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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.

11th Annual 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways (2018) December 4-15 at karenehman.com.

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?

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12 Days of Christmas Giveaways Rules
  1. U.S. Addresses only please.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. One daily winner will be chosen from each day’s comments.
  5. To enter to win the Grand Prize (below), comment on all 12 posts and share on social media. 
  6. 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.
  7. If you’re not already subscribed, click HERE and you’ll receive an email notification each day of our series.

Grand Prize for 11th Annual 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways (2018) December 4-15 at karenehman.com.

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NOTE: affiliate links may be included. I only recommend products I know my readers will love!

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236 Comments

  1. For Christmas every year one of the gifts for my kids is book related. We usually give them each about 5-6 books depending on what our budget is for that year. I would love to a book basket. Probably over Goodnight Moon for an infant or toddler since it was my kids favorite book.

  2. We do something similar for my kids each Christmas Eve with a book and stuffy. Last year they got various picture books with retellings of the Christmas story each from a different animals perspective along with the animal that was in their book. This year our daughter is getting “We Don’t Eat Our Classmates” along with a stuffed dinosaur. You could also add their favorite snack and some cute themed school supplies ?.

  3. Oh my! I absolutely love this idea! I love making the themed gifts but I’ve never thought about anything like this. I will be trying this for sure! I will have to think on which book and what to put in it, but THANK YOU for this wonderful idea!

  4. I have several devotional books, but I guess my favorite is “Jesus Calling”— Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young.
    Each day speaks to me as if it is a personal love-letter from my precious Savior.
    I would also include some Bible tracts with the suggestion: “Share these with your sales-clerk, waitress,etc.”
    A mug with a Scripture passage is a lovely gift. Pair it up with some soothing caffeine-free herbal tea.
    A CD of relaxing music … Presto! Your friend will be all set for a sweet time of devotion and meditation.

    P.S. Thank you, Karen, for these wonderful 12-days of ideas for making Christmas a bit more special. Have a blessed Christmas.

  5. I’d do one for Anne if Green Gables and include some recipes for what she makes with Marilla and maybe some of the ingredients too!

  6. Love to win this gift basket, I know a girl at my church that would love it for Christmas. Bless you all for all that you do.

  7. I’ve already purchased a devotional: Too Blessed to be Stressed. I love the idea of pairing it with a lovely tea cup, some soothing teas, honey, some cozy socks or slippers. A little pampering can calm jagged nerves. Thanks for the fun, Karen! Merry Christmas to All!

  8. Oh my goodness!! Karen, such a brilliant idea for the book basket!! Better yet I am more excited about the title and to read your new book!!!!! Thank you for such a wonderful 12 days (even though I got caught up in the web of crazy and did it all in last 2 hours!!) I just love being introduced to new women, what they do and who are changing lives and making women, families and humans even better! 2nd year participating and I love it!! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

  9. My sister gave us a sweet Christmas gift basket with the book “Gingerbread Mouse,” along with all the fixings for making our own gingerbread house. It was adorable!

  10. Karen, I’ve commented for this day but I just wanted to add how excited I am for you on your newest book and I can’t wait to read it! I loved your book/Bible studies Keep It Shut and Let It Go. Your devotionals also make great Christmas gifts. Blessings for a Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2019!

  11. Hmm…I think any kind of devotional would make a good gift basket book. The Jesus Calling and Jesus Always would be perfect. I would include either some coffee or tea, depending on the recipient. I would then add maybe a blanket and some fuzzy socks. I know I would love to receive a gift basket like that.

  12. I love all of these ideas. I never thought about doing these kind of baskets. I’ll most definitely remember this for next Christmas and great idea for birthdays.

  13. I’d start with a “Why I Love You” book and ass movie passes or a coupon for a rental with microwave popcorn, a set of dishes and cutlery for a picnic basket, a map with free parks or museums marked, a box designed for keepsakes, and a blank book for live letters – and any other gift items I could think of for a “Date of the Month Club” basket.

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