Reading Together: 3 Ways To Celebrate Jólabókaflóð (On Any Budget)!
Image: Morgane Le Breton on Unsplash
What's more magical than unwrapping a gifted book under the glow of holiday lights? Reading books together.
Did you know that books are the most popular Christmas gift in Iceland? This is due to the fantastic Icelandic tradition of Jólabókaflóð (‘Yule book flood,’ pronounced yo-la-bok-a-flot).
Each year, Icelanders gift each other books on Christmas Eve, before spending a warm and cozy 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 cozy experience can be enjoyed at any point over the holidays (or even after). From work commitments (the biggest thank you to everyone working in retail and service, you're all stars!!) to the difficulty of trying to get everyone in the same room at the same time, reading together is a wonderful way to connect over distances via video call and spend precious time together.
However you intend to share space and stories with loved ones over the holiday (or beyond), here are three of our favorite 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 latter 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. As a book collector on the lookout for specific titles and editions, I always have a list to hand for friends and family. 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 the books. Make sure to keep an eye out for local book swap fairs, too!
And if you're struggling to find the perfect bookish gift for Jólabókaflóð that's as unique as they are, click HERE to explore our Book Night(mare) Before Hex-mas Collection — a cozy experience designed for spooky book lovers and reading together. (Though please note: this limited set is almost sold out!) 🖤
That's a Wrap: The Perfect Bookish Gift
Still nursing that Halloween hangover? Us too. But as much as we may want to delay the inevitable, the holidays are just around the corner.
With November almost over, making sure you’re prepared is one of the best things you can do for your mental health during the countdown to the holidays…
It’s also the best thing for your wallet, ensuring you have time to hunt down deals, tailor your thrifting sessions, or create that special seasonal experience.
Some alarming statistics as we enter the 2024 holiday season:
The average UK household will spend £1,811.70 during the holiday period, which is a whopping 80% of the average monthly UK income.
3 in 5 people (58%) in the UK — that’s 31 million adults! — report receiving an unwanted gift at Christmas.
The total spend on unwanted gifts is estimated to be £1.27 billion.
46% of holiday shoppers still haven’t recovered from last year’s holiday debt.
Which is why books will always top my list as the perfect gift.
They’re easily tailored to interests, budgets, and can be recycled in a number of ways (from lending to regifting to donating).
Aside from their mindful, educational, and durable potential, they also encourage us to actively slow down and spend time on and with ourselves and loved ones. Whether you’re planning to do a simple book swap, arrange a themed thrifting challenge with family and friends, or craft a blind date with a book, creating a cherished bookish experience — much like the Icelandic tradition of sharing stories and space on Christmas Eve for Jólabókaflóð — is a beautiful way to spend the holiday.
Expressing your love and appreciation for that special someone by taking time and care when wrapping their gift is a huge part of curating the perfect cozy reading experience. Which is why we’re sharing our favorite book wrapping tutorial from Effective Spaces. Aside from the beautiful presentation, this method will have you wrapping bookish packages like a pro in no time. It also includes creating paper pockets (what every girl really wants) for you to fill with cards, tea, chocolate — whatever your bookish recipient desires!
Top tips
Double-sided tape is the key to creating that seamless finish.
We recommend 80 gsm wrapping paper to get the crisp lines just right.
And for that extra special touch, we love to decorate the paper with stickers (a fun way to hint at the theme or book title!)
And if you want to gift the perfect bookish experience — to yourself or the lucky horror-lover in your life — but don’t know where to start, click HERE to explore our Book Night(mare) Before Hex-mas Collection. 🖤
