Join The Christmas Book Flood At Yakima Valley Libraries

Our Yakima Public Libraries are fantastic. It's one of the last bastions of hope where you can walk in, enjoy yourself with some great media and aren't expected to pay anything.

Libraries are also a center for education and fun that invite everyone to have some fun.

Monday, December 22nd, Yakima Valley Libraries are welcoming everyone to a varieties of libraries throughout the Yakima Valley to help celelbrate an Icelandic tradition with a very unique name.

Welcome to Jolabokafloo!

It translates to Christmas book flood which was a tradition in Iceland during World War II as giving books as the primary gift one would give and receive.

With all the rationing that was going on everywhere in the world, paper was one commodity that wasn't rationed so Iceland made it a tradition that anyone would and could receive books for Christmas.

The gift exchange would usually happen Christmas Eve. The book gifts would be exchanged and then, per tradition, one would drink hot chocolate while enjoying their new book that evening.

The tradition remains alive and well at the Yakima Valley Libraries where you're invited to visit a library today as of writing this (I know it's not Christmas Eve, but they're all doing this Monday, December 22nd instead) and accept your free book and enjoy some hot chocolate.

These local libraries are doing this.

Get our free mobile app