Today you can read my Big Bertha bean bag review and find out what role it will play in new family Christmas traditions. I’ve been lusting after a Big Bertha bean bag for years. One of the very first Pinterest boards I ever created back when Pinterest was brand new, was of inspiring home libraries. Honestly, I cannot tell you how much I want a dedicated reading nook. Somewhere to retreat to, with no distractions, just cosy comfort and books.
So when Big Bertha reached out to me to work together, instead of a paid post, I requested a Mega Mammoth Bean Bag Sofa. This is what beanbag dreams are made of! Not only are they absolutely huge, but they look like a giant nest. This is exactly what I had in mind for a reading nook.
Plus I knew that the kids would absolutely love a Big Bertha beanbag. My eldest daughter really takes after me and loves reading. We call her a book mole, the Polish equivalent of a bookworm. She too would love a reading nook where she could go to indulge her passion for books.
My youngest daughter definitely isn’t a book mole but she’s just starting to be proficient in reading so anything I can do or create to encourage a love of books is definitely a bonus.
What is Jolabokaflod?
As Christmas is on the horizon, I thought this year could be the perfect time for us to embrace the Icelandic tradition of Jolabokaflod, which translates as ‘The Christmas Book Flood’ in English. It is the act of giving books as Christmas gifts on December 24th and opening them and reading them immediately often while drinking hot chocolate or alcohol-free Christmas ale called jólabland.
Even before I had kids I knew that I wanted this to be one of our family’s Christmas traditions too. So I have been patiently waiting for both my girls to be able to read well enough that they would not only understand the tradition but also embrace and enjoy it.
So this Christmas Eve, I will be preparing for Jolabokaflod. The girls will each get a new book, a beautiful bookmark from Laser & Grain, fluffy socks, a special mug and some hot chocolate bombs and stirrers. Then we will put some Michael Bublé Christmas songs on YouTube with a video of an open fire and get all snuggled up ready to share our new family tradition.
I honestly cannot wait for this moment. It is one of the things I have most looked forward to being a mother. Sharing a love of reading with my kids. I still have a lot of work to do to nurture that love of reading for my youngest daughter, but I’m sure if I make it more of an experience for her and don’t pressure her, she will get there one day. She just needs to find out what interests her first as she is only eight.
I am sure that creating a cosy reading nest for them will make the experience of Jolabokaflod all that more enticing and enjoyable. And it will enable us to create amazing family memories for years to come. And the Mega Mammoth Bean Bag Sofa will play an integral role here.
Big Bertha Bean Bag Review
So let’s get started with the Big Bertha Bean Bag review. When we first received the Big Bertha bean bag, it came in four enormous cardboard boxes. There were four bags of beans and the lilac flock cover. We had to pour the beans into the cover ourselves which was a little tricky and we did end up getting beans all over the place. I recommend you go slowly and don’t rush. It’s much easier to get the beans inside the cover if slow down and aim well.
We made the mistake of putting all four bags of beans into the cover before we realised that made the beanbag far too hard and compact. It definitely wasn’t the cost nest vibe we were going for. We wanted to sink deep down into the bean bag.
Obviously, it is much easier to pour the beans in than it is to take them out again. We had to use a plastic jug to remove the beans from the cover and back into the plastic sack they came from. We ended up removing a whole bag in the end and I think we could probably do with removing more as it is still quite firm.
The good thing about this is that we can probably buy another cover from Big Bertha and use the extra beans to create a whole new smaller bean bag. This felt like added value. Having the extra beans felt like a free gift and it seems like a no-brainer to buy another cover. I don’t know whether that is a super clever tactic by Big Bertha or they are just catering to people who prefer a firmer beanbag, but it works!
I chose the lilac flock cover because I liked the colour. But there are various colours and materials to choose from including distressed British tan leather, if you want something a bit more sophisticated.
I’ve got to say, when I agreed to do this Big Bertha Bean Bag review, I totally underestimated just how huge this beanbag is. All three of us can easily sit on this beanbag at the same time. Although it is obviously more comfortable with just one person sat on it at a time. My husband, who I didn’t think would be interested actually uses it more than the rest of us, although he could do with the foot stool or pouffe to make it even more comfortable and I’m also thinking of getting the XL Cuddle Cushion to provide more support behind your head when you lay down to read or behind your back if you sit in it to do some work on a laptop.