Design Postcards: Jolabokaflod
The Icelandic tradition of giving books at Christmas.
These posts seem to have developed a slightly international flavour, which works well for a postcard. So far I have written about terrazzo eggs in Venice, the round gardens of Copenhagen, Superga trainers from Turin and the many designs of William Morris. This time the card comes from Iceland – and it’s appropriate for the time of year.
Jolabokaflod translates to “Christmas Book Flood” and dates back to 1944, when Iceland gained independence from Denmark. Paper was one of the few commodities that had not been rationed, which meant that books made good and affordable gifts. (A 2013 survey found that Icelanders published and read more books than any other Nordic country; apparently more than 50 per cent of them read more than eight books a year.)
Spotting an opportunity, every year since 1944, the Icelandic Book Trade publishes a catalogue of books that is sent to every household in November – to coincide with the Reykjavik Book Fair – so they can choose …