Most of the titles in Iceland are published at the end of the year so under the tree we exchange the things that enrich us most: the books!
A river in flood, a flood, an avalanche and finally we are not talking about environmental disasters, but about books! This is precisely the Jólabókaflód (Jólabókaflóðið), which is the Icelandic tradition of giving books for Christmas. Most of the titles in Iceland are published in October and November and so under the tree we exchange the things that enrich us most: the books. Iceland is thus the best place in the world for booklovers and Christmas is the best time of the year here.
Jólabókaflóðið is not a term chosen at random, he (as well as his English counterpart Christmas Book Flood) has precisely this immense and powerful meaning: that of giving books by the ton! The magic word in fact derives from: jól (“Christmas”) + bók (“book”) and flóð (“flood, inundation”) and for more than half a century it indicates this beautiful habit of authentic gifts made with the heart.
This tradition took hold during World War II, in 1944, when Iceland gained independence from Denmark. Paper was one of the few non-rationed commodities at the time, and Icelanders developed a strong love of books, since other types of gifts were practically scarce. A love that was then translated into the custom of give books as a gift, so much so that, according to a study conducted by the University of Bifröst in 2013, half of the country's population reads at least eight books a year (so it is not surprising that Iceland is the third most educated country in the world after Finland and Norway) .
Every year since 1944, the Iceland Publishers Association has published a catalog - called Bókatíðindi (Book Bulletin) - which is sent to all families in the country in mid-November during the Reykjavik Book Fair and with which everyone orders the books to be found. under the tree by friends and relatives.
Packages are opened on December 24 and, by tradition, everyone reads freshly discarded books right away, often drinking hot chocolate or alcohol-free Christmas beer, jólabland.
In short, the small Nordic island, with its population of only 329 inhabitants, is extraordinarily literary and has a lot to teach us. They love to read and write and according to a BBC article, "the country has more writers, more books published, and more books read, per person, than anywhere else in the world" and one in 10 Icelanders will publish a book sooner or later.
Could it be this tradition that helped spread the magical seed of a book? We really believe so and why not start with us too? Starting this Christmas, let's spread the wonderful thing about giving away books!
The Icelandic Christmas Book Flood. #iceland #christmas # jólabókaflóðið pic.twitter.com/F6fKjOad3y
- Ragnar Jonasson (@ragnarjo) December 10, 2017
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