by Bjorn, age 8 from Reykjavik, Iceland, asks Santa about the name Christmas Abbott, Iceland’s peaceful reputation, and the Christmas Book Flood tradition.
Dear Santa, my name is Bjorn, and I am eight years old. I live in Reykjavik, Iceland, where my afi says our whole country does not even have an army, just police and coast guard to keep everyone safe.
Dear Bjorn, a country without an army, choosing peace instead, sounds like exactly the kind of neighbor I love visiting, your afi picked a truly admirable hometown.
Santa, I have three questions.
Is there a Christmas Abbott? My teacher mentioned the name once and I was not sure if it was a real person or a made up character.
Christmas is actually a real name some people are given, Bjorn, and yes, there is a real athlete named Christmas Abbott out there in the world. Names carry all sorts of stories, and hers happens to carry mine right along with it.
My teacher says Iceland is often ranked as one of the most peaceful countries in the entire world. Is that true?
It is true, Bjorn, Iceland has topped global peace rankings many times over the years, a genuinely calm and cooperative place to call home. I always feel a certain ease flying over your peaceful little island.
My afi says on Christmas Eve, Icelandic families give each other books and spend the whole night reading. Is that true?
It is true, Bjorn, the Jolabokaflod, or Christmas Book Flood, is a beloved Icelandic tradition where books are exchanged and read together on Christmas Eve. Curling up with a good story and the people you love is really one of the coziest ways to spend any holiday.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Bjorn Sigurdsson
Reykjavik, Iceland
P.S. What book would you recommend for our own Book Flood this year?
Something with a good adventure and a happy ending, Bjorn, those never go out of style.
