Quiet Winter Evenings

Culturally, Ridgeview is a borrower. Any individual or institution that makes a mainstay of self-examination is likely to become a borrower. It is almost inevitable that, in inquiring about themselves, they will discover that others are doing better or more interesting things, and to incorporate those things into their own doings. When an individual does this, we call it a habit; when an institution does this, we come to call it a tradition.

There is an Icelandic tradition, Jolabokaflod, that was the happy accident of worldwide scarcity during the Second World War. While numerous and sundry goods were either unavailable or rationed, paper escaped this fate in Iceland, which in turn made books one of the few goods available for gift giving. In fact, Jolabokaflod translates as “Christmas book flood,” and it is a tradition that continues to the current day. For a school that assigns reading the importance Ridgeview does, it comes as little surprise that we should find an affinity for a tradition such as Jolabokaflod.

The Icelandic people, like their cousins in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, have long been stalwart and voracious readers. Various polls and studies
affirm the view that they read more than those in other nations, and whether because of the long winters, situated as they are atop the globe, or some other cultural idiosyncrasy, the book trade has done exceptionally well in these countries.

In Iceland around Christmastime, the book trade releases an annual catalogue of available books, which are then bought by the thousands and given as gifts. These books are typically gifted to friends and family to begin reading in the quiet hours of Christmas Eve. In an effort to adopt and perpetuate this tradition, Ridgeview has produced its own Christmas catalogue to bring more books to more families, to spread good and wholesome cheer over the winter months, and to encourage everyone in our community to read purely for the joy of doing so.

View our Holiday Bookshop Catalog here: The Ridgeview Bookshop

D. Anderson

Headmaster