christmas beer) and plenty of snacks. (Arctic Adventures)

It’s quiet, cozy, and surprisingly social. You’re all reading separately, but together. People share favorite lines, talk about what they’re reading, or trade books later in the week.

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Why the Book Flood works so well

A few reasons this tradition hits so hard:

• It values time, not stuff.
  The “gift” isn’t just the book. It’s the hours of uninterrupted reading that come with it.

• It strengthens the book industry.
  Because so much holiday spending goes to books, publishers can afford to print more titles, including niche or experimental work that might not otherwise exist. (Smithsonian Magazine)

• It fits all ages.
  Kids with picture books, teens with fantasy or manga, adults with novels or nonfiction… everyone’s included.

• It cuts against the chaos.
  Instead of a loud, over-scheduled December, you get at least one night that’s intentionally slow, quiet, and analog.

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How to start your own “Book Flood” tradition

You don’t need Icelandic weather or citizenship to do this. You just need books and a bit of intention.

Here’s a simple way to steal the concept:

1. Pick your night.
   If Christmas Eve is already booked with family chaos, choose another evening in December and declare it your household’s “Book Flood Night.”

2. Make a mini book catalog.

   • For kids, lay out a few age-appropriate choices and let them “shop.”

   • For adults, swap wish lists ahead of time and stick to books only.

3. Wrap the books.
   Half the fun is unwrapping. Simple kraft paper, newspaper, or leftover gift wrap is fine.

4. Set the scene.

   • Cozy lighting

   • Blankets and fuzzy socks

   • Hot chocolate, tea, or mulled wine

   • Snacks that don’t make too much mess on the pages

5. Enforce a tech blackout.
   Phones on airplane mode, TV off. For one evening, stories come from paper, not screens.

6. Add your own twist.

   • Everyone reads aloud their favorite paragraph before bed

   • Create a family book log for each year

   • Swap books in January and keep the reading going

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Book Flood for kids: why it matters

For children, a tradition like this is more than cute aesthetics.

Regular shared reading:

• builds vocabulary and comprehension

• strengthens attention span and imagination

• creates secure, positive memories around books instead of screens

Pair that with the ritual of unwrapping a book, curling up together, and reading late into the evening, and you’re basically hard-wiring “books = comfort + love” into their brains. That association sticks.

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Final thought

Jólabókaflóð proves something simple:
you don’t need extravagant gifts or complicated plans to make the holidays magical. You just need time, warmth, and a good story.

This year, consider letting Iceland rub off on you a little. Pick a night. Wrap some books. Make hot chocolate. Turn off your phone.

Start your own Christmas Book Flood.