How to Celebrate the “Icelandic Book Flood” with your family on Christmas Eve.

I think everyone on the internet is familiar with the Icelandic jólabókaflóð or the Christmas Book Flood. Since WWII, Icelanders began a tradition born of necessity really, in which they exchange books on Christmas Eve and then spend the remainder of the evening reading at home. Obviously the introvert in me is obsessed with all of this. I’m sure that social media has greatly romanticized and exaggerated this holiday but I’m there for it all the same.

This year we are celebrating jólabókaflóð in our home because it’s literally on my birthday and I said so. I ran the idea past my family and the kids were immediately on board. We decided that each person would buy a book for one other person so everyone is both buying and receiving a book.

Since we are a two kids + two adults situation, I decided that the kids would pick out a book for each other and Dan and I would do the same. I encouraged them to go to a used book store for their purchases but otherwise left them to figure out the rest. Dan and I had to take the kids to a bookstore to shop for each other because apparently 9 and 12 year olds can’t drive.

Because I’m literally obsessed with books, naturally I thought I’d share a few suggestions for the book lovers in your life. It’s not too late to pick up a book and start a Christmas book flood in your home, too.