When I bought my house a few years ago, I stumbled into the world’s most pleasant neighborhood with the world’s sweetest neighbors always doing the nicest things, especially around the holidays.

Seriously, they must be stopped.

For instance, my neighbors two houses down introduced me to Jólabókaflóð, an Icelandic tradition loosely translated (by me) as “jolly book flood” (really “Christmas book flood” or “Yule book flood”), wherein people exchange books on Christmas Eve and then read them into the evening. Heaven!

The modern version of the tradition likely dates back to WWII when imported gifts were scarce, but today’s Icelandic publishing industry sets its calendar by it, with new books published in gift volumes from September to early December and advertised in a free holiday book catalog delivered to each home (the 2025 catalog features 109 Icelandic new releases).

I’m currently scouring my shelves for this year’s gifts to the neighbors — I’m thinking Leviathan Wakes for the parents (we tend to go sci-fi) and our own Hayes Code’s The Ink Witch for the kids (they’ve already gotten Unboxing Libby, of course), but what else? We’ve reached that stage where there’s a decent chance I’ll give them something I’ve given them before, something we’ve talked about before, and/or something they’ve actually given me before, and that’s when you know Jólabókaflóð has really arrived. God bless us, every one.

Have a wonderful Wednesday and a wonderful holiday season, Avocados. Take care of yourselves and each other; you are loved.