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Christmas Book Flood • Reading for Pleasure

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DAY 22 — The Last-Minute Book-Giver’s Guide

Jolabokaflod Advent Calendar 2025

There comes a point every December when the mood shifts.

The lists are shorter. The days are fuller. The sense of “I should have done this earlier” hums quietly in the background. And yet — this is often when book-giving becomes most intuitive.

Because when time is short, instinct takes over.

Last-minute book-givers tend to worry that haste leads to poor choices. But I’ve noticed the opposite. When we stop overthinking, we often choose better. We reach for books that feel right rather than ones that look impressive. We think about the person, not the prestige.

The secret to last-minute book-giving is not speed.

It’s matching.

Instead of searching for “the best book”, we look for the right kind of book — something that fits a personality, a mood, a way of moving through the world. Once you do that, the decision becomes surprisingly calm.

Today, on Day 22 of our Jolabokaflod Advent Calendar, I invite you to let go of the pressure and use this simple guide. No trawling. No panic. Just thoughtful shortcuts.

🎁 The Jolabokaflod Last-Minute Book-Giver’s Guide

For the Comfort-Seeker
Choose gentle fiction, reflective non-fiction, or familiar favourites.
Look for: warmth, kindness, reassurance.

For the Curious Thinker
Idea-led non-fiction, essays or books that invite reflection without heaviness.
Look for: curiosity, clarity, quiet depth.

For the Escapist
Immersive novels, rich worlds, strong atmosphere.
Look for: transport, absorption, momentum.

For the Reluctant Reader
Short books, clear voices, emotional immediacy.
Look for: accessibility, brevity, early rewards.

For the Aesthetic Lover
Beautiful hardbacks, illustrated books, elegant editions.
Look for: design, tactility, visual pleasure.

For the Nostalgic Soul
Classics, childhood favourites, seasonal rereads.
Look for: familiarity, memory, emotional resonance.

You don’t need to get it perfect. You just need to get it close. Books are generous that way — they meet the reader halfway.

📚 Today’s Reading Picks — “Last-Minute Book Wins”

Reliable, widely loved books that suit many readers:

You can explore the full Advent Calendar titles here:
👉 Explore the Advent Calendar collection on Bookshop.org

And if you’re choosing under time pressure:
👉 Visit the Giftable Hardbacks Shelf

  1. Journey — Dorling Kindersley: An illustrated history of the world’s greatest travels
  2. Jurassic World: The Ultimate Visual History — James Mottram: Definitive collector’s book, a must-have for fans of the action-packed dinosaur saga
  3. National Geographic Ultimate Visual History of the World — Jean-Pierre Isbouts: Here, in vivid colour and crisp narrative, is the sweeping story of the history of civilisation
  4. The Wonder of Life on Earth — Henry Gee: Astonishing and readable natural history giving an accessible introduction to the topic of life.
  5. The Illustrated World of Tolkien — David Day: Exquisite reference guide to Tolkien’s world and the artists his vision inspired.
  6. The Work of Art — Adam Moss: Guided tour of what goes on inside an artist’s head.
  7. The Natural History Book — Dorling Kindersley: Beautiful guide to Earth’s wildlife and natural history, including its rocks, minerals, animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms.
  8. Information is Beautiful — David McCandless: Visual guide to how the world really works, through stunning infographics and data visualisations
  9. Animalium — Jenny Broom: Rich, informative and truly wonderful cabinet of curiosities beautifully displayed in this imaginative book
  10. The Book of Symbols. Reflections on Archetypal Images — Taschen: Sets new standards for thoughtful exploration of symbols and their meanings
  11. The Illustrated Brief History Of Time — Stephen Hawking: Bring theories to life in a clear, captivating and visually engaging way
  12. The Secret Lives of Colour — Kassia St Clair: Excellent, innovative and idiosyncratic cultural history that will colour your thinking
  13. Atlas of the Invisible — James Cheshire and Oliver Uberti: Discover the hidden patterns in human society as you have never seen them before — through the world of data
  14. The Book of Trees: Visualising Branches of Knowledge — Manuel Lima: Stunning visual maps showing how humans organise knowledge.
  15. The Planets — Andrew Cohen and Brian Cox: Visually striking and intellectually generous.

If you’re giving a book today or tomorrow, trust yourself.
The fact that you’re choosing a book at all already says something generous.

And often, the gifts chosen in the quiet urgency of the final days
are the ones remembered most warmly.


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DAY 18 — Before You Wrap It: Your Own Reading Ritual

Jolabokaflod Advent Calendar 2025

Before the paper.
Before the ribbon.
Before the gift disappears beneath the tree.

There is a small, almost secret ritual I’ve come to treasure at this time of year: opening a book before it is wrapped.

Not to read it properly. Not to spoil anything. Just a page or two. Enough to meet the voice. Enough to sense the weight of the story. Enough to understand what kind of companion this book might become for the person who will receive it.

I started doing this accidentally one December evening while preparing gifts late at night. A book lay open on the table, waiting. I read the first paragraph. Then the second. Then I stopped — not because I wasn’t enjoying it, but because I’d seen enough. The book had introduced itself. And suddenly, wrapping it felt different.

Because once you’ve read even a fragment, you’re no longer giving an object.
You’re giving a relationship.

Books are unusual gifts in that they carry more than we can see. They contain moods, voices, pacing, silences. Reading the opening pages allows us to sense whether a book is gentle or bracing, playful or reflective, expansive or intimate. It helps us give with intention rather than guesswork.

This ritual does something else too. It slows the moment down.

In a season full of haste — last orders, final lists, hurried errands — opening a book quietly before wrapping it feels almost radical. It turns gift-giving into a pause rather than a task.

Today, on Day 18 of our Jolabokaflod Advent Calendar, I invite you to try it. Before you wrap a book this year, read just enough to understand why you chose it. Let that understanding travel invisibly with the gift.

🎁 Today’s Reading Picks — “Before You Wrap It” Books

Beautiful, gift-worthy books that reward even a few pages:

These are books where the opening pages already feel like an offering.

You can explore the full Advent Calendar titles here:
👉 Visit the “Advent Calendar” collection on Bookshop.org

And if you’re gathering ideas for thoughtful presents:
👉 Visit the Giftable Hardbacks Shelf

  1. Journey — Dorling Kindersley: An illustrated history of the world’s greatest travels
  2. Jurassic World: The Ultimate Visual History — James Mottram: Definitive collector’s book, a must-have for fans of the action-packed dinosaur saga
  3. National Geographic Ultimate Visual History of the World — Jean-Pierre Isbouts: Here, in vivid colour and crisp narrative, is the sweeping story of the history of civilisation
  4. The Wonder of Life on Earth — Henry Gee: Astonishing and readable natural history giving an accessible introduction to the topic of life.
  5. The Illustrated World of Tolkien — David Day: Exquisite reference guide to Tolkien’s world and the artists his vision inspired.
  6. The Work of Art — Adam Moss: Guided tour of what goes on inside an artist’s head.
  7. The Natural History Book — Dorling Kindersley: Beautiful guide to Earth’s wildlife and natural history, including its rocks, minerals, animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms.
  8. Information is Beautiful — David McCandless: Visual guide to how the world really works, through stunning infographics and data visualisations
  9. Animalium — Jenny Broom: Rich, informative and truly wonderful cabinet of curiosities beautifully displayed in this imaginative book
  10. The Book of Symbols. Reflections on Archetypal Images — Taschen: Sets new standards for thoughtful exploration of symbols and their meanings
  11. The Illustrated Brief History Of Time — Stephen Hawking: Bring theories to life in a clear, captivating and visually engaging way
  12. The Secret Lives of Colour — Kassia St Clair: Excellent, innovative and idiosyncratic cultural history that will colour your thinking
  13. Atlas of the Invisible — James Cheshire and Oliver Uberti: Discover the hidden patterns in human society as you have never seen them before — through the world of data
  14. The Book of Trees: Visualising Branches of Knowledge — Manuel Lima: Stunning visual maps showing how humans organise knowledge.
  15. The Planets — Andrew Cohen and Brian Cox: Visually striking and intellectually generous.

This Christmas, let yourself read just a little before you give.
Let the book speak — briefly — in your hands.

Then wrap it carefully,
knowing exactly what kind of story you are sending out into the world.


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DAY 12 — Letters to Santa About Books

Jolabokaflod Advent Calendar 2025

At some point in adulthood, many of us quietly stop making wish lists.

We become practical. Sensible. Self-reliant. We buy what we need, make do with what we have, and reserve longing for things that feel more justifiable than desire. But winter — especially December — has a way of loosening that restraint.

And books, perhaps more than anything else, invite us back into wishing.

I like to imagine what an adult letter to Santa about books might look like. Not the breathless lists of childhood, but something softer. Slower. A note written by someone who knows themselves a little better now.

It might say:

Dear Santa,
This year, I’d love a book that makes me feel less rushed.
Or one that reminds me who I was before life got so loud.
Something beautiful enough to keep, not just read.

Books make perfect wishes because they are allowed to be unnecessary. They don’t have to improve us, optimise us, or solve anything. They are permitted to exist purely for delight — for the pleasure of weight in the hands, paper under the fingers, words waiting patiently inside.

That’s why gift-worthy books matter. Not just because they look beautiful under the tree, but because they send a message:

You are allowed to want something gentle.

Today, on Day 12 of our Jolabokaflod Advent Calendar, I invite you to indulge in a little imaginative generosity — whether for yourself or for someone else. Write a mental letter to Santa. What kind of book would you ask for if practicality weren’t in charge?

🎅 Today’s Reading Picks — “Letters to Santa” Books

Beautiful, comforting, wish-worthy books that feel special to receive:

These are books that feel like they’ve been chosen with care — because they have been.

You can explore the full Advent Calendar titles here:
👉 Visit the “Advent Calendar” collection on Bookshop.org

And if you’re gathering ideas for thoughtful gifts:
👉 Visit the Giftable Hardbacks Shelf

  1. Journey — Dorling Kindersley: An illustrated history of the world’s greatest travels
  2. Jurassic World: The Ultimate Visual History — James Mottram: Definitive collector’s book, a must-have for fans of the action-packed dinosaur saga
  3. National Geographic Ultimate Visual History of the World — Jean-Pierre Isbouts: Here, in vivid colour and crisp narrative, is the sweeping story of the history of civilisation
  4. The Wonder of Life on Earth — Henry Gee: Astonishing and readable natural history giving an accessible introduction to the topic of life.
  5. The Illustrated World of Tolkien — David Day: Exquisite reference guide to Tolkien’s world and the artists his vision inspired.
  6. The Work of Art — Adam Moss: Guided tour of what goes on inside an artist’s head.
  7. The Natural History Book — Dorling Kindersley: Beautiful guide to Earth’s wildlife and natural history, including its rocks, minerals, animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms.
  8. Information is Beautiful — David McCandless: Visual guide to how the world really works, through stunning infographics and data visualisations
  9. Animalium — Jenny Broom: Rich, informative and truly wonderful cabinet of curiosities beautifully displayed in this imaginative book
  10. The Book of Symbols. Reflections on Archetypal Images — Taschen: Sets new standards for thoughtful exploration of symbols and their meanings
  11. The Illustrated Brief History Of Time — Stephen Hawking: Bring theories to life in a clear, captivating and visually engaging way
  12. The Secret Lives of Colour — Kassia St Clair: Excellent, innovative and idiosyncratic cultural history that will colour your thinking
  13. Atlas of the Invisible — James Cheshire and Oliver Uberti: Discover the hidden patterns in human society as you have never seen them before — through the world of data
  14. The Book of Trees: Visualising Branches of Knowledge — Manuel Lima: Stunning visual maps showing how humans organise knowledge.
  15. The Planets — Andrew Cohen and Brian Cox: Visually striking and intellectually generous.

This season, you don’t have to justify your wishes.
You don’t have to explain why a book feels necessary.

Sometimes, it’s enough to say:
I would love this.

And let the rest take care of itself.


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DAY 10 — Gifts for People Who Don’t Read… Yet

Jolabokaflod Advent Calendar 2025

Almost everyone says the same thing at some point:
“I wish I read more.”

It’s rarely a lack of intelligence or curiosity that keeps people from reading. More often, it’s memory. Or intimidation. Or the quiet belief that books require more time, effort, or stamina than modern life seems willing to give.

Many so-called “non-readers” are not anti-books at all. They are simply waiting for the right doorway.

I was reminded of this one Christmas when I gave a book to someone who insisted they “never finished novels.” I chose carefully — something short, welcoming, lightly paced, and emotionally generous. Months later, they mentioned it casually. They’d read it in two sittings. Then another. Then another. The problem had never been reading. It had been entry.

That’s the gift-giver’s quiet power:

Choosing a book that lowers the threshold.

Books for hesitant readers do a few things exceptionally well. They begin quickly. They speak clearly. They reward attention early. They don’t demand patience before offering pleasure. And most importantly, they don’t make the reader feel inadequate for not already being “a reader”.

Today, on Day 10 of our Jolabokaflod Advent Calendar, I invite you to think about the people in your life who might secretly want to read more — and to give them a book that says, gently:

You’re welcome here.

🎁 Today’s Reading Picks — “Books for Non-Readers (Yet)”

Friendly, inviting books that often spark a reading habit:

These books don’t overwhelm. They open doors.

Explore today’s curated shelf here:
👉 Visit the “Books for Non-Readers (Yet)” collection on Bookshop.org

And if you’d like even more gentle starting points:
👉 Visit the Reading-for-Pleasure Starter Shelf

This Christmas, you might not just be giving a gift.
You might be giving someone their first real reading memory.

And that can change more than we realise.


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Valentine’s Day: receiving books from your beloved

ibgd-poster If books be the food of love, read on: sharing books with the people in your life

Part 3: receiving a book

As the Book Bulletin online catalogue crowdfunding campaign for reading recommendations and gift suggestions comes to an end on International Book Giving Day (also known in some quarters as ‘Valentine’s Day’), Christopher Norris from the Jolabokaflod Book Campaign asked friends, fans and followers of the initiative how they would feel about exchanging books with significant others on 14 February.

How would receiving a book as a gift on Valentine’s Day make you feel?

Hannah Bellamy, CEO, United Way Reading Oasis: Understood

Catherine Clover, author, forthcoming multimedia Aldus Cervus series: Having been given children’s books by my parents on Valentine’s Day when I was young, I know what a blessing it is to have such an intimate and lasting token of their love. To this day, when I read the Valentine inscriptions written lovingly in my now deceased mother’s hand, it makes me feel so connected to her. I feel that there is nothing greater to bring us together with our loved ones than sharing a bound copy of a book!

Andrew Haywardether, Managing Director, Ether Books: When I am the recipient of a book, I find that often my friends are pushing me out of my comfort zone, and that has to be a good thing!

Jessica Norrie, author, The Infinity Pool: Much better than receiving chocolate-cream-filled profiteroles with pink, sugar hearts or any of the other sickly things on sale at this time of year!

Lesley Pollinger, author and Literary Executor and Trustee for the Estate of Frieda Lawrence Ravagli: Loved (and probably stunned!).

Nick Quantrill, crime writer and Hull Noir 2017 team, international crime writing festival: Books can be such a personal thing, so receiving a book you’ll really enjoy shows a genuine connection with your loved one. I’d be delighted to receive a book and think it would be a fine tradition to initiate.

Yrsa Sigurðardóttiryrsa-helmet, award-winning author: Again, absolutely marvelous and I hope my husband reads this.

Hildur Sif Thorarensen, author, Einfari: Very good. I love books. I love educational books. I love crime novels. I love all sorts of interesting reading material.

Karen Sullivan, Founder and Publisher, Orenda Books: I always have a book wish list on the fridge, and receiving a book as a gift on Valentine’s Day would be the most perfect gift – enabling me to be transported, indulge in my favourite activity: reading.

Victoria Wicks, actress, granddaughter of H E Bates: I’d be pretty thrilled to get anything on Valentine’s Day!

How would you summarise the idea of giving and receiving books on Valentine’s Day?

Anonymous advertising executive: A book is a really thoughtful gift because it shows that you know the person inside

Gill Paulicon-gill-paul, author, historical fiction: Flowers and chocolates are lovely, but impersonal and impermanent. To choose a book for someone else requires thinking about who they are, what they enjoy, the very heart and soul of them. And while flowers wither and chocolates get eaten (fast), that book will last for life

Christopher Norris is the Founder and Curator of the Jolabokaflod Book Campaign (twitter: @Jolabokaflod). There is still time to make a contribution to the Book Bulletin cause and receive promotion for you and your passions, projects and interests. Please give generously by 14 February 2017.

 

 

 


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Valentine’s Day: giving books to your beloved

hug-book-loveIf books be the food of love, read on: sharing books with the people in your life

Part 2: giving a book

As the Book Bulletin online catalogue crowdfunding campaign for reading recommendations and gift suggestions comes to an end on International Book Giving Day (also known in some quarters as ‘Valentine’s Day’), Christopher Norris from the Jolabokaflod Book Campaign asked friends, fans and followers of the initiative how they would feel about exchanging books with significant others on 14 February.

How would receiving a book as a gift on Valentine’s Day make you feel?

Hannah Bellamy, CEO, United Way Reading Oasis: No book is the same. I give to offer advice, adventure, comfort or amusement. When someone is suffering and I don’t know how to help, I send a book.

Catherine Clovercc-white-hart, author, forthcoming multimedia Aldus Cervus series: For a child in my life I can think of nothing better than to give them a book from a favorite series they are reading, or a book of poetry.

Andrew Hayward, Managing Director, Ether Books: I love fitting books to people, finding a subject they like and hopefully getting a new fan for the author. If I find people who have an interest in Germany, both during the war and post war I always give them a copy of a Philip Kerr, Bernie Gunther book. So far, everyone has enjoyed him and bought the rest of the series

Jessica Norrie, author, The Infinity Pool: I would enjoy browsing for something that expressed love elegantly and spiritually and with humour. Or that specifically reflected the relationship I was celebrating.

Lesley Pollinger, author and Literary Executor and Trustee for the Estate of Frieda Lawrence Ravagli: Loving, and with thought for the recipient.

Nick Quantrillhull-noir-2017, crime writer and Hull Noir 2017 team, international crime writing festival: As a book lover, I know such a gift would be well-received, so it’d be a genuine pleasure to buy the perfect book.

Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, award-winning author: Absolutely marvelous. A book is a gift that requires thought and insight and is reserved for those close to your heart, be it lover, relative or friend. People don’t give books to someone they don’t like.

Hildur Sif Thorarensen, author, Einfari: It would make me happy if I found a good book that is up my boyfriend’s alley.

Karen Sullivan, Founder and Publisher, Orenda Books: I always give books as gifts, and they are powerful conveyors of emotion and affection. On Valentine’s Day, this becomes increasingly poignant.

Victoria Wicks, actress, granddaughter of H E Bates: If I was given a book by a prospective beau, and I found I liked the book, that would give me goosebumps I think. It’s really quite sexy because it indicates a desire to be very close to someone. If you’re reading a book someone’s given you then that person is everywhere you are when you are reading it: on the tube or the bus, by the fire, in bed. It indicates intimacy in a way that lingerie can’t.

Christopher Norris is the Founder and Curator of the Jolabokaflod Book Campaign (twitter: @Jolabokaflod). There is still time to make a contribution to the Book Bulletin cause and receive promotion for you and your passions, projects and interests. Please give generously by 14 February 2017.