One of my favourite early blog posts was my ideas for things to fill a wooden Advent calendar. I had a lot of fun thinking of small items that could be used as fillers for a homemade or pre-purchased empty Advent calendar.
So on a similar note I thought I'd put together some ideas for a homemade Advent calendar for the reader and book lover in your life. I'd love someone to put together something like this for me, or perhaps I should just go ahead and make one for myself! They would also make good stocking fillers or Secret Santa gifts.
These are all ideas for a bookish Advent calendar aimed at adults and I've tried to think about small things that won't cost too much money - buying twenty four gifts can add up quickly!
Books
Books are the obvious choice for a reading and book themed Advent calendar! But it will get pricey pretty quickly if you want to include a new book each day. You could think about looking for second hand books - I love Wob for second hand books, especially the more obscure ones, and I've personally used them many times. Charity shops are another fab place for cheap second hand books, or if you do want to buy new then it's worth looking for box sets where you can buy a themed pack of books working out at a cheaper individual price.
There are also many Christmas themed books available. They are usually in the romantic comedy genre and fairly predicable in terms of plot, but they make lovely festive reading!
Bookplates
Bookplates make a perfect gift for someone who is building their library or enjoys lending books to friends and family but wants them to return home. Most packs come with lots of different designs so you can split up a pack to spread it out over several days. If you want to spend a little more you can also get some lovely personalised rubber stamps.
Bookmarks
I have so many bookmarks, but I can never find one when I need one! You can buy some lovely multipacks of bookmarks which could be spread over several different windows in the Advent calendar. It's also really easy to make your own bookmarks, especially if you have access to a decent printer and laminator. Just print out your design, laminate, punch a hole in the top and thread through some ribbon. You could design personalised bookmarks using favourite photos and literary quotes.
Book and reading accessories
Some of these gift ideas are a little larger and pricier but would make a lovely Advent calendar gift! Again buying sets of more than one, like the bookends and sticky flags, means that you can spread them out over several days. The simple bookends could be personalised to make them more individual, with stickers, photographs or vinyl cut outs.
Other small gifts that go well with reading
I love to snuggle down with a book and a hot drink, so an individual hot chocolate sachet or a tea bag would make a great gift and both can be bought very cheaply in the supermarket. Likewise some nice chocolates or other treats. Hot chocolate stirrers are also a nice treat, and it's pretty easy to make your own, for example have a look here - Hot Chocolate Stirrers recipe.
I loved putting this list together, I hope that it gives you some inspiration if you are looking for Advent calendar ideas for a book obsessed family member or friend!
If you are putting together your own Advent calendar you might also like these posts:
Advent calender filler ideas for crafters
Main photo credit Sabina Sturzu via Unsplash.
What lovely ideas. I love the idea of making a book advent calendar with a mix of all of the things you mentioned x
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