25 Days of Books:
A Great Gift Idea for Children this Holiday Season
Reading Time: 11 minutes It doesn’t matter how old the child in your life is, this will be a gift they look forward to every year!
Do you struggle each year during the holiday season with finding “the” gift? The one that will be loved, used, meaningful and remembered?
I have found it!
25 Days of Books
I started this gift for my nieces six years ago. I was finally far enough away from the “crazy” the holiday season could bring when you have children in the house that I could get creative. I actually looked at behaviors and feelings about the holidays from the children’s point of view. It was quickly decided by my nieces that I needed to send this gift each year because it was the best gift ever!
Each year I have discovered tips and tricks to make the gift that much better.
1. What is 25 Days of Books?
It is exactly what it sounds like. You will choose 25 books and have them sent in time to open one each day starting December 1st.
2. How do I choose the books?
Ask the child’s parents (if they are not your children) what kind of books he/she reads? What is their reading level? Are they at a stage where they like picture books? Are they being read aloud 200+ page books? What kind of topics interest them?
3. Used Books
Buy used books. You are getting 25 different books. If you have more than one child you are sending to, that number doubles, triples, etc. This can cost quite a bit especially if you purchase brand new books. There is also a possibility that the child has already read, owns or has been read the book you are sending. If the book is used, it is not a heartbreaker if the family donates to someone else who will love it. If you are like me and have a little “green” in you, it gives you a good feeling to know you are recycling some of our resources.
4. Trick #1
Look at the top books for children in the targeted age group for each year, going back 6-7 years. Make a list of your favorites. Every year, if you give this gift each year, which I do, add recommended books, librarian favorites, prize winners and “best books of the year” to that list. I came across “The Day the Crayons Quit” in 2015. It was published in 2013, but since it was such a great book, it was not easily available in used book stores. I found it for the 2016 present. I would have probably forgotten about it if I had not had my list.
5. Choose 3 “Special” Books
I buy these new. I space them out throughout the month. The “best” book or the one that I think will hold the most interest is the book the child opens on December 25, the last book. When my nieces were young I would send a holiday “find and seek” or hidden images within the story. As they got older I found really great graphic novels like “Anya’s Ghost”.
"The Possum's Tale"
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- 51 Hidden objects to find
- Sparks important conversation
- Amazing illustrations
- Limited edition-only 900 available
- Each is numbered and signed
- A keepsake
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I wrote a book, “The Possum’s Tale” which is the perfect unique and special gift to give. It is a limited edition, so it is numbered and signed. Each one has a special quote. There are hidden images on each illustrated page. It is an ideal book for ages 6-12. If you receive my weekly e-card, there is a special coupon code for you to get free shipping in the United States plus $10 off!
So-grab those coloring images and get your coupon code!
6. Kinds of Books
I would highly recommend gifting different types or genres of books. Even though the child in your life may love all things science fiction, throw in comedy, history, non fiction and general fiction. In 2017, my older niece loved the retelling of fairy tales type books. I happened to sent “Fever 1793” that year. At the time, she was not interested in historical fiction books. I received a call from her dad in January that year. My niece’s teacher assigned a report on historical fiction for the quarter. The students were to teach each other about what they learned in their books about the time period. So, none of them could have the same books. My niece was in a panic, everyone had already picked the “good” books. This is how I learned Trick #2. I told dad have her read “Fever 1723”. She loved it and her favorite genre for the next 3 years became historical fiction.
Remember other types of books, like joke books; my youngest niece went through a “Knock, Knock” stage and then she liked jokes with puns. My son loved myth buster type books. Also there are non fiction books that are “all about” a topic, for example when the child is younger you can learn all about alligators or dinosaurs, as they get older you can get really great series like “Who Was…” or “What Was…” and the “Horrible Histories” which entertain as well as educate. Another type of book to not overlook, especially when the child gets older is the classics. As soon as my older niece turned 15 I started including a classic each holiday season. Because I love the classics, she sometimes got two. This is where Trick #2 will be really important for the child, they want to know your impression.
7. DANGER!
As the children grow, the will get into the Young Adult Literature. This category is one of my favorite to read, for me, in my spare time. The warning, however, is I have found content in books rated 13+ that I feel is incredibly inappropriate for the children in my life. I may be a prude and obviously my threshold for what is acceptable will be different from yours. I look at not only content but what is being subliminally taught. “Twilight” , one of the “hottest” books of teen girls for many years, has no sex. It has no swearing, that I remember. So, you think it is safe, right. It is not, in my opinion. My niece is very impressionable. She gets caught up in the romance, the intimacy and the deep connection of the characters. She would interpret from this book that if you sneak a boy into your room at night, you and he can cuddle and feel safety and comfort while connecting on a deep level. She also would assume the relationship could remain platonic.
This happens a lot with young adult books. Some are focused on relationship. Some are focused on a great topic that has large ramifications, like “Speak” which talks about rape. While this is important to talk about and reading a book is a great way to learn and open conversation, my niece did not want to hear about these kinds of topics. I recommend that you listen on audio or read every book that you are going to send, especially in the young adult category.
It will be important for you to know a lot about the books when you get to my special Trick #2.
8. Trick #2
I learned to do this tip when I heard from my brother in law and no one knew that I had sent a historical fiction book. Also, when I was listening to books on audio, I quickly determined that many books were really great books, but not this year. I created “die cuts” or ornament cut outs. If you are crafty and have a Cricut type machine you can do these quickly and easily. On each one I would write the title of the book, the genre and a brief introduction. In the introduction I would give a type of summary but also my impressions, thoughts and reason for sending this particular book.
The first year I did this, my nieces were so impressed and they loved that I had a special note for each book.
9. Spreadsheet
Create a spreadsheet, preferably on a computer where it can be altered and added to each year. I did not think to do this the first two years and realized there were some really great books I wanted to send, and I was not sure if I already had in years past. Keeping track, mentally of over 50 titles (two years for each child) was too much for me. I started a spreadsheet for each child. The year along the top in the “A, B, C” columns and the titles down the numbered rows in each column year I sent the book. I did not keep track of authors. This is a preference, I am usually in such a hurry to get everything written, recorded, wrapped and sent that just some kind of record is what I am looking for.
The spreadsheet took on new meaning when my older niece entered the Young Adult category. I listened to and pre-read some amazing books. Some of the books were fabulously written, had great content, but were disturbing in some way for her current age. I started putting future years on my spreadsheet. This way I would remember to send “Unwind” probably one of the most profound and amazing books I have ever read, to her when she is 16. This also cut down on my efforts each consecutive year, I already had many books penciled in for each upcoming year.
10. Wrap Individually
Oh! but this is exhausting. I pick a day, have my supplies all gathered, choose a great movie to watch, and wrap! “Why bother wrapping the books individually?” you ask. This was actually how I got the idea to do this. Children see presents under the tree or they start anticipating the day when they finally get to open a gift. Their eagerness often turns to nagging and trying to compromise with the parents, “Can I open just one?” 25 Days of Books takes this entire conversation out of the house. I have all of the presents named for each child and dated to show which day they should open the present. My nieces always knew there would be a book under the paper, but they did not know what I would have to say about it, if they had already read it, if it would be a fun book, like crosswords or puzzles, and most importantly, they knew they got to open a present every single day in December until Christmas morning. Since half of the fun is opening the present, the very least I can do is actually wrap them all to build that excitement.
Oddly enough, this also created a new conversation with my older niece. She would often have 2-3 books from my bundle read before Christmas. When we spoke, she would tell me which ones she was reading, who she found interesting, and what she loved about the story.
11. Trick #3
Books are heavy. If you are “applying” for best aunt of the year, for example, and sending those books to someone it can cost a lot of money. Did you know that USPS has a category called “media mail”? This will save you a lot of money. Be prepared early, media mail can take 14 days to arrive and USPS does not offer this category as an option internationally. What can you save? Instead of up to $66 for a 15 pound box, it costs approximately $12.50 to send.
There are specific restrictions when using media mail. The personalized ornament and comic books are two areas that may “flag” you to not be able to send this way. You also cannot write “Merry Christmas” or “Do not open until..” etc on the books. I simply have a Holiday Seasons mailing label on each wrapped book where I write the child’s name and date.
The ornaments can be sent regular post in a separate envelope. Simply add above the title of the book, the name of the intended receiver, and the date for that book. Instruct the parents or guardians to give that ornament to the child when they open the book on the selected day.
One of the “rules” you agree to when shipping media mail is that your item can be opened and searched. The “hoops” you go through to send the books using this method are worth it when you calculate the money you can save.
12. Start Early
If you are just now thinking of gifts and we are entering the holiday season, you can still get this done. However, if the children in your life love it, start next year in January. Start making your list of wanted books, listen to them audio, read a book every two weeks in the story book or early chapter reading categories if that is where the child is and write those ornament descriptions each time you read a book. Write one of the descriptions even if you have that book marked for a gift in 3 years, you probably won’t remember all of your impressions in 3 years.
Then make an effort to visit used books and second hand stores once a month to start gathering your selections. I live in a small town and I usually find 1/3 of the books I am looking for locally. Then I spend a day driving to Phoenix, two hours away, and I visit Half Price Books. There are many stores like this, a huge store that is set up like a brand new book store in categories, then alphabetized by author, except they only sell used books. I fill in any holes in my list for the year when I visit the big store in Phoenix. It usually takes me 2 1/2 hours, so give yourself some time.
Last year, we were having a big family get together on the west coast in September. My son had been visiting for the summer and was driving back to the west coast in late August. I set a goal to have all of the books purchased, ornaments written, books wrapped and labeled by August 15. I did it! My son drove the big box of books back to Seattle and when we met in Oregon, he drove them down. I was able to hand off the package, with no mailing costs, to the parents in September.
Best year ever! I did not feel a rush to read a lot of books or to spend time wrapping while I was trying to wade through the holiday season rush.
25 Days of Books can be for any age. I discovered this after my boys left for college. The first year my older son came back for the holidays and learned what I gave the nieces, he asked for the same gift. I was able to find fun adult books that are within his “usual” type and a couple others that strayed off of this path. He loved this gift.
Enjoy the process of not only getting to know the favorites of the children in your life, but also the great discussion topics when you sit down after a book is read and discuss parts of the book either of you liked or did not like. 25 Days of Books is the best gift I have ever given to any of my family members.
Let me know your favorite books to give children, I would love to keep a list!
“Go on, admit it, the book whispers its story to you at night.”
~Meggie, Inkheart
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