This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission when you purchase items using these links.
A Book a Day Advent Calendar
For years we’ve given the kids a pair of pajamas and a book on Christmas Eve and that has become our family tradition. This year we’re stepping up our game. Instead of a candy-filled Advent Calendar, we are giving the kids a book a day for the month of December!
The concept is easy, wrap 24 books, number them 1-24 and then have them unwrap one a night through Christmas Eve. Now, I don’t know about you, but I think 24 books times 2 might be a tad bit outside of our budget for the month. What I’ve done over the year is pick up books at library sales, thrift stores, yard sales, and the store sale rack. Also, instead of wrapping 48 books, I picked books that appealed to both kids (they’re 18 months apart in age – one 8 and one 10) and wrapped one book for days 1 through 23. Then, I wrapped two books for each of them to open on the 24th with their pajama gift.
Since I’ve spread the cost out throughout the year, it is so much better for my wallet, but the kids are going to have a great time discovering which books are in the pile. Once opened, they will be the gift that keeps on giving. All the books are chapter books, some thick, some thin, some classics, and include series books from Harry Potter, Hardy Boys, Anne of Green Gables, Snoopy, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Dork Diaries.
I know some will ask why I’m giving my kids ‘used’ products. I will explain prior to them opening their first book that these are a mix of new and new-to-us books. They are usually with me when we pick out thrift store books so they know this as their norm and enjoy grabbing books that they’ve never read. I pick the pre-loved books that still look new, have no writing in them, and that my kids will enjoy. Books aren’t a one-and-done gift, they are something that can be read and loved over and over again.
