With just a couple days left in November, it is once again time for a favorite holiday tradition for the Little (and Big!) Welschies – the Christmas Book Countdown!

The concept is simple – select and wrap 25 Christmas books and then use the opening of each one to mark another day closer to Christmas. Brilliant because it helps ease itchy, little fingers that can’t wait to tear apart some red and green wrapping paper, and even better because once you have your collection, it is the gift that keeps on giving year after year. However, even if your bookshelves or your budget lack room for a permanent collection, I learned from some wise friends that you can still pull this off by borrowing books from the library and just making sure you keep them renewed for the month of December. Either way, your Littles have something to help mark the passing time in the midst of December chaos.

Thank goodness for Pinterest where this idea came from a few years ago, and even more thanks for the family members who have contributed to our collection in the time since we first began this Advent Calendar for book lovers. Holidays and tradition go together so well and this one is not only feasible, but fun, as well. The kids are so excited to begin and I am too, mostly because I am curious to see which book becomes The Most Anticipated (Polar Express last year; thinking The Grinch for 2015).

Because I’m a visual kid, myself, I took pictures of our books to share with you below, in case you need title ideas for your own Christmas Book Countdown. Many of these are the same from years past (see the original year’s post for the author/title rundown), but a few new ones have come our way each year so the rotation continues to be slightly different and fresh. If you can’t see author names or titles clearly and want to know them, please message me and I’ll get that to you.

One more note about logistics…if you’ve got more than one kiddo, there are plenty of ways to take turns to keep it “fair” (are we the only house that lives in a world of constant Tabs Keeping on whose turn it is or who had it first/last, whatever “it” may be??). Last year we let HD and RL swap the selecting and opening duties;  this year, however, I believe LT will want to get in on the action, so perhaps we’ll add in a “holding during reading” job to keep it evens stevens.

Whatever your titles and whatever your approach for fairness, I hope you try this fun, family activity. It is a simple way to come together each day to read and remember about the messages of love and giving which are really what matter most this time of year.

And with that, we wish you a Merry Christmas Book Countdown!

 

Opening Order:

A Peanut’s Christmas (this was the wrapped one from Grandma)

Stick Man

The Twelve Days of Christmas

The Night Before Christmas

Star Bright

Santa is Coming to Nebraska

The Christmas Magic

Oliva Helps with Christmas

A Christmas Wish for Corduroy  

The Legend of the Candy Cane

Bear Stays Up For Christmas

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the much sought-after book of the year!)

Star So Bright

The Legend of Saint Nicholas

The Polar Express

Best Christmas Book Ever

An Otis Christmas

Home For Christmas

Jingle Bells

The Best Christmas Ever

Thomas’ Christmas Delivery

The Christmas Story 

Santa Bear

The Spirit of Christmas

A Curious George Christmas