Jolabokaflod

Gesundheit...and also get a book ASAP

Dec 23, 2025

I have not written for months; life and homeschooling have been incredible but hectic. However, we are entering the last days of the year, which are basically one long day where we eat too many cookies, snuggle nonstop, and watch A Muppet Christmas Carol over and over. IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!

The Joyful Dwelling is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a subscriber.

I read 53 books this year. I listened to about half of them on audiobook, and yes, that counts. I know this might seem like a lot or not that many, depending on your own reading habits and goals. I don’t say this to brag; I say this because I am pleasantly surprised. I have always loved reading. As a kid, a new book was the ultimate reward. My husband, Mr. Cantú, is a voracious reader who reads to learn. I read solely for the enjoyment of it. When we first had children, I read about raising them, and then homeschooling books took over our shelves. And then, as I dove into all things homeschooling, I forgot how much I loved to read. I read piles and piles of picture books for the kids, but forgot all about myself. I started getting book recommendations on YouTube, and then I checked out one of them from the library. And to my utter delight, I loved it. I read all the books by one author, then moved on to another. And 8 months later, I read 53 books.

This brings me to the beloved Icelandic tradition of Jolabokaflod. This tradition consists of gifting books to one another, and then cozying up on Christmas Eve to read all the livelong day, which is my new favorite day. We have been doing this very thing for a few days now. We have been reading aloud, or each taking a book to a different corner of our cottage to read silently. I am very excited because this year I found the last copy of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens in our library, and I intend to read it aloud to everyone, whether they like it or not. Tsh Oxenreider wrote about the week between Christmas and New Year’s, which is known in her family as the “Unweek”. I loved that idea so much that we will be adopting it, with the only thing on our agenda being reading. With an occasional walk or a movie. But mostly reading.

I am confident you have some books in your house you’ve been meaning to read, but if you don’t, fear not! Libby is the perfect app for you! It is free and has hundreds of ebooks and audiobooks. Hoopla and Audible are also online options that you can use. This is the perfect time to read an epic story, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Wingfeather Saga, The Green Ember, The Spinelight Saga, and Little Women, to name a few. There are so many options. If audiobooks are your jam, a new, celebrity-laden version of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is available on Audible. If you love David Tennant as much as I do, he narrates the How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell, and it is AMAZING.

C.S. Lewis said, “Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” Let this Christmas be that time for you and your family. Happy reading!!

From my family and I, have a very Happy Christmas and a beautiful New Year!