Comments on: The 2016 literary Advent calendar

By: My Favorite Things – Gift Recommendations and TWELVE GIVEAWAYS!!! – Being In Community

Fri, 09 Dec 2016 01:11:30 +0000

[…] Paraclete Press. This book makes a great addition to a family “literary Advent calendar,” which Lisa Vanderkam recently blogged about: she squirrels away all her Christmas themed books and wraps them up to […]

By: lauravanderkam

lauravanderkam — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 02:25:51 +0000

In reply to Katherine. @Katherine- aw, I like the idea of doing it with kids this old! It sounds kind of fun - you don't normally get to read the Grinch with teenagers!

By: Katherine

Katherine — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 17:16:00 +0000

I have decided to try this even though my girls are now 12 and 16, with a view to reminding ourselves of all the old Christmas favourites! They seem to be up for the idea and didn’t think it was too sentimental. First test is tonight though when I will not get home until 9.30 after picking 12 y.o. up from athletics practice – will we all feel like sitting down and reading a kids’ book in the name of a family Christmas?!

By: lauravanderkam

lauravanderkam — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 13:07:26 +0000

In reply to Hayley. @Hayley- both very smart ideas. I might do one of those next year!

By: Hayley

Hayley — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 09:59:55 +0000

If wrapping the books is a barrier to people doing this fun Advent activity then how about buying large flat paper bags and sealing with a Christmas sticker. Alternatively outsource wrapping the books to your oldest child – it will still be a mystery as to which one gets opened on a particular day.

By: lauravanderkam

lauravanderkam — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 04:59:36 +0000

In reply to Angela. @Angela - aw, I appreciate that!

By: Harmony@CreatingMyKaleidoscope

Harmony@CreatingMyKaleidoscope — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 16:22:31 +0000

I love this idea so much. You’ve inspired me to do a frugal version of the literary advent calendar. I will be stopping by the library to pick up a bunch of Christmas books. Instead of wrapping them, maybe the oldest two can take turns reaching in a bag to pull out a book with their eyes closed.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 15:56:02 +0000

I highly recommend Can You See What I See? The Night Before Christmas by Walter Wick — my now 13 yo and I still break this one out every year to hunt for the hidden pictures

By: Angela

Angela — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 14:31:03 +0000

In reply to lauravanderkam.

you know, I think you are exactly right- it would be better for a school aged reader ( I fail terribly at age appropriate toys, events, topics- parenting is really a crash course in all the things I don’t know in life)…. I’m sure there are some out there now, there’s even a whole website “Mighty Girl”. I’m just such a fan of your work and PoV, I want all girls and women to hear it : )

By: Judy

Judy — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 13:53:34 +0000

LOVE Jonathan Toomey. Also Santa Calls by William Joyce. Great story of siblings. My children are way beyond the Christmas book tradition but I may have to take my books out of the closet for myself this season.