Felt like a good subject to cover christmas and new years in iceland. In iceland, the best christmas gift is considered a book. Christmas in iceland means a flood of books under the tree the. Literary iceland revels in its annual christmas book flood. Besides christmas preparations and christmas shopping there is another very icelandic facet to the time around the advent. P the fireworks displays on new years eve in iceland have to be seen to be.
Icelands christmas book flood encourages everyone to. One of my facebook friends just published a little snippet about jolabokaflod, the christmas book flood. In iceland, people spend christmas eve giving each other. The weeks surrounding christmas signify what is known as the book flood or book avalanche. The religiously observant andor traditional icelanders will attend mass. Icelands book tradition is the perfect addition to your. The tradition is part of a season called jolabokaflod, or the christmas book flood, because iceland, which publishes more books per capita than any other country, sells most of its books between september and november due to people preparing for the. They also imported a rich collection of stories, beliefs, and folklore concerning elves, fairies, trolls and other unseen, magical.
Books stores across the capital break out the bubbly and confectionary as they host lots of festive readings, poetry recitals and signings. Rather than stressing over what gifts to get picky family members who have everything, people in iceland are stressing over what books to purchase. The icelandic word translates roughly into english as christmas book flood and is pronounced yolabokaflot. From november, during the runup to the holidays, iceland s publishing companies release countless new titles in a beloved and exciting tradition known as the christmas book flood.
Christmastime is just around the corner, which means that, soon, icelandic publishing houses will be releasing hundreds of new titles onto the icelandic book market, commencing a unique tradition known as the jolabokaflo. Every christmas eve, iceland rides the cosy christmas book. In the months before christmas, there are a lot of books published and sold in iceland. If you book this tour during your stay in reykjavik, i promise you that you will be in the best hands regarding a personal tour and insight on typical icelandic christmas food. The holiday season is the black friday of the icelandic. About that icelandic book flood icelandic language blog. Books have been the christmas gift of choice in this small nation for. The time around christmas offers many challenges to the icelanders.
Iceland, christmas in article about iceland, christmas. Wow the whole experience from start to finish was more than excellent. In iceland, the best christmas gift is a book and it has been that way for decades. Christmas in iceland lasts for 26 days, from the 11th of december until the 6th of january, and iceland has santa clauses, or yule lads. Iceland celebrates christmas unlike any other country in. Eldborg, icleand do you want to travel in iceland for three months in the summer, moving every couple of weeks to new locations all around the country, working on environmental conservation projects, accessing remote and amazing places completely for free. The story behind icelands annual christmas book flood. Literary iceland revels in its annual christmas book flood icelanders are voracious readers. Its traditional to exchange books on christmas eve and spend the night reading them. Jolabokaflod christmas book flood recommending reading. Your essential guide to life, travel and entertainment in iceland.
The holiday season is the black friday of the icelandic publishing worldbut its not just. Icelands christmas book flood every book lovers dream. The majority of books in iceland are sold between late september and early november, just in time for the holidays. We are of course talking about the book flood of christmas.
The christmas book flood is a term used in iceland for the annual release of new books occurring in the months before christmas, as it is common to publish. You dont give ebooks here, bryndis loftsdottir, project manager, penninneymundsson bookstores said. Iceland publishes more books per capita than any other country in the world and the bulk of book sales happens at this time of year, with the publishing industry receiving something like 80 percent of its annual revenues in the approximately two months leading up to christmas. Books arent only being gifted this time of year, theyre being published and sold in such a slew that there is a name for it, jolabokaflod, or the christmas book flood. Thus begins icelands christmas eve book tradition of jolabokaflo what is jolabokaflo jolabokaflo. Christmas eve, which is the day before christmas day, is celebrated in many countries worldwide. Jolabokaflod, which translates roughly to christmas book flood in english, is the icelandic tradition of giving and receiving books at christmas. From booking a delivery slot, placing an order to delivery was faultless. Iceland gears up for the christmas book flood jolabokaflod is a concept book lovers the world over can embrace. They were from scandinavia and the celtic lands, and some researchers believe that they brought with them a midwinter festival called yule.
This special package allows you to experience icelands most spectacular gems in the south and west. Embrace icelands yule book flood this season and give your loved ones books to read on christmas eve. The jolabokaflod book campaign is about to announce itself to the global book trade. In a country that has the most books per capita in the world, publishers release a majority of these books between september and early november, just in time for the christmas book flood. Giving books is a longstanding holiday tradition in iceland, a nordic island nation with just over 330,000 inhabitants and a nearperfect literacy rate. Jolabokaflod sounds like the best way to spend the holidays. Theres a lovely tradition in iceland that i would love to see embraced here in the u. Volunteer in iceland, travel for free vagabond journey. A cherished staple of icelandic holiday festivities, the christmas book flood truly is a distinctive celebration of literacy that has a fascinating, yet. The jolabokaflod, or christmas book flood, is a muchloved tradition that has been celebrated in iceland since 1945. It refers to the countrys traditional publishing peak.
Icelands christmas book flood encourages everyone to indulge in an evening of reading. Many families were unable to splurge on holiday gifts. Every year around christmastime, publishing houses across iceland unleash a deluge of new books on the marketplace and inundate bookstores with stacks of fresh titles for the holiday season. Since iceland touches the arctic circle the circumstances are ideal to catch those dancing auroras during the winter days. The book in iceland is such an enormous gift, you give a physical book. The beautiful icelandic tradition of giving books on. Jolabokaflod icelands wonderful christmas book flood. Iceland pretty much closes down over the holidays, so if you are planning to visit over christmas it would be best to book a guided mulitday tour to avoid being stuck in your hotel with nothing to do or see for restaurant reservations over the holidays it would also be best to book now, since the few places available often book up months in advance. Delivers comprehensive content on all of the main topics of discourse in iceland at each time. Christmas in iceland whats on in reykjavik, iceland. The book flood tradition dates back to world war ii, when iceland was struggling financially.
Most of the published books in iceland appear in november and december. And they ask specifically about the tradition of the christmas book flood, which, though ive experienced it, i dont know that much about. Christmastime is just around the corner, which means that icelandic publishing houses release hundreds of new titles onto the icelandic book. It is a christian observance that falls on december 24 in the gregorian calendar. Christmas in iceland eat your way through christmas treats.
In iceland, there is a beautiful tradition to gift books. The icelanders and their big love of books guide to iceland. Each year, iceland celebrates whats known as jolabokaflo. The christmas book flood a beloved icelandic tradition news. Iceland during christmas iceland forum tripadvisor. In iceland, books are exchanged as christmas eve presents, then you spend the rest of. This tradition is part of a season called jolabokaflod the christmas book flood because iceland, which publishes more books per capita than any other country, sells most of its books between september and november due to people preparing for the upcoming holiday. Whats more, those frozen icelandic nutters have a tradition where people buy each other books for christmas and sit down to read them on christmas eve. In iceland, getting ready for the holiday season is synonymous with getting ready for book season. Jolabokaflod launches reading for pleasure competition at 12r prizes. Its when publishers flood the market with new or occasionally rereleased books, in time for christmas.
Here is our press release about a new competition to promote jolabokaflod christmas book flood, the 75yearold icelandic literary tradition. Iceland, christmas in the first europeans settled in iceland in the ninth century. Christmas has been celebrated in iceland for many centuries it is to celebrate the birth of jesus it is also called the festival of light because in iceland it is always very, very dark in this time of year shortest day of the year being 21th of december and people tried to have more light during the christmas festival. Travelers will enjoy a tailored selfdrive tour full of breathtaking sites and charming towns. Iceland celebrates christmas unlike any other country in the world sometimes the biggest ideas can come from the smallest of places. And historically, a majority of those books are sold between late september and november. Open, click below, to show more info ingimar explains why we christmas lights are such an important part of the icelandic culture.
Christmas in iceland is heaven for bookworms amreading. People generally take their books to bed along with some chocolate. In publishing, the holiday season is a time to look back and celebrate the most successful books of the year. This custom is so deeply ingrained in the culture that it is the reason for the jolabokaflod, or christmas book flood, when the majority of books in iceland are sold between september and. They are in fact visible in the capital of iceland that is reykjavik, as well as everywhere where the skies are clear. Christmas in iceland is an interesting experience as this country has many old traditions for celebrating christmas. We are in frankfurt between 1115 october 2017 to tell the world of books about. Reykjavik christmas lights living in iceland sonia. These books are then given as presents on christmas eve, and people spend the night sitting in.
Memrise in iceland, books are exchanged on christmas. Icelands biggest and most widely read tourist publication. The tradition is so intrinsic within the icelandic culture that the majority of books in iceland are sold between september and december in. In iceland, everyone settles in on christmas eve for jolabokaflod, or the christmas book flood, to. Christmas season starts when the first yule lad comes to town days before christmas eve, and finishes when the last one leaves town twelfth night. In iceland, there is a lovely tradition to gift books to each other on christmas eve and then spend the night before christmas reading. When i tell people i live in iceland, they usually ask me about rotten shark meat before moving on to one of my favorite subjects. Books have been the christmas gift of choice in this small nation for decades. The power of the written word is so significant to the citizens of the nordic island, that publishing companies there even hold an annual book drive for a very special national tradition that takes place every christmas eve. The decadeslong bookgiving ritual is called jolabokaflod, or the christmas book flood, when the majority of books in iceland are sold between september and december. Throughout this bustling and muchanticipated yearly event, bookstores across iceland resemble miniature concert venues, where icelandic authors of all genres read from and promote their latest work, transforming the holiday season into an. Twas the night before christmas, and all across iceland, every person was up reading, new books in their hands. This great boost in sales and publications around christmas, fueled by the icelandic tradition of buying books for christmas gifts, is what sustains icelands vibrant. I cant thank iceland enough, for providing such a perfect service to me and my family.
746 1195 267 711 432 1309 1121 988 79 198 862 906 1036 450 667 1334 325 1414 1360 432 1220 880 334 461 559 1385 457 1350 1033 1064 699 136 1193 1374 1284 1124 1431 445