Alyssa loves celebrating holidays and making fun crafts. She is a wife and mom who drinks a lot of coffee!

When I first started college, I would only buy the brand new editions of my college text books. There was just something beautiful about the brand new one that I couldn't resist, but it came with a hefty price tag. I tried out the "book buy back" program my college hosted after the first semester and made a whopping $75. Not a bad amount, but it was for four college text books. Yikes. I quickly realized it was time for me to get off my high horse and buy used books. Over the years, I saved the ones from my favorite classes and the ones that dealt with my major.

A couple years ago, I saw a Christmas tree made out of books at the library. I fell in love and had to recreate it at home. What started out as a fun, sarcastic nod to overpriced text books and my subsequent school loans turned into a Christmas tradition.

There are many ways to create your college book Christmas tree. The sky is the limit! Depending on how many books you have and if you want to create a theme, you can make a huge tree or a small one. I made a semi-medium-sized book tree and put it on our dining room table as a part of my holiday decor. I mixed my college text books, my husband's college text books, and some of my favorite novels to create my tree. It's easy, quick, and a fun holiday decoration!

Step 1

Gather up your college text books, your favorite novels, and dictionaries.

Step 2

Begin arranging your books in a circle. I like to use my hardcover books at the base of the tree. The bigger books work best on the bottom.

Step 3

Keep stacking your books on top of each other, according to size. Each layer should be a smaller circle as you continue building your tree.

Step 4

Once you have your tree as big as you'd like, it's time to string some lights around it. Use Scotch tape to keep the strand in place if needed. You could also tuck the strand under a book to help keep it in place.

Step 5

Now it is time to decide on a top. There are many different things you could use. I've had an old family angel as the top. I've used a picture of my family. You could use Harry Potter glasses and a wand or other props from your favorite stories. You could fold an origami star or angel to place on top. The possibilities are endless!

This year, I chose to use a small book flipped open, into the shape of a triangle, as my tree top.

An old family angel tree topper.

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Step 6

Spruce your tree up with decorations! Add a few ornaments and knick knacks to make your Christmas tree festive. I love adding some fake snow to the tree too! It makes a mess, but it's a lot of fun!

There you have it! Your very own college text book Christmas tree.

Enjoy!

Comments

Alyssa (author) from Ohio on November 25, 2016:

Thank you! I hope you enjoy making your book tree! ...And I agree, "The Power" is a great book! :)

Amy from East Coast on November 25, 2016:

Very creative idea. I should try it in my porch room. Great pics showing how to build the tree. BTW - "The Power" was a great book! Enjoy your holidays! Once again, I enjoyed your post!