Spice up your holidays with books!

Yes, giving a book as a gift during the holidays is a solid idea. Books last for years if not forever, they can be beautifully illustrated and written. They make the receiver a better person because of the literary skills, information, content, or issues in the book.  

But let’s take that book idea and spice it up!

Idea  #1 – Use books as an advent calendar and count down to Christmas by opening one book each day.  Choose 25 days, 12 or 5 days before Christmas. Or open a book each day during Hanukkah. Each night that you open a book, read the book with your children before bed. Then add the beautiful or playfully illustrated book to your holiday decorations. Children’s books look great on your mantel, buffet or above the kitchen cabinets nestled amongst the holly and wreaths.

 
Idea #2 - Wrap books you already own. Then unwrap one book each night. Let your family be surprised by what book is unwrapped. Again, read the book before bed and use the book as a holiday decoration. Continue the tradition each year.

Idea #3 - Give one book: a children’s chapter book, a craft, experiment, joke, or riddle book, or a collection of fairytale or folktales. Then read a chapter or poem or joke or do something from the book each day as you count down to or celebrate your holiday.   

Idea #4 - Don’t wrap the book. Start with books as holiday decorations. Then allow your family to pick a different book to read each night.   

Idea #5 – Make paper ornaments, vases, apples, or oranges from books. What! – you say! Cut a book! – you say! Let me explain.  Sadly, there are books that have lost their purpose and are on their way to a landfill. Take those books and give them new life. Make them into holiday art. Using templates, cut them into shapes, add some color, fan them and make a festive decoration.  Check out books such as Playing with Books by Jason Thompson.

Idea #6 – Give a folded book as a gift. Fold the pages of a book to create a message. Click here for directions on how to create a book with the word READ emphasized. 

Idea #7 – Create altered holiday books with your friends. Ask a group of friends to each choose a discarded book. Then have each friend take a turn with each book. They alter the book by adding pop up features, artwork, collage techniques, or fabric. As you and your friends create beautiful individual pages, you create unique, charming and personal holiday books for each member of your group. Check out books such as Altered Art by Terry Taylor.

Speaking of books, if you're going to make any kind of purchase from Amazon, please use our Amazon link. By going through our link (click on the graphic below), you can purchase anything you like and you will benefit our nonprofit!

Thank you! Have a wonderful holiday season! 

Enjoy your family, your friends, and your books!