Last year I did an Activity Advent Calendar, and shared it with you all on the blog! That was fun! You can still read the posts and download the printable activity list here!
I had seen (too late) these cool Book-a-Day advent calendars. I marked it down to do next year. Well…It’s next year!
To make your DIY Book-a-Day Advent Calendar, simply wrap up 25 books (used or new!) and number them for the 25 days leading up to Christmas! Done!
It’s just that easy. Then every day, your child opens a book, and you read together!
I gathered all our winter and Christmas story-themed books. Then I wrapped them in bright papers and stuck numbers on each one (don’t be like me – remember to number the first book you want to read with 25! I forgot we were counting DOWN!).
Wrapping the books took gobs of paper – so if you’re concerned about the waste factor, use Christmas gift bags instead, so you can reuse them.
I always keep an eye out at library book sales for winter and Christmas books. I was surprised to find we have over twenty-five titles in this category. So most of these books we have read to our son before.
I positioned new books and his old favorites close to the front of the countdown so they will be available for re-reading longer!
I think this Book-a-Day Advent Calendar is a lovely way to enjoy the anticipation of the coming of Christmas day, as well as make sure each day is focused on the season!
Want to see what we’ll be reading? Here’s my list (Amazon affiliate links used):
- The Baby Born in a Stable (Golden Books)
- The Friendly Beasts with Read-along CD (Read my review!)
- Jingle All the Way (Hallmark Story Buddy)
- Charlie Brown Christmas (Hallmark Recordable Storybook)
- Berenstein Bears Getting Ready for Christmas (Read my review!)
- Snow Bears
- The Legend of the Candy Cane (Read my review!)
- Gift of the Magi
- Winter Days in the Big Woods & Christmas in the Big Woods (A Little House Picture Book)
- Fancy Nancy’s Splendiferous Christmas
- Bob the Snowman
- The Mitten
- An Early American Christmas (Tomi DePaola)
- The Nutcracker
- The Snowy Day (Ezra Keats)
- Song of the Stars (Read my review!)
- Winter Poems
- Twas the Night Before Christmas
- Emma’s Christmas Wish
- S is for Snowman (Read my review!)
- Stranger in the Woods
- What Can I Give Him?
- Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening (illustrated Robert Frost)
- The Story of the Nativity
- The Christmas Story (Gospel of Luke, illustrated)
I love this idea and have been collecting books to do this next month with my little boy. One of our favorite books is called “Santa’s Favorite Story”. In this book Santa tells the animals about the true meaning of Christmas. Can’t wait to share this one with my boy this Christmas season.
I love this idea and have been collecting books to do this next month with my little boy. One of our favorite books is called “Santa’s Favorite Story”. In this book Santa tells the animals about the true meaning of Christmas. Can’t wait to share this one with my boy this Christmas season.
I love this!! We’re doing a Jesse Tree this year. We’ll see how that goes, and maybe add this idea to it next year, or do it instead 🙂 Gives me a GREAT excuse to snatch all those Christmas books when they’re on sale after Christmas!
I love this!! We’re doing a Jesse Tree this year. We’ll see how that goes, and maybe add this idea to it next year, or do it instead 🙂 Gives me a GREAT excuse to snatch all those Christmas books when they’re on sale after Christmas!
We are doing the same activity. My 3yr old daughter has Jingle and loves him 🙂
I didn’t want to wrap all the books, so I just printed up little cards that hang on her miniature Christmas tree, they are numbered 1-25. Each day she’ll pick the card and on the inside is a pic of the book. Then I’ll just take that book out of my hidden box of books.
I also worried that if I wrapped them then she would be upset that she saw a huge pile of presents but only got to open one.
We are doing the same activity. My 3yr old daughter has Jingle and loves him 🙂
I didn’t want to wrap all the books, so I just printed up little cards that hang on her miniature Christmas tree, they are numbered 1-25. Each day she’ll pick the card and on the inside is a pic of the book. Then I’ll just take that book out of my hidden box of books.
I also worried that if I wrapped them then she would be upset that she saw a huge pile of presents but only got to open one.
Our Christmas books are all pulled out and we’ve been actively reading them. Love ’em! 🙂
Our Christmas books are all pulled out and we’ve been actively reading them. Love ’em! 🙂
Somehow I don’t recall this posting from last year mentioning the book a day advent. I love this idea. I think we might elaborate on the theme. Maybe add a video or craft or some other activity we could do. Thank you for sharing.
Somehow I don’t recall this posting from last year mentioning the book a day advent. I love this idea. I think we might elaborate on the theme. Maybe add a video or craft or some other activity we could do. Thank you for sharing.
That is such a cute idea =D
That is such a cute idea =D
The Littlest Angel is a cute book too.
The Littlest Angel is a cute book too.