Jólabókaflóð - the Christmas book flood

Inspire cosy, winter reading

Flood your school with books and reading for pleasure this year by holding your own Jólabókaflóð.

This is a fabulous Icelandic Christmas tradition which roughly translates as 'Christmas book flood'. On Christmas Eve, people exchange gifts of books and then read them straight away, snuggled up in front of the fire, drinking hot chocolate and enjoying festive treats. What a cosy idea!

This free members' resource will help you to think about how to use this idea to promote reading for pleasure this winter.

Bring the magic of Jólabókaflóð to your classroom!

Inspired by the Icelandic tradition of exchanging books on Christmas Eve, Jólabókaflóð is all about creating a cosy, festive reading experience for any age group. At a time when reading for pleasure among young people is at its lowest in 20 years, this activity offers a calm, joyful way to reignite a love of books.

By giving pupils the freedom to choose what they read and making it feel special, you will turn reading into a treat rather than a task. Our resource provides simple steps to help you adapt this tradition for your setting and make winter reading something to look forward to and enjoy.