Tea, Tales, and Tomes

A Bookish Advent: Build A Calm, Joyful Countdown With Stories, Not Stress

• Natasha • Season 2 • Episode 5

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The season can sparkle and still feel heavy. Between perfect social media feeds, school concerts, late shopping and burnt biscuits, it’s easy to forget why we gather at all. We offer a simple reset: a bookish Advent calendar that replaces pressure with presence and turns December into a series of small, meaningful pauses.

We start with the heart of the tradition and why letting go of perfection creates space for real joy. Then we walk through five clear steps to build your own countdown and also share practical tips to keep it effortless. By the end, you’ll have a flexible plan that meets your pace and deepens your family rhythm.

If you’re ready to count down with stories instead of stress, press play, build your stack, and make the season yours. Subscribe for more bookish rituals, share this with a friend who needs a calmer December, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Find us on Instagram @teatalesandtomes and don't forget to join us next time for more bookish wonder.

Podcast music by Lundstroem (Episode 1 onwards) and Audionautix (TTAT Trailer). Podcast edited by Timothy Wiggill.

SPEAKER_00:

Hello bookish friends. This is Natasha and you're listening to Tea Tales and Tomes, where we are living our favorite lives, talking books and drinking hot beverages. So grab your cupper and let's talk books. What's that? No more eerie hoots and ghostly howls? Is that jingling bells? Sleigh bells? Mariah Carey warming up somewhere in the distance? Bony M coming out of hiding? You know what that means! It's Christmas season. And being part of the Tea Tales and Tom's family means you know we celebrate all the things because life is short and anything that brings us wonder, helps us grow into kind, curious global citizens through empathy, and builds a more inclusive, joyful little corner of the world is always a good thing in our books. And on the subject of books, today we are talking about a tradition I've been doing at home for at least the last six years or so. Something that's made our festive season more meaningful, more intentional, and honestly more magical. It's our bookish Christmas Advent calendar. Now, before you panic, this is not about adding one more thing to your never-ending Christmas to-do list. Heck no. This is about slowing down, making space for calm, and creating memories through stories. So grab your hot drink, tea, cocoa, or maybe even a peppermint latte, and let's talk about how to make a bookish Christmas happen without the overwhelm. Book buds, if you've been scrolling through social media lately, you've probably seen them. Those picture perfect Christmas trees, beautifully wrapped presents, color-coordinated shelves, and jaw-dropping festive crafts. And honestly, I love looking at those. They're gorgeous and inspiring. But I also find myself feeling that little whisper of anxiety creeping in. You know the one? I'll never have time for that. Or my decorations don't look like that. Or do I really want to have an elf watching everything we do in our family? Now we know that two things can absolutely be true at the same time. I can admire those posts and feel inspired by them and also recognize that chasing that level of perfection does not bring me joy. Christmas is a magical time, but it can also be messy, busy, emotional, and downright exhausting. Between school concerts, last minute shopping, that's me, family visits, and burnt biscuits, also me. It's a lot. The thing that's helped us slow down, reconnect, and remember what's really important is books and reading. Kinda obvious, I know. So every December, as twinkling lights fill up the stores and Christmas toy catalogues find their way into our homes, we count down the days with stories. And that's what a bookish advent calendar is all about. So let's talk a bit about this bookish countdown to Christmas that has been life-giving over the past few years in the Tea Tales in Tomes home. If I told you that I didn't even know what an Advent calendar was until about 15 years ago, you'd probably think that I had been living under a rock. Not exactly, but growing up in a Hindu household, Advent just wasn't part of our festive traditions. So when I finally learned that people actually count down the 24 days until Christmas with chocolates, tiny trinkets, or in some very fancy cases, makeup and designer perfume, I thought it was the most magical idea ever. So pre-kids, I would buy myself one of those ready-made chocolate advent calendars. The ones where you open the little windows and there's a tasty treat inside, and that was a wonderful act of self-care, which I loved indulging in. This is one of the things I couldn't wait to share with my kids. Advent aside, books and reading have always been at the heart of my December holidays. I'm sure many of you listening can relate. It was that one magical time of the year when school was truly over, the exam results were in, and life finally slowed down enough for us to just be. About six years ago, I was listening to one of my favorite podcasters, Anne Bogle, talk about how her family celebrates with a book advent calendar. As I listened, the idea lit up my imagination in full technicolor. I thought, this is it, this is it, this is my kind of tradition. What better way to combine everything I love? The magic of Christmas, the delight of chocolate, and of course, the joy of books with my kids. So Kai was around three at the time, and Jazz was still very much a baby, and I decided to give it a go. I gathered 24 books, wrapped them up, and plonked them right in the middle of our dining room table next to a big jar of chocolates. And just like that, our family Christmas tradition was born. A countdown to Christmas that's cozy, creative, and honestly all sorts of wonderful. We've done it every year since, and it never gets old. The excitement of unwrapping a story each night, the shared moments, the chocolates, the laughter, it's it's pure magic. Now I know what you might be thinking. That sounds lovely, but who has the time to find 24 books, wrap them, and make it all look Instagram perfect? And honestly, you don't need to. My many years of experience with this has shown me that it isn't about the wrapping paper or the number of books, it's not even about the chocolates, dare I say. Like with every moment that we spend reading to or with our children, it's in the ritual, that tiny sacred moment each day where you pause the noise and reconnect through story. So every year, and I mean every year, when I post about my book advent calendar, I get tons of questions about the cost, the ease of doing it, the worry about not getting through the books. And today I'm going to give you the step-by-step guide into our bookish countdown minus the stress. How can you incorporate this wonderful tradition in your home in five easy steps? Yep, just five. So if you've listened to my previous episodes, you know I sometimes get confused with which step I'm on. So forgive me for that. But I did count it and it's five. So, step one, give yourself the right message and remember this message throughout your bookish countdown. This is genuinely step one, bookish friends. The first thing you must remember is that this whole shebang, this whole shebang is not about perfection. I would go as far as saying it's not even about the books of chocolates. There is one goal and one goal only, and that is to create moments. A few pages together before bed, a giggle over a silly Christmas story, or that hush of quiet as you and your family get lost in the magic of words. If this is how you go into it, this message, constantly reminding yourself, you are already well into crafting a beautiful bookish tradition. So step one, a bookish advent calendar is about creating moments during the festive season. Moments to slow down and to reconnect. Step two, decide your number. So Advent is usually 24 days from the 1st of December until the 24th of December. So here's the thing about creating traditions in your family. You get to decide what works for you. So I usually do 24 books, but this year I'm thinking that as my kids are getting older, I will add chapter books or slightly longer texts. So I might have to decrease this number a little. So here's a few of my suggestions, some of the things that I have pondered and thought about over the many years that I've done this calendar. So this year, like I've just said, I've decided that I want to add two chapter books into my bookish advent calendar. They are A Boy Named Christmas by Matt Haig and A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. So I'm going to have to cut down to maybe 15 books. So we'll talk about what books to add to the Advent in a bit. But for now, we're just talking numbers. So if you've got younger kids and you're using simpler picture books mostly, you could go the full 24, a book a day until Christmas. So if you're doing chapter books, however, it could be a chapter a day until Christmas, or it could be a combination of the two, one chapter and one picture book. And this is likely what I'm going to be doing. And there may even be rereading involved, to be honest. Another option is that you could do four or five books as your entire bookish countdown. So almost a book a week. So I have a friend who works throughout the holidays, and so she does seven books counting down the last seven days until Christmas. The rest of the days, the kids do the Advent countdown, but with chocolates or sweets or little trinkets that she hides around the house. Once again, tailoring the Advent countdown to what works in your family. There is no defined number. And a little confession before we go on. Two years ago, Christmas was really busy and I wrapped 24 books and we only read about 12 from the whole pack. The kids didn't mind at all. In fact, I don't even think they really noticed because it was not about the number. Some nights we were out visiting the Botanic Gardens to see the Trail of Lights, or visiting friends and family. And in all the Christmas busyness and all the Christmas magic, we missed many nights. So if you miss a night or two or seven, it's okay. Give yourself the grace you need during this very hectic period. Step number three, gather the books. So this is the part that many people get very stuck at. How to choose the books, where to get the books, how do we not break the bank while getting the books? Stress, stress, overwhelm, overwhelm. So let me answer a few of the most common questions that I have received about this. Do all the books have to be Christmas themed? Absolutely not. It's cool to have one or two Christmas ebooks in the mix to get into the spirit, maybe, but the bookish countdown does not at all have to only be Christmas books. So for me personally, I always try to include some Christmas tales, but the majority of books are stories that my kids have genuinely loved with characters that they already have warm feelings towards. And because shelf space is an issue in our home, I tend to pack away Christmas favorites every year, like The Mole Family's Christmas or Paddington and the Christmas Surprise, and any other special bookish advent books once Christmas is over. So it's packed away, and the kids then don't see these books all year round. And when they unwrap them during our special nightly unwrappings, their faces just light up with the remembrance of these stories, and they're like, wow, I forgot about this book, and now they get to experience that book all over again. It's really just so wonderful. It's it's so beautiful to see. Ultimately, you are wanting books that you and your kids would love or have loved, regardless of the theme. Books from their childhood, your childhood favorites that you may want to share with them. I think you get the picture. Which brings me to the next question. Do all the books need to be new? Absolutely not. You'd be amazed at how exciting it feels to re-wrap and rediscover a favorite book. Shop your shelves. Are there books that your kids loved and have now forgotten at the back of the shelf? Pull that out. Are there books that your kids always ask you to read, but you don't always have the time or the willingness to read them? Now is the time for those books to shine. Friends, there are books in my bookish advent calendar that are what some people will term baby books, like Kitten's First Full Moon, Penny and Penny, and even Goodnight Moon. I add them to my Advent stack because Christmas is also a time of remembrance. What better way to get those warm, mushy feelings than by revisiting your timeless classics, your family's classics? And when I bring out those really old quote unquote baby books, I tend to share a story about how they loved this tale when they were little. I might even take out my phone and show them a picture of when they were little with me holding them, and I will remind them that no matter how old they are, we will always have these moments, and they will always be my babies. You can create the magic just by sitting next to each other, a book open in front of you with a story of your own, even. And that is what it's all about. And yes, it is nice to add some newness into the mix to keep them guessing, but this too does not have to break the bank. For me, I always add five new books for the kids for Christmas. So I will buy them five new books for Christmas, two new books for each of them, and one that is sort of a non-fiction coffee table book for them to enjoy together or for all of us to enjoy together as a family. And instead of them getting these on Christmas morning and unwrapping these books with all of the other presents, I add it to the bookish advent. And again, these are seldom Christmas-themed books. They are just books that the kids have asked for during the year, or something that I felt they would love, something that I've had on my wish list for them for some time. Another way to add newness to the mix is by going to your local library. Pick out books your kids haven't read and don't tell them about it. Mix affordable secondhand treasures in. Again, how this is done is totally up to you, and you should certainly not break the bank. Step four, wrap with intention, not perfection. So now that you have your basic plan for how many books will form part of your advent and you've gathered your books, let's let the fun begin. And part of the fun of any advent calendar is opening the next day's surprise or the next week's surprise or just the next surprise. So get some gift wrap, seasonal or not. You could use brown paper, newspaper, comics, or even reusable fabric bags. Whatever feels easy and workable for you, and wrap up those books. You can add tags with numbers or just pick a random book each day. So one year I was very specific about which books I wanted the kids to unwrap to read and when, so on which days. So I looked at the December calendar and reserved the more detailed books for Friday nights, or nights when I knew that we would have more time. And the newer books I tried to spread throughout the countdown so that it was a little surprise every now and again. And I also tried to make sure that the 24th would have especially special Christmas details being the night before Christmas. I labeled each book, wrapped them accordingly, and off we went. It worked really well that year, but I haven't really done it since because I have been trying to keep things very relaxed for my own well-being. This year, because we are doing two chapter books, like I mentioned previously, the first one I want to read, that's A Boy Called Christmas, will be opened on the 1st of December. And every day after the plan is to read a chapter or two or three a day, depending on my kids' willingness to just one more chapter. The second book will probably be labeled the 7th of December, so almost a week later, and interspersed among all the other days will be shorter picture books which that we will enjoy as we count down the days to Christmas. This is just one example, and you can do what works for you. Step five, the most important step, set the scene. So once all the books are wrapped and labeled, or not, if you're going random, place them near the tree or on a table in the lounge or somewhere that everyone will gather at the time that you want to unwrap and unwind with your bookish advent calendar. So for us, this is having the full stack of books right in the center of the dining room table with a few Christmas decorations around the stack. You can check out my Instagram for images of this from past years. A huge part of our tradition is having a jar of chocolates or sweets next to this book stack, which the kids dip into when we are unwrapping our books and settling in for a lovely read aloud. So you can do whatever works for you. Next to the Christmas tree is a good spot. Under the tree, even bedside tables are a good option if that's where you do your reading. So remember that this is always about what works for your family. The key part is to set the scene so that you feel the coziness, the magic of this little ritual. And for me, this is after supper. So the kids will take turns for who will unwrap the books on a given day. Both kids rummage in the chocolate jar for their favorite chocolate. I do too. I will light a little tea light candle, and then we all sit together and read the story and enjoy a tasty treat. Again, make it your own. Add a treat that your family enjoys: biscuits, cookies, hot chocolates, actual dessert like cupcakes or cakes. It's not about the treat or the book. It's about the ritual of sitting together during the season and making lasting memories with your closest loves. Five minutes of cozy reading can be more powerful than an hour of chaos. Let me say that again. Five minutes of cozy, dedicated reading time can be more powerful than an hour of chaos. There you have it, bookish friends. Five steps to a ritual that your kids will remember forever, regardless of how old they are when you start it. It is never too late to start new traditions. You know, I often hear friends say that they are sad that they have teenagers now or can't do this, or their kids are past the picture book stage and this won't work for their families. Bookish friends. Two hills I will die on. Two things that I will advocate for no matter what. The first, no one is too old to be read to. Those grumpy teens, yes, they can read by themselves, but sitting together and reading aloud with mum or dad or gran will full their hearts this festive season. And the second hill I will die on, and I'm gonna do an entire podcast episode on this one, no one, and I mean no one outgrows picture books. That's like saying we outgrow an appreciation for poetry or for art or for tasty treats. The heck! These are the little things that bond us together forever. So no, if you are feeling wistful that your family is beyond the bookish advent calendar stage, trust me when I say that no family is beyond the stage. My final word on this bookish friends is that this will not look like those Instagram perfect reels. There will be some days or maybe many days in a row when you don't end up doing the reading. The book advent calendar is meant to recenter you as a family, not to add stress. If it comes to the 24th of December and you have a huge stack of books that are still wrapped looking beautiful alongside your tree, or on the dining room table, on the bedside table, don't feel like a failure. I can guarantee you that I will have a few books from last year that we never got to. My kids are not going to remember those books that we never unwrapped. They will remember the times that we did slow down, the times that we relaxed into a story together. Hot drink in hand with a hint of chocolate making the memory even more tantalizing. I sincerely hope that this episode gives you the inspiration you need to do a bookish countdown to Christmas. And this matters because stories have this beautiful way of grounding us during those busy seasons of life. They build empathy, spark imagination, and create connection. When we make time to read, especially together, we remind ourselves that the holidays aren't about doing everything. They're about being together. Christmas doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be yours. Don't forget to join us next time for more bookish wonder.

Head Shot

Natasha

Host
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Timothy Wiggill

Editor