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Welcome to Iceland—the 11th “Country of Christmas”!
I love books! As I read about unique cultural traditions of Christmas around the world, I learned that the people of Iceland also love books.
“People in Iceland will often exchange books on Christmas Eve, then spend the rest of the night reading them and eating chocolate. The tradition is part of a season called Jolabokaflod, or ‘The Christmas Book Flood.'”
Momondo
I would guess that the kids and adults in Iceland are reading a lot more than we are in the rest of the world.
“The Christmas Book Flood” also makes Christmas shopping easy!
Do you struggle, like me, to find gift ideas for your friends and family each year? Wouldn’t it be great if we could just give a book to each person?
As a result of this annual Christmas book exchange, Iceland publishes more books per capita than any other country. They sell most of them between September and November when the annual book catalog comes out in the fall.
Iceland also produces a lot of authors with “1 out of every 10 of the population here, have or will publish a book in their lifetime.“
The Uncorked Librarian
Iceland Christmas Symbols
Books aren’t the only Christmas symbol of Iceland.
“In the 13 days leading up to Christmas, 13 tricksy troll-like characters come out to play in Iceland. The Yule Lads (Jólasveinarnir or Jólasveinar in Icelandic) visit the children across the country over the 13 nights leading up to Christmas.”
Momondo
Every night, the children in Iceland place their shoes by the window, and a different Yule Lad—wearing traditional Icelandic costumes—visits them. In the children’s shoes, the Yule Lad will leave gifts for nice boys and girls and rotten potatoes for the naughty children.
I don’t know about you, but I know what I will find in my Christmas shoes this year—and it won’t be potatoes! It will be BOOKS!
Read this story about how one American mother planned her own Icelandic “Christmas Book Flood” with her family. What a great idea!
MERRY CHRISTMAS, Iceland!
—THE CULTURAL STORY-WEAVER
MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—“THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
LET’S WEAVE CULTURES!
What about you? What are some interesting Christmas traditions in your family or culture, or in other countries you have visited?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures”! Write about them in the comment box below.
