People are loving mum’s homemade book advent calendar

There's a shopbought option too...

Kate Lawther posted her clever Christmas advent hack on Facebook and people are loving that she has swapped chocolate for books!

If you’re looking for alternative advent calendars, this year there are more options than ever.

Although we are partial to a sweet treat or two in the run up to the festive season, it can be nice to have a non-chocolate advent calendar instead. From candles and crisps to booze and cereal bars – there really is something for everyone.

One mum decided that instead of buying her kids an alternative advent calendar, she would make her own and it’s proving popular with other parents.

Instead of opening a chocolate a day in the run up to Christmas, Kate has decided to gift her kids with a new book.

ElenaNichizhenova/Getty

Writing on the Facebook group Extreme couponing and bargains UK group Kate shared her tips on how to make the homemade advent calendar cost-effective.

Instead of splashing out on brand new books, Kate goes to charity shops and discount stores like B&M and home Bargains.

Kate wraps each of the books individually and her children get to open one a night to read before bed. This makes opening the advent calendar a more wholesome family event that makes learning fun and it helps to introduce a nice bedtime routine, which might settle your kids’ excitement.

People are loving the educational approach with one person writing: ‘I did this last year and my daughter loved it. Such a good idea for them’.

Another said: ‘I’m going to do this my daughter who is 4 loves a story every night for bed without fail she would love this idea thank you xxx.’

Several others shared their additional tips on making the alternative advent calendars cheap and fun. One person revealed she swaps the books with her neighbours each year so they never go to waste!

non chocolate advent calendar Disney Storybook Advent Calendar

If you love the sound of a book advent calendar but would rather buy one that is made for you, Disney have launched a storybook advent calendar and it’s available in Aldi for £9.99.

Do you have any quirky Christmas traditions or advent calendar alternatives you’d like to share? Head over to our Facebook page to get involved with the conversation and share your tips!

Jessica Ransom
Senior Food Writer

Jessica is a freelance food writer, stylist and recipe tester. She previously worked as Senior Food Writer at Future. While at Future Jessica wrote food and drink-related news stories and features, curated product pages, reviewed equipment, and developed recipes that she then styled on food shoots. She is an enthusiastic, self-taught cook who adores eating out and sharing great food and drink with friends and family. She has completed the Level 1 Associate course at the Academy of Cheese and is continually building on her knowledge of beers, wines, and spirits.