Create a Christmas Book Advent Calendar
Have you ever heard of a Christmas book Advent calendar? It’s so simple and yet so fun. And best of all, it’s the perfect way to incorporate read-aloud time into your family’s holiday traditions.
Here’s How It Works
With a Christmas book Advent calendar, instead of a toy or a piece of candy, your child opens a Christmas picture book every day. It’s like a chocolate Advent calendar … only better!
Gather Your Books
First, gather enough books so that you’ll have one for every day of Advent. You can use my library list to gather books from the library, or you can use this holiday activity as an excuse to build up your own library of beautiful Christmas books!
So how many books will you need?
The traditional Advent calendar begins on the Sunday nearest the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (November 30) and continues through four Sundays, ending on December 24. This year (2022) Advent begins on Sunday, November 27, so that means you’ll need 28 books.
Wrap Your Books
Wrap enough Christmas books for every day of Advent and add a numbered tag to each one. Create your own tags or download our Printable Advent Tags and choose a set to print and attach to your wrapped picture books.
Display Your Books
Now it’s time to display your Christmas book Advent calendar.
Put the books under the Christmas tree, on a shelf, or in a basket. You might even want to keep them hidden so that your kids will have to hunt for them.
How you display them is up to you. Be creative and make it fun!
Countdown to Christmas with Picture Books!
Now comes the fun part. On each day during Advent, have your children open one of the wrapped books for your family to read together. The “togetherness” is part of the joy of this engaging holiday activity.
Perhaps this is the year you’ll start a new reading tradition in your household. Grab a cup of cocoa, a warm, snuggly blanket, and some kids, and get started with some beautiful Christmas books!
Looking for Christmas Picture Books?
Holiday Book Traditions Shared by Our Readers
- Use a mix of books and movies! – shared by Angela
- Go outdoors to read your books every day. – shared by Cheryl
- Read The Advent Book by Jack and Kathy Stockman. – shared by Danielle
- Wrap a new book for each child to deposit on their beds after they fall asleep on Christmas Eve. – shared by Heather
- Keep a collection of Christmas books that stay in a special basket during Advent. – shared by Danielle
- Re-wrap Advent picture books before they get stored for the next year! – shared by Beth
- Just leave unwrapped books under the tree for the kids to choose for anytime reading. – shared by Kelsy
- Keep a basket of Christmas books under the tree to read aloud during the Christmas season. – shared by Jessica L.
- Every Christmas our family reads each night from the Jesus Storybook Bible. As soon as dinner is over, we read a chapter and put a corresponding ornament on a little tree. – shared by Annette
- Start a “12 Days of Christmas” tradition with a different theme for each day. Have books to read, crafts to create, and movies or special foods to enjoy. – shared by Meggen L.
- Light the advent wreath’s candle and read a Christmas book. – shared by Elizabeth
Does your family have any favorite holiday book traditions? I would love to hear about it in the comments below.
Janet Andrews
says:Love the reading of a book a day!
Jeanette
says:We’ve done a book advent before, but never numbered the books. Thanks for offering the tags and other great ideas, we’ll have to try some of them out!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Jeanette!
Rebecca Essenpreis
says:I love how much you guys crammed into this one blog post. The great idea, lists of book suggestions, extra ideas from others. Free printables. Thanks!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceYou’re so welcome, Rebecca!
Paula V
says:I love this idea and the list you’ve shared is a great help and we still have time for a 12 days of Christmas advent this year
Robin
says: Customer ServiceYes! There is still time for this book advent, Paula.
Serena
says:I love this idea. I am going to work really hard to gather books over the next year so I can actually implement it.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceSounds like a great plan, Serena!
Sable
says:I love this idea!
Briana Pierson
says:This is such a great idea!
Whitney
says:We love this tradition!
Lacey
says:Love this
Brittany
says:I finally started doing this this year- my kids love unwrapping them each day!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceGreat to hear, Brittany! Thanks for letting us know your kids are enjoying this.
Amanda
says:Love this idea!
Amber Harper
says:What great ideas!! And a sweet way to make “old” books feel new again.
Jenna M
says:Love this idea!!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Jenna!
Vanessa
says:This is an awesome idea! I saw a friend doing this. I have something to look forward to next year!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceIt’s actually not too late to start, Vanessa! I always start later than the first of the month, because one of my kids have an early December birthday and we start the day after that. Lots of people do just one or two weeks before Christmas too.
Kristina
says:We are doing a book advent this year. I absolutely loved the printable tags and my girls love reading a fun Christmas book everyday. We even added a chocolate!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceI always add a chocolate too, Kristina!
Marleigh
says:I love this idea. It would be neat to do it with bags or something reusable so you don’t have to wrap them every year. 😆
Robin
says: Customer ServiceGreat idea, Marleigh!
Margaret
says:Love this! We keep our Christmas books in a basket under the tree, but I love the intentionality and excitement that wrapping would provide (although I don’t love the extra effort it would require, ha ha)
Robin
says: Customer ServiceI know what you mean, Margaret. Someone just recommended reusable bags instead for just this reason!
Katrina Hadlock
says:This is a great idea.
Mama Bear
says:Love this idea!
Kassi
says:We’ve done this idea (shared by you guys!) several years at Christmas and it’s been a really special tradition to read picture books together!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you for letting us know that you have enjoyed this tradition for several years, Kassi! Wonderful to hear!
Claudia M.
says:Such a cute idea! My twins would love this!
Judith Martinez
says:I’m going to do this for just the last week before Christmas. 24 is too much but I can do 7.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceGreat way to make this more workable for you, Judith!
Brittany
says:Love this idea!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Brittany!
Katie
says:Love these to make it special!
Ryanne
says:What a great idea! My kids will love this!
Alicia
says:Great ideas!
Lauren
says:The advent tags definitely add to the fun. Thank you for providing a library list too so it’s not a super expensive experience.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceYou are very welcome, Lauren! The library is a wonderful resource that is too often overlooked!
Tara Clancy
says:Fantastic alternative to chocolates! Thank you for these ideas!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Tara!
Carolyn
says:What a great idea. Just went to the library last week and got a bunch of books. Excited to start this tradition with our family.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceI hope you make sweet Christmas memories with this tradition, Carolyn.
Melissa
says:We read a different Christmas book every night during December. We have our own favorites that we keep every year and we visit the library for new books during the season.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceWonderful tradition, Melissa!