Day 12 of 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways (with Karen Ehman)
Winners announced here! Congratulations!
*Give Away has Ended*
It’s Day 12 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways!
If you’re just joining in, start at Day One here.
We are finally on our last day of giveaways. I have had a blast learning from our guests and seeing your comments. With so many on our gift-giving list and time running out, I thought I’d offer you my favorite Christmas gift idea for our final day: Book baskets!
Simply take a book and build a gift basket around it.
The first time I saw one was when my best friend from college, Kelly, gave a Laura Ingalls Wilder book basket to my daughter when she was about seven.
In it she placed an old copy of Little House in the Big Woods. Then, she included all of the items Laura got for
Christmas in 1867.
~ A peppermint stick
~ A pair of red mittens
~ A cookie shaped like a heart and sprinkled with white sugar
~ A shiny new penny
~ Her own tin cup
~ A rag doll named Charlotte
It was an instant hit!
In the years since, I have given away lots of book baskets to kids. Some books have included Balto, Hansel & Gretel, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Peter Rabbit and Winnie the Pooh.
Also the Curious George books are easy to do this with. In one, he visits a candy factory. In another, he takes a trip to the zoo. In one he makes pancakes. These are easy to come up with items to carry out the theme. (fancy chocolates, candy molds & supplies; animal crackers, gummy bears and a stuffed animal; pancake mix, turner, maple syrup and chocolate chips.)
This year I came up with a new favorite to give to a little girl. A book basket with the new children’s book from our day one guest, Candace Cameron Bure. It is called Candace Center Stage.
In this basket, I included some fun–and pink!–items to round out the theme of the book: A ballet slipper ornament, a stuffed pink bunny wearing a tutu, some Bath & BodyWorks pink chiffon lotion, a pink wash poof (or whatever they are called!), a sweet-smelling bath bomb, fuzzy socks, a Hello Kitty pink ring light to read by night (or use to take selfies on a cell phone) and some colored pencils and fun straws. What little aspiring ballerina wouldn’t love this cute and fun basket?
You can even try your hand at baskets for adults.
Know a gardening enthusiast? Purchase a book on gardening and then round out the basket with some gardening tools, packets of seeds, a pair of gardening gloves and some carrot-cake muffins or home-canned jam.
How about a baseball fan? Include a biography of their favorite player and some peanuts in the shell, Cracker Jacks, Big League Chew gum and some baseball foil-wrapped chocolates.
And, for a great gift for a special girlfriend, mom or sister, give a tea cup devotional. Simply choose a devotional book. (Try this one for a mom or this one for anyone!) On top of that, place a new or antique tea cup and saucer. In it, tuck some tea bags. Tie it shut with clear wrap or tulle and tie shut with a bow. You may also stick a pen in the bow or add a tag with a favorite Bible verse written on it. Perfect to bless someone while encouraging their walk with the Lord.
With a simple book, you can build a great gift!
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Day 12 Giveaway
And now, for my giveaway! One of you who leaves a comment here will win a copy of my new book (releasing in February) called Keep Showing Up:How to Stay Crazy in Love When Your Love Drives You Crazy and a $25 Amazon gift card. If you are married, you can read the book and purchase yourself something you’d like from Amazon. If you aren’t married, maybe use the gift card to buy some items to make a book basket for your married friend centered around Keep Showing Up to give to her for Valentines Day.
==> P.S. If you’d like to be the first to know when the launch team application for my new book, Keep Showing Up, opens up next week, click here to join the interest list.<==
To enter to win this giveaway, tell us in the comments what book do you think would make a great book basket and what items would you put in it?
- U.S. Addresses only please.
- You can comment on all 12 days (once per person) up until midnight Pacific time, tomorrow night (Sunday, December 16). Start with Day One here.
- Share the giveaway with your friends and followers. You can use the share buttons below or repost and share on Instagram (my fave) and tag me @karenehman.
- One daily winner will be chosen from each day’s comments.
- To enter to win the Grand Prize (below), comment on all 12 posts and share on social media.
- All winners (including Grand Prize) will be announced here on the blog on Tuesday, December 18, and contacted via email. Please allow 4-6 weeks to receive your prizes.
- If you’re not already subscribed, click HERE and you’ll receive an email notification each day of our series.
I absolutely love these ideas! Woohoo!
Perfect timing for secret santa at work this week. Can’t say which because who knows who might be reading these comments, ha.
The Great Christmas Bowl or The Best Christmas Pageant Ever would both be good for gift baskets. If I still had my mom with me, I’d do either or both for her!
This is a wonderful idea !! I this sounds fun and creative!!! I will keep this idea for the future!! I have learned so many ideas from this blog! Thanks for doing this! I love it!!
Haven’t heard of it before, but would be interested
Very cute ideas! Thank you for sharing. Can’t wait for the new book.
Perhaps the Love Comes Softly Series by Janette Oke (or just first book). Put some pantry staples (including coffee/tea) so she recipient could mix up some biscuits, pancakes etc. Add an apron, wooden sppons, measuring cup, old recipe book, and and a potholder or two. And be sure not to forget a note!
I am so looking forward for your knew book. A cozy blanket or socks, a nice mug with coffee, scented candles. It sounds so relaxing.
Great idea!! Looking forward to the new book.
Looking forward to your new book Karen and praying God’s favor over it! I love giving baskets or themed gifts, and these are a few great ideas!
I always love to be cozy when reading a good book!
A copy of She is Free by Andi Andrew a coffee mug, some good coffee, a pair of cozy socks, a fleece blanket, and a scented candle!
Love all of your ideas!
I absolutely love this idea!! Thank you for sharing!
My niece wants a Bible for Christmas. I think I will take your idea and put it in a basket with a Bible study for girls and plenty in highlighters, sticky notes, bookmarks, and a pretty Bible tote with candies and little treats sprinkled in.
I am so looking forward to this new book. I have done baskets in the past, not sure yet what I’m doimg this year as we will be traveling by plane so room is limited.
I loved the book Seamless by Angie Smith. I would put that in a basket with a Bible and a pretty pen and journal set. Maybe add some ornaments based on the symbols of the book.
I think it would be fun to take your book Listen, Love, Repeat and put in some recipe cards (few printed with your recipes in the book) , sticky notes, my favorite planner,, note cards, pretty pen, cooking spoons, maybe some ingredients for your cinnamon rolls and take your gift tags having them pre-printedand cut ready to use…..so much could be done with that fun book! Even a jar of marmalade! ???
This is a wonderful idea. I can already think of some other places to use this very same idea. Thanks.
I also love giving book and building a basket or box around it. Books are always treasured for years
SO excited for this book!
Omgosh, this book would be PERFECT for my husband and I! We have a toddler and a pre-teen that keeps us SO busy…I’m a stay home Mom and my husband works full time so it is very hard to find the time for US. I would like to get back to making my husband a priority and I think this book would help a lot!
I can’t think of a book. The book baskets look like something my sister would fix for a gift for someone. I’m not a creative person. Thanks for the chance to win.
The Five Love Languages would be my choice for a basket & lots of lotions, candles, & fragrances included.
I think the book “Keep Showing Up: How to stay Crazy in Love When Your Ove Drives You Crazy would make an excellent book basket read. Along with the book I would add a nice journal and pen to reflect upon what is being learned in the book and to write down sentence s or passages that ministered to the heart. I would add a lovely mug with a box of tea to relax or comfort. Marriage isn’t for the faint of heart. I would add a little fancy handkerchief just in case a few tears are shed. I think I would also add a few blank greeting cards to put to use to express words of love to the husband. We are called to love and writing it down is a nice sentiment . I would add chocolate because for most women, chocolate makes us happy and is always a nice treat.
I bought 7 copies of It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, by Lysa Terkheurst. I paired it with cozy socks, a candle and a mug with hot chocolate in it for gift settings this Christmas, but I put it inside of a bag instead of a basket, next year I’ll try the basket idea!
Oh what a wonderful ideas you have! Thank you for share with us. I think that is beautiful and very important that in every gift we give we shared the word of God and try to encourage others. Thank you. You are a blessing. Merry Christmas!
I shared this post on Facebook.
Right here in Tennessee are 11:36PM.
This is a timeless gift idea! It could be done each year for children or friends , creating a tradition in the process. Thanks so much for sharing it.
I love this idea! I think I would choose a farm related book for children, and buy animal cooki cutters, animal figurines, and a barn.