Chocolate and a good book

Start the festive season with Jólabókaflóð

Iceland, the land of volcanoes, stunning landscapes, glaciers, an amazing Opera House, and a Cathedral built of concrete, all in all a wonderful place to visit. And if you’ve read the Icelandic Sagas you’ll know something of the rich history and culture of the Norse people who settled there between the 9th and 11th centuries. The Icelandic Parliament, Althing, is one of the oldest parliaments in the world, first meeting in 930.

Basilika Krists konungs Reykjavík

When we visited in 2012, we were lucky enough to experience Meat Soup Day on Skólavörðustígur (the first day of winter) in Reykjavík, where passersby can enjoy a taste of free kjötsúpa served in the street by local restauranteurs.

Another wonderful tradition is Jólabókaflóð, pronounced “YO-LA-BOK-A-FLOT,” this event can be translated to Yule Book Flood” in English which flood’ is celebrated on Christmas Eve and revolves around giving and receiving new books, often accompanied by hot cocoa, Icelandic chocolates, or even a special beer. The night is spent in the company of loved ones, reading and sharing stories.

It all began during WWll when paper was not rationed in Iceland, making books one of the few available and affordable Christmas gifts. 1944 saw the first publication of Bókatíðindi (the "Book Bulletin"), a Christmas book catalogue which was sent to every home, and to this day the official start to the holiday season begins with the delivery of the “Bokatidini” showcasing the (hundreds of) books released that year to every Icelandic home.

The Icelandic love of reading and “Jolabokaflod” has continued to grow each year; Iceland publishes more books per capita than any other country and sells the majority of these books between September and November as families prepare for their annual Christmas Eve book exchange.

If you love books and would like to start the festive season the Icelandic way, much closer to home, Hunstanton’s ‘by the book’ and ‘Write around the corner’ are hosting their Norfolk version of Jólabókaflóð on Friday 12th December from 7pm.

For more information call Adrian on 01485 522349.

Harpa Opera House in Reykjavik which opened in 2011