Sears Catalogs. JCPenney Catalogs. Does anyone remember those bulky books landing in the mailbox and the ensuing page turning while dog-earing the toy section? Dating myself with that admission, but I do remember those seasons.
If we take a trip back even further, in years and location, the youngsters in Iceland in the year 1944 flipped through the Bókatíðindi, or book catalog to choose titles for their Christmas gifts. Why books and not toys? Shortages of every sort resulted from WWII. While Iceland gained their independence from Denmark in 1944, even in their newly free existence, they did not have abundant resources. At the time, paper as an unrationed commodity allowed Iceland to produce books. The Icelandic book trade published the Bókatíðindi and sent it to each and every household in November, coinciding with the Reykjavik Book Fair. To this day, both the catalog and the book fair delight readers and fuel a tradition known as Jólabókaflóð, or Christmas Book Flood.
In researching this piece, I found varying opinions as to the validity of the history of this tradition. The consensus boils down to an opportunity for the publishing world to promote its products and consumers to embrace them while enjoying related holiday festivities. Think Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer – developed by a clever employee of Montgomery Ward Department Store. Now a household staple. Most who place a young buck with crimson nose on their tree, table, or Christmas sweater are not familiar with his origin. And yet, they embrace the nostalgia of a commercialized tradition. Or consider Elf on the Shelf – a social media phenomenon where the stakes are high for parents to live up to their children’s expectations of elf antics. This rather new tradition multiplied out of the book penned by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell in 2005. Each of these examples display creativity and now beloved holiday activities derived from marketing.
Multiple online sources exclaim the bookaholics abound in Iceland. According to statistics, nearly half the people read at least eight books per year. Curiosity reigned and a cursory web search yielded that conversely the median number of books read by each American is four per year. Though this number is skewed by bibliophiles or avid readers who devour gobs of books each year and the flip side of Americans who do not partake in pages at all. Perhaps Americans could join in on this tradition and up the ante?
Last year our youngest son and I decided to celebrate Jólabókaflóð after we both discovered social media posts extolling the event. We discussed, divided and conquered so to speak. Unbeknownst to my husband and our oldest son, we did a bit of recon to determine what types of books they each enjoy. Some research and a few carefully considered purchases later, we were on our way to our first book flood. Ah, and of course, the required accompanying chocolate hopped into our carts. Be still my heart. Seeking titles that our family members might like allowed us to draw closer and garner deeper understanding of our respective lives at the time. This was helpful as our children are grown and live miles apart. We all loved this new exchange and collectively agreed to continue in 2025. Half the fun is the hunt. Let the games begin. What shall they read this year?
So, dear readers, I share this Icelandic festivity with you so you might consider imparting with your friends or family. Search for a book you think they’ll fancy. Wrap it however you see fit. Attach a treat, chocolate perhaps. And spend some quality reading time with loved ones this Yule.
Gleðileg bókajól (Merry Christmas from the book world or Merry Bookmas)!
Rebecca lives near the mountains with her husband and a rescued dog named Ranger. She is a proud mom of an American soldier and an Aerospace grad student. If it were up to Rebecca, she would be traveling - right now. First up, trips to see their two grown sons. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, she tackles the craft of fiction while learning from a host of generous writers.
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