Celebrate Jolakokaflod In Glasgow Dec. 23

The premise is simple: Gift A New Book To Someone You Love.

The Sean R. Heavey Gallery and the Loaded Toad will be hosting Jolakokaflod in Glasgow on Saturday, Dec. 23, starting at 2 p.m. Organizers of the event ask attendees to bring a wrapped book, new or gently used with chocolate attached to the book. This event is open to all ages and reading levels.

Jolakokaflod is one of the most unique and charming Iceland Christmas traditions celebrated on Christmas Eve. Jolakokaflod translates into “Christmas Book Flood” with the tradition of giving or receiving new books on Christmas Eve. Not only is the tradition about giving but it’s also about reading!

This book-gifting tradition dates back to World War II, when paper was one of the few items you could actually find in abundance. Given that other products and gifts were few and far between, Icelanders made the best of the situation and gave each other books to enjoy.

In addition to spending Christmas Eve tucked in with a good book, Icelanders will often enjoy hot chocolate or jolabland, a non-alcoholic holiday ale, with their page-turners.

Books for this event can be purchased locally at 5th Avenue Pharmacy and Gift, Red Barn Gifts, Children’s Museum, Western Drug, Mary’s Mercantile, Caring Hands, Inc. Thrift Store, the Glasgow City-County Library and the Valley County Pioneer Museum.