A few years ago, I stumbled across the Icelandic Christmas Eve tradition of Jolabokaflod. Loosely translated it means book flood. As I understand it, on Christmas Eve the Icelanders give each other books and spend the evening reading them. The internet tells me there is often hot cocoa and other chocolate goodies involved.
Why had I never heard of this?! As a card-carrying introvert, I can’t think of a better way to party. But there’s a problem. I love our current Christmas Eve traditions with the special wurst fried in butter, the carols we sing by cell phone light around the out of tune piano in our dim downstairs, the Christmas story, with hot chocolate and rich cookies made with more butter, then opening one gift. There is laughter and love and no one wants the night to end. But it must, because even though our only child is in her 30’s, Santa won’t come if we don’t go to bed. No, I wouldn’t change that for anything. But, I’d been wanting to find a gentle way to come down off the Christmas high, and starting a new tradition based on books and chocolate seemed ideal.
Our traditions for Jolabokaflod, are still developing. This year, will be our third and the first with the right name. I don’t know how I missed it when I first learned about the tradition, but I’m going to make sure we all know the right name of this holiday our of respect, and also because it’s really fun to say even if I am saying it wrong.
Our Jolabokaflod, Jolabokaflod, Jolabokaflod, wheee, is celebrated on the last Saturday in January. This gives us something to look forward to during the dark January days. Also, by this time I’ve worked through my annual spasm of eating right resolutions and have progressed through the stages of affirmations, determination, severe boredom, and have reached the stage of deep hostility and active rebellion. For everyone’s sake, it’s a good idea to give me some chocolate.
We celebrate at our daughter, Catherine’s house because she’s central and has a huge wonderful couch, with lots of soft blankets and two purring cats. She is also the queen of the charcuterie board and the only word for her chocolate spread is ispired. But first, anyone who wants to meets up at the Barnes and Noble nearby and pick out something to read for the afternoon. At first, we tried giving each other books but decided to get books we really wanted to read instead. Then, if we can, we donate books to local schools and charities. At party time we all meet in Catherine’s basement with our new books, or a book we’ve been wanting to read but haven’t been able to yet. We all bring chocolate treats and also a few non-chocolate to enable us to eat even more chocolate as we go.
We load our plates, make our hot chocolate with exactly the right add-ins, sprawl out on the couches, and take turns sharing the books we brought and why we’re excited abouit them. Last year we gave each other recommendations. Maybe this year we’ll share some of the worst books we’ve read or books we loved as children, or books we didn’t understand or books with great illustrations and so on. Then we read, and eat and smile at whoever is snoring until we fall unconscious ourselves. A few hours later, once we’ve all woken up, and had another snack, we say goodbye, happy with each other, well fed and with the awaiting pleasure of more chapters and more chocolate (there is always more) to come.
Happy Jolabokaflod!
Why had I never heard of this?! As a card-carrying introvert, I can’t think of a better way to party. But there’s a problem. I love our current Christmas Eve traditions with the special wurst fried in butter, the carols we sing by cell phone light around the out of tune piano in our dim downstairs, the Christmas story, with hot chocolate and rich cookies made with more butter, then opening one gift. There is laughter and love and no one wants the night to end. But it must, because even though our only child is in her 30’s, Santa won’t come if we don’t go to bed. No, I wouldn’t change that for anything. But, I’d been wanting to find a gentle way to come down off the Christmas high, and starting a new tradition based on books and chocolate seemed ideal.
Our traditions for Jolabokaflod, are still developing. This year, will be our third and the first with the right name. I don’t know how I missed it when I first learned about the tradition, but I’m going to make sure we all know the right name of this holiday our of respect, and also because it’s really fun to say even if I am saying it wrong.
Our Jolabokaflod, Jolabokaflod, Jolabokaflod, wheee, is celebrated on the last Saturday in January. This gives us something to look forward to during the dark January days. Also, by this time I’ve worked through my annual spasm of eating right resolutions and have progressed through the stages of affirmations, determination, severe boredom, and have reached the stage of deep hostility and active rebellion. For everyone’s sake, it’s a good idea to give me some chocolate.
We celebrate at our daughter, Catherine’s house because she’s central and has a huge wonderful couch, with lots of soft blankets and two purring cats. She is also the queen of the charcuterie board and the only word for her chocolate spread is ispired. But first, anyone who wants to meets up at the Barnes and Noble nearby and pick out something to read for the afternoon. At first, we tried giving each other books but decided to get books we really wanted to read instead. Then, if we can, we donate books to local schools and charities. At party time we all meet in Catherine’s basement with our new books, or a book we’ve been wanting to read but haven’t been able to yet. We all bring chocolate treats and also a few non-chocolate to enable us to eat even more chocolate as we go.
We load our plates, make our hot chocolate with exactly the right add-ins, sprawl out on the couches, and take turns sharing the books we brought and why we’re excited abouit them. Last year we gave each other recommendations. Maybe this year we’ll share some of the worst books we’ve read or books we loved as children, or books we didn’t understand or books with great illustrations and so on. Then we read, and eat and smile at whoever is snoring until we fall unconscious ourselves. A few hours later, once we’ve all woken up, and had another snack, we say goodbye, happy with each other, well fed and with the awaiting pleasure of more chapters and more chocolate (there is always more) to come.
Happy Jolabokaflod!