Christmas Traditions: Christmas Eve!

On By booksandbakes1In Books, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Jolabokaflod

Hello Festive Friends!

Happy Christmas Eve! I can’t quite believe it’s here. I absolutely love this time of year and what it stands for. For me, Christmas is about spending time with family and loved ones as well as time for reading plenty under a warm snuggly blanket with a hot beverage.

I’ve added a cheeky Polaroid of my beautiful Christmas tree to share with you all. There’s nothing more beautiful than a dressed tree, standing proud in all its glory. 🎄

My post today is all about Christmas traditions. Around the world people have different traditions for the Christmas season. In fact, before Queen Victoria’s reign we didn’t even celebrate Christmas in England. No one had even heard of Santa Claus or knew what a Christmas cracker was. Cards weren’t sent and it was seen as another working day. I marvel at how much it has changed.

We personally all have our own Christmas traditions which mean so much to each of us. What traditions do you have as a family? I decided this year to branch out into a new tradition from Iceland. My fellow book bloggers, this one is absolutely for you too!

Jolabokaflod, or the “Christmas Book Flood,” is from Iceland and is one of the most lovely traditions I think I’ve heard of. I stumbled across this earlier this year and decided instantly I wanted to do this. Icelanders give books to each other on Christmas Eve and spend the night reading the book they received. This tradition is deeply engrained in Icelandic culture. The majority of books in Iceland are sold between September to December as people prepare for the Christmas season. This is absolutely something I could go for.

I’m so inspired by this that I’ve decided Jolabokaflod is now part of my Christmas routine. I’m genuinely really excited about this! I really enjoyed picking out a book for someone to read specifically for this evening. I gifted a copy of Charles Dickens Great Expectations and in return I received Miss Marley by Vanessa LaFaye. Dickens is the perfect writer for this time of year so I’m looking forward to reading this A Christmas Carol spin off.

So, whilst I read my book, munch on some chocolates and await Christmas morning, I wish you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas. 🎅🏻🎄🤶🏻

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Big love to you all xx

37 thoughts on “Christmas Traditions: Christmas Eve!”

  9. Jolabokaflod–such a beautiful tradition. One of our traditions is having a family breakfast of “Christmas Crepes,” crepes topped with homemade raspberry sauce at our house. Our daughters are grown with families of their own now. When they were young, we went to Christmas Eve candlelight service and each opened one gift when we returned home. Christmas music played at home from Thanksgiving day through New Years day. Each year the girls and I would make ornaments for our tree and plenty of extras to give as gifts. This year we had a lovely Christmas with one daughter and her grown children. The others all live far away, so we phone one another. Hope your Christmas was bright and beautiful too and may your New Year be filled with blessings, Charley!

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    1. What beautiful and meaningful traditions. They sound just divine. I think it’s so important that we have these. These memories are what we carry with us for the rest of our lives. It sounds like your Christmas was truly lovely. Thank you so much for sharing your story with me. I really appreciate that. Christmas is magical time for all to be together. Happy New Year to you also. I wish you have a peaceful time. X

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  10. Merry Christmas, Books and Bakes! I love that tree and your new Icelandic tradition. What a nice idea to sit and read a book on Christmas Eve. I wish I could do that. Maybe it’s time for a change for me – skip the rushing around and have all my family members snuggle up with a book! I’m not sure I could get through all of Great Expectations in one night, though! Hope you have a wonderful new year!

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    1. I do feel I have set a rather difficult challenge with Great Expectations. I’d choose a much shorter book next christmas. But, I fell in love with the tradition and felt really like it was a perfect one for me! Your own tradition sounds like a lot of households! It’s perfect to just stop sometimes. Aw, Book Club Mom, I wish you all the very best for 2019. Xx

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      1. Same to you! My favorite part of the holidays is the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, when everyone is relaxed and there’s less pressure. And even though I have to work today, it’s a shortened shift and it will probably be quiet at the library (haha-shouldn’t it always be quiet at a library?) Happy New Year!

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  12. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, Charley! I loved learning about Jolabokaflod tradition … a new one to me and one I’d love partake in – apart from the fact we celebrate on Christmas Eve afternoon/evening with a big family party and for younger children Father Christmas visits! Btw Your tree looks amazing!! Wishing you a brilliant and happy 2019! 😀

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    1. Aw your own family tradition sounds just as lovely though. It’s very magical when there’s children around. I feed off their excitement and enthusiasm. I hope you had a really lovely family Christmas and you got lots of lovely presents!! X

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