Winter is the season of slowing. Of silence. In the United Kingdom, snow blankets the ground as animals sleep and nature sheds last year’s skin.
And yet, even as the world reminds us that this is a time to pause — to reflect, recharge, remake — this is the busiest period of the year.
Caught in the seasonal surge, we push ourselves to the limit to meet expectations and craft the perfect holiday. By unintentionally allowing the holiday to steal what little time we have to rest and regroup, we’re left even more exhausted (with depleted energy and cash reserves…) as we enter the New Year — a time when we should be rejuvenated and ready for the next chapter.
Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, the holiday period has such potential to be a spiritual experience: spending time with loved ones, getting outside and finding magic in the world again, and protecting your peace.
The simple truth is: you can’t do any of this without slowing down. Which makes the Icelandic tradition of Jólabókaflóð (‘Yule book flood,’ pronounced yo-la-bok-a-flot) so special: it involves the giving and receiving of books on 24th December, before spending the evening reading together in a group (usually with mugs of delicious hot chocolate).
Jólabókaflóð originated during World War II (1939–45). As paper was one of the few materials that wasn't rationed during this period, books became a valued gift in Iceland. The tradition was officially born in 1944 with the release of the first book bulletin, a catalog of new publications released in the months before the holiday, which continues to circulate today.
From the moment we learned about this tradition, it's been a seasonal staple at House of Leaves. Pairing perfectly with our beloved Victorian tradition of sharing spine-tingling ghost stories under the glow of holiday lights, Jólabókaflóð is a beautiful communal practice — a celebration of companionship, (horror) books, and the joy and restorative power of reading.
In the spirit of both traditions, we wanted to share this seasonal holiday with our wonderful Undead Community, so we’ve curated a very special festive Writual set, lovingly designed with readers in mind.
The set includes:
📖 keepsake bookmark exclusively designed by Jessica Rose
📓 sleek bespoke book sleeve
🫖 luxury vegan-friendly hot chocolate
🖤 and more!
Limited to just 15 sets, our reader-centric Book Night(mare) Before Hex-mas Collection is the perfect gift to create a Jólabókaflóð experience for a horror-loving friend… but if you want to keep it for yourself, we won’t judge!
This collection is intended to be a present — whether that's a promise to yourself to be more present, to give the joy of reading to loved ones, or a mixture of the two as you come together over the holiday to share space and stories.
It’s our intention to take this mindful practice of ritual reading into the New Year, and we hope you will too. No matter how stressful things get leading up to and over the holiday, remember to pause, protect your time, and be present.
We hope you’re taking care of yourselves and each other out there. Stay spooky. 🖤
The HoL Editorial Team