Advent Calender: Book it!

A few years back I saw this adorable advent calendar tree made out of books on Pinterest or Facebook or Twitter…I don’t remember where I saw it or who was the originator of this genius idea. I took a mental note and started collecting books for the next year.

Here we are on year three of doing this and I wish I could say I was more organized and on top of things, but it seems I am still running around the night before trying to wrap 25 books. So maybe do as I say and not as I do on this one.

Some tips:

• Buy the books throughout the year and put them in a safe place where the kids won’t find them. Try really hard to remember where you put them.
• Check out your local bookstores. It’s always nice to support these small local businesses. I do a mixture of local bookstore, Amazon, Costco and I always find gems at Marshalls/HomeGoods, etc.
• I like to have Christmas and non-Christmas books. I usually store our Christmas books with our decorations. This way they still have about ten or more books they are adding to their library for throughout the year.
• Read the books before wrapping them. I’m surprised to see how many children’s books send the wrong message to kids. Or maybe if your child is sensitive to certain topics like mine it helps circumvent an anxious night.
• Oh and do that last tip a few weeks prior. Nothing like running around the night before because you miscounted or didn’t like a book and trying to find a replacement. But if you find yourself in that pickle, I totally won’t judge you for going to their bookcase and grabbing one to wrap. Been there, done that. Every year. Oops.
• Buy extra wrapping paper. I always cut it so close with two standard rolls.
• Don’t wrap the night before and try to divide the wrapping over a few nights. I have done this every year and I always vow not to do it again. I guess I haven’t learned yet. Wrapping books seems tedious to me because they are small and it seems like it’s never ending because their are so many.
• Whenever you decide to wrap them; get the fire going, Christmas music playing and your favorite beverage. It makes a difference, I promise!

Hope your kids love this as much as mine does. My son was only two months old last year so pretty much like a loaf of bologna…he may be into it this year. But my daughter LOVED it and would carry her new book around each day.

 With love,

Shahla