Welcome to one of our family traditions. If you have been around with me in this on again off again blog journey, you will know all about our Icelandic Christmas in July tradition. If you are new here feel free to check out the previous posts here and get a deeper dive into the holiday/our version:
This is our 4th time doing it and I have only done posts on the last two. I don’t know why I didn’t do a post our first year, but i really wish I had. I really liked checking out what we read and what tasty chocolate we chose in past years when putting this one together.
Basically, my wife and I love the fact there is a holiday that is based around giving books and spending time reading and eating chocolate. The reason we do this in July is because our Christmas holiday is a nightmare that lasts for a week and a half to 2 weeks. We have so much family and so many get togethers back to back that I’m ready to hibernate and avoid people from New Year’s to March. Since this is a tradition we adopted for our household, we made our own rules and felt a little wintery vibe is just what is needed during a heat wave. This week in the Midwest had been in the high 90’s with heat index in the 110 or more range.
As I have mentioned in previous posts, my oldest, who used to love to read, did a 180 the year after our first. We have forced him to read for little bit with the family just so we can be together. In doing that, we had to deal with complaining, and whining which almost ruined it for the rest of us. This year, my wife raised the white flag and leaned into one of his other favorite hobbies. We bought him a Lego that was the same price as a hardback so he will get to listen to music quietly and build his Lego while the rest of us read. This way we are still together as a family, he shouldn’t be a pain and everyone is happy and there isn’t an electronic in sight.
Here is what is on deck this year:
My wife and I are a sucker for a special edition or a book with sprayed edges. The edges on my hardback copy of Ghostwriter is amazing!!!
As for the chocolate, because it is too damn hot for Hot Chocolate, my wife and I decided on Peanut Butter M&Ms, and the kids wanted Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Yes, we love chocolate and peanut butter in any form.
My wife and I love this tradition, the kids seem to like it but they don’t look as forward to it as we do. I will say, this year we did our trip to the bookstore/Lego Store a few weeks ago and it has been really tough not jumping into our books. My son has been itching to build his Lego.
So happy to share this little bit of inside into my family. What traditions do you have? Let me pour you a drink and you can tell me all about them.
Brunner's Bar 