Our family loves Christmas books just as much as the next family!! We love them even more during the holidays. Finding the time to read Christmas books can be difficult. We have tried to make it a tradition to read one Christmas book a night.
About 10 years back I thought it would be fun to start wrapping each book and placing them under the tree with a gift tag numbered for every day, as a sort of book advent.
That quickly became overwhelming as I was trying to get all my holiday stuff out, and now I suddenly had 24 books to wrap each year too.
…So when I heard I heard about this cool little trick from a class I took at Pinners Conference; I knew I had to do it.
It took me a few hours on the front end, but now makes wrapping the Christmas books so much easier each year; and saves on wrapping paper.
Plus, my kids love this tradition.
What it takes?
About 5 to 6 colors of fabric, or you can just stick with one color. I had them cut 2 yards of each fabric.
Then you need 4 or 5 spools of ribbon. I also used tool for mine.
You will also need a sewing machine. If you are not great at sewing, this is the easiest sewing project EVER. Believe me. If I can do it so can you!!
This project took me about 2 to 3 hours total. It usually takes me about that much time each year to wrap up the gifts. So this is a win win, because I never had to wrap gifts again.
What you do:
Keep your fabric folded in half (how it comes, this will be the bottom of the bag)
Then cut the fabric to the size that you would like to make the bag. I made my bags in a few different sizes. (a trick to cutting your fabric straight is to make a little snip in the folded end, and then just start tearing. This will rip the fabric in a straight line.)
Once you have all your bags cut, then you start by folding the top edge down and using a iron to make a nice crease. I folded it down about 1/2 an inch. Then you sew this down on each bag. You will just be sewing this straight across, making sure to sew on the wrong side of the fabric.
Then you fold the bag in half, and turn it inside out. Then you sew up the sides.
You finish the bag turning it right side out, and by sewing the ribbon down on the back; and then tying the tag a to the front.
I made these tags by printing this FREE printable that I found on Pinterest.
I added some fun little embellishments to them to enhance them a little bit. This is not something you have to do. These tags are certainly cute on their own.
However, there are lots of great options for tags on Pinterest if you need more ideas check out my Christmas tag board here.
I think you are all set. Now you just have to decide where you are going to put them while you countdown to Christmas with your books.
I think books and reading make the perfect advent calendar.
We decided to put the books in Tessa’s room this year. It will make it so much easier for us to remember to read. We read in her room anyways, and now the books are just right at our fingertips.
So.. make it easy on yourself. That’s the secret to traditions. If your going to do them or start them. Don’t make them hard.
That’s why I sewed bags. No more wrapping for me.
As you are stuffing your bags with your favorite books….
Don’t forget to add a few more to your list…
Here are a few of our favorites..
I believe in Santa Claus by Diane G. Adamson
God gave us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren
The Christmas Train by Thomas S. Monson
The Christmas Tapestry By Patricia Polacco
The Legend of the Candy Cane By Lori Walburg
If you are just starting out with Christmas books, a fun idea is to buy a new book each year.
…or have your elf bring it to them when he comes. This is a great way to start a collection. Also, check the thrift stores if you are trying to gather more Christmas books.
Happy Reading!! Happy sewing!! Happy Counting Down!!
