Au Pair Gifts To Kids: Katrin’s Book-a-Day Advent Calendar

Host Mom Sandra tells us about a creative, low cost holiday gift idea that combines a clever physical gift with an enduring gift of spirit:

I just wanted to send a quick note about my au pair, Katrin Schwingenschlogl from Austria.

For the Christmas holiday, she developed her own Advent calendar for my children. She took out 25 holiday books from the local library and wrapped them to display.

Each day my children take turns unwrapping and then reading the book. They love it! It’s a great, clever idea whose only cost was wrapping paper and time.

Host Mom Sandra, CT

Karin’s gift idea can be adapted for any family. 

• Since Advent has already begun, you might adapt this idea for another element of Christmas — such as the 12 Days of Christmas (always fun to extend the celebration past Dec. 25th).

• For Jewish families, this idea can be adapted to Chanukah, with a book each night related to Jewish history and culture.

• For a secular celebration, you can create a book  count-down and preparation for a Happy New Year.

This Gift Keeps on Giving, Too

What’s deeply special about this gift is the idea that the child/ren not only get to unwrap the gifts but also they get to enjoy the experience of being read to (usually while being cuddled).

The memories and the caring that are created with this kind of experience will last long after the books are returned to the library.

We’d love to hear more about creative, low cost, high memory gifts in your host family! Comment below, or send them on to aupairmom.

Tagged as: Creating memories, gift from au pair, Gifts, gifts au pairs give, gifts for host children, Katrin Schwingenschlogl, library books