Reading Together: 3 Ways To Celebrate Jólabókaflóð (On Any Budget)!
Image: Misery (Castle Rock Entertainment and Nelson Entertainment, 1990)
What could be more magical than unwrapping a gifted book under the glow of holiday lights? Reading together.
The Victorian tradition of sharing spine-tingling ghost stories during the dark winter nights is a staple each year here at House of Leaves.
It’s not, however, the only seasonal bookish celebration we practice; we also partake in the Icelandic tradition of Jólabókaflóð (‘Yule book flood,’ pronounced yo-la-bok-a-flot).
Each year, Icelanders gift each other books before spending a warm and cosy evening exploring these new stories together — often while eating chocolate or drinking comforting mugs of delicious hot cocoa! It's a beautiful celebration of companionship, the love of storytelling, and the restorative power of reading.
While Jólabókaflóð is traditionally celebrated on Christmas Eve, this bookish experience can be enjoyed at any point over the holidays (or even after). We know it can be difficult trying to get everyone in the same room at the same time, but you can still make precious memories with loved ones. Even if you’re not physically together, reading together via video call is a wonderful way to connect.
However you intend to share space and stories with loved ones over the holiday (or beyond), here are three of our favourite ways to celebrate Jólabókaflóð...
What's Behind Book Number Three? Blind Date (With A Book)
Most booksellers offer mystery book packages, usually grouped by genre with a clue written or drawn on the wrapping. You can also support small shops online (in time for Christmas Eve, if you're quick!) via Etsy sellers or book subscription services. The former is our preferred method, as you usually answer a few questions to help the seller choose the perfect book (for you or your lucky recipient!) and you can also let them know what to avoid, including specific titles, which is so handy when it comes to avid readers! Plus, the books are more likely to be beautifully packaged and come with wee treats to enjoy while reading, such as tea and bookmarks.
Thrift Away
Not only is thrifting a great way to support your local charity shops, it's also a fun way to search for something unique. Always on the lookout for editions of beloved books to add to my collection, I also have a list to hand for friends and family (and have also seen Booktubers and their communities book hunt together in real time, which is awesome).
You can build on this by asking for reader profiles (genres, authors, tropes etc.) or by using amusing criteria to narrow down the search (such as colors, themes, and even the title's word count) to help you find that special gift. It's also a great opportunity to spend an afternoon with loved ones; I've made some of the most cherished (and hilarious) memories hunting for book treasure using silly criteria. And you never know, you could find a first-edition copy of The Hobbit...
Book Buying Ban? No problem...
If you don't want to spend any money at all, why not arrange a book swap over the holidays? It clears the shelves (making room for more books in the New Year...) and satisfies that book-buying itch without breaking any rules: win-win! Structure the swap by asking participants to provide suggestions as to what genres to bring, or discover something completely new by wrapping or allocating numbers to books, so you can pick at random. Make sure to keep an eye out for local book swap fairs, too!
If you’re not a member of your local library, or haven’t been in a while, check out what free bookish events they’re hosting over the holidays. In addition to seasonal child-friendly fun (from Christmas stories to crafts), there’s community, awareness, and educational events for all ages, including reading challenges and silent book clubs.
Your local library is a great way to source your Jólabókaflóð read for free, whether a pot-luck pick or reserving something on your wish list. If the library doesn’t carry the book you’re after, you can either request an inter-library loan (if it’s elsewhere in the network) or complete a short form submitting a book title for purchase consideration. We highly recommend the latter, especially for our own books — look out for our Hex Libris blog on supporting your local library (especially as a resource for writers — including accessing university libraries as an independent researcher) next year!
Until then, we wish you a restful, mindful, and safe holiday.
Take care and stay spooky,
Rebecca x
If you're struggling to find the perfect (last-minute!) bookish gift for Jólabókaflóð, click here to explore our Home for the HoL-idays Collection — a cosy experience designed for spooky book lovers and gifting books to read together. 🖤
The Munster Mansion bookmark, designed by Jessica Rose. One of a four-part set, created for fans for ‘60s and ‘70s horror, each bookmark is reversible with space for writing — ideal for gifting, annotation, recipe cards, and more…