How to Build a Book Advent Calendar for Your Girlfriend (Updated for 2026)

If your girlfriend has an ultimate love for reading, a book advent calendar can be her sweetest surprise this holiday season. Each wrapped book becomes a small daily joy she can unwrap, read, and treasure through December, or even through the upcoming year.

If you are planning on this advent calendar, this updated 2026 guide is what you need. CustomAny will guide you through 6 steps, from how to pick the right books, how to wrap them with charm, to create a sense of anticipation that lasts all season. Let’s get ready to delight your bookish girlfriend with a personal, meaningful present chosen with care.

Step 1: Decide on the Book Advent Calendar Style

First thing to get started on is to choose the right style for the book advent calendar. It is what makes your gift feel cohesive and ensures all the books are connected in some ways. The key is to consider your girlfriend’s reading genre, habits and your budget.

Two main versions you should consider are:

• Full 24-book calendar for fast pace readers or those who enjoy a daily surprise throughout December.
• 12-book version, which feels just as special but simpler to prepare. This option is also more suitable for a slow reader and is easier on the budget.

Step 2: Choose the Theme or Concept of Books

A clear theme will help you pick a collection of books that show a sense of purpose and feel like part of one story. So, instead of choosing random titles, you can center the collection around what she enjoys most — her favorite genres, authors, or reading moods. 

Think about books:

• By genre: Romance, mystery, thriller, fantasy, sci-fi, or non-fiction. Besides, a mix of two genres (such as: romance and fantasy, classic and historical fiction, sci-fi and non-fiction,…) will often keep the book collection more interesting.
• By author: You can center the calendar around her favorite authors or those she’s curious about, such as Taylor Jenkins Reid, Ali Hazelwood, Freida McFadden, Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo, Stephen King, Agatha Christie, Alexandre Dumas, Jane Austen, and more.
• By mood or topic: Some book lovers connect more with tone than genre. Themes like “gentle stories for slow evenings”, “page-turners for cozy nights”, or “tales that spark imagination” can make the experience more emotional.

Here are examples that match those directions:

• For Romance & Romantasy, you can look for The Love Hypothesis, Fourth Wing, Better Than the Movies, A Court of Thorns and Roses series, etc.
• The options for a Cozy Read are The House in the Cerulean Sea, Remarkably Bright Creatures, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, etc.
• Emotional Stories include The Nightingale, Before We Were Strangers, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, etc.

The best options are what mirrors her world best — and remember to take a moment to check if she already has these books before curating the book advent calendar.

Step 3: Wrap Each Book Creatively

As each book of this collection is a mysterious item for your girlfriend, how you wrap each one plays a meaningful role in your advent calendar.The textures, colors, and finishing of each wrap all matter. 

Choosing the wrapping style

The wrapping paper type should align with the theme you’ve chosen and the vibe you want to create. Consider:

• Kraft paper: this option suitable for a rustic, handmade gift that fits most readers’ taste.
• Pastel tones: wrapping papers in these soft, dreamy colors are perfect for romance or romantic lovers.
• Vintage newspaper-like wrappers feel timeless and pair beautifully with classic books.

Let ribbons do the decorative touch

A simple ribbon, tied loosely or in a small bow, can make each of your book packages look curated and elegant. You can use matching ribbons for all the books or mix different types to give each one its own character.

Add Small Surprises

Small surprises of reading-related items can turn your book advent calendar into something that gives her a gentle care woven into each day. 

You should think about:

• A set of handmade bookmarks with inspiring quotes or minimalist art to match the tone of the books
• Mini candles in soothing scents perfect for relaxed reading nights, like cinnamon, vanilla, or pine
• Cocoa packets or small tea bags that can accompany with her through every read
• Handwritten notes tucked between pages, sharing small thoughts about the books if you finished them.

Step 4: Add Personalized Elements

In this step, you should know that some little personalized elements can make your girlfriend feel special because the book advent calendar was created just for her. Here are a few ways to add a special, personal touch:

First, you can try using custom stickers — a simple way to seal each wrap in a customized and aesthetic way. You can print in any custom design you can think of. For example:

• Use simple numbered stickers to mark from 1-12 (or 1-24) for each book.
• Add a sweet design of a reading girl silhouette
• A stack of books customized with her all-time  titles
• Designs of short bookish quotes like “One more chapter”, “Hot girls read book”, “I read past my bed time”, “I’d rather be reading”,….

At our website, there are various sticker types for you to choose from, each one is suitable for specific wrapping types of book vibes:

• Standard circle stickers are suitable for sealing book wrappers, especially on kraft or patterned paper.
• Die-cut stickers, which are cut to the shape of your design, stand out nicely if you have unique and interesting artworks
• Clear stickers blend smoothly with pastel backgrounds for an aesthetic, modern look.

Along with customized stickers, tiny hints or handwriting notes are also a great addition to the book gift. Consider specific notes like:

• Save for a rainy day
• Will make you smile
• For overcoming reading slumps,…

These notes show that you’ve put much time and effort to learn about each book and to create this surprise book advent calendar, rather than just pick some random reads.

Step 5: Arrange & Present the Book Advent Calendar

The next step in building a book advent calendar for your bookish girlfriend is arranging it. What makes a DIY advent calendar special is that the gifts display one unique mood and show your care for that specific person.

When it comes to how you will present the books, we must remind you that most bookish girls love an eye-catching, aesthetic layout.

Some common setups for book advent calendar you should consider are:

• A basket or decorative box filled with separately wrapped books.
• A festive hanging branch with numbered tags for each book package.
• Also with separately wrapped books but present in a stacked tower, with ribbons and small notes tucked between layers of packages
• Books in reusable cloth bags, perfect for a tidy, environment-friendly girlfriend.

Whether you choose to arrange and present the gift, the best book advent calendar is the one that fits her space and lifestyle.

To complete the special advent calendar, you can put a small card or love note on top with a few sincere lines written by hand.

Step 6: Delivery at The Right Time

In the final step, it is the moment you give the book advent calendar that matters. You should give it on December 1 or before, so on each day, your girlfriend can unfold one book like a quiet ritual she will look forward to. Besides, consider how to deliver it. You can place the calendar under the tree, by her nightstand or even leave it by her door for a little surprise. 

Conclusion

Delighting your girlfriend with a book advent calendar is an interesting yet meaningful way to turn her December into a month of quiet surprises. With our 6-step guideline, we hope that now you’ve learned how to choose the right books, wrap them beautifully, and build a countdown that feels personal and full of care for your loved one.

If you enjoyed planning this thoughtful gift, you might also like exploring other creative ideas and more inspirations for the season. Let’s go to our blog page to discover more on other Christmas gift ideas, how to throw seasonal theme parties  and more specific tips to make any celebrations more meaningful.