As Christmas draws closer, it is only normal that everybody is getting excited. For most people, the Christmas magic doesn't just start on December 25th. It begins way before that date as there are places to decorate, songs to sing during the holiday season, sweet treats to make, and many more.
And there is no better way for you to celebrate every single day leading to December 25th than with a Christmas advent calendar. You get the promise of a small gift with each passing day to keep the fun alive.
We will be looking at how you can make a fun advent calendar plus all the different easy ideas you can use, so let the countdown begin.
What Is An Advent Calendar?
An advent calendar is a special calendar that makes counting down the days of Christmas a lot more fun. This kind of calendar is full of surprises and will reveal each one every day until Christmas day. There are different advent calendars as they come in different forms and styles.
But one thing that is common with all advent calendars is that they have either 24 boxes or doors that you open right until Christmas. The small presents in the calendar are a fun way to depict acts of kindness. Advent calendar ideas are endless and keep the fun going all month long.
Making an advent calendar is one of the fun pre-Christmas activities that is certainly a holiday tradition.
Can you Create Your Own Advent Calendar?
You can most certainly create advent calendars by yourself as there are a lot of DIY advent calendar ideas that you can utilize. It is easy to craft your own advent calendar with these great ideas. If you wish, you can even make a DIY wooden advent calendar.
You can have your advent calendar made out of any material you like. Even if not every morning is Christmas morning, you can still get the feel by unwrapping small treats, notes, and other small surprises daily until the main day.
DIY family advent calendars can be so fun as you can get each member of the family to put in a different surprise on each day. This will help build excitement in the days leading to Christmas. There is no perfect way to make an advent calendar, you just need to let your imagination run wild.
How to make an advent calendar?
Making DIY advent calendars can be very fun and we have a bunch of DIY advent calendar ideas for you to try out.
Paper Bag Advent calendar
Making this easy DIY advent calendar out of brown paper bags is pretty fun and you'll find yourself being happy when you are done.
What you will need:
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Scissors
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Hot glue gun or glue stick
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White marker
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24/25 black doilies
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6ft of string
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24/25 cloth pins
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24/25 brown paper lunch bags
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24/25 small gifts to fill the calendar
How to make:
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Start by getting the top part of the brown paper bag folded by half an inch.
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Use the glue gun to attach the doily to the center of the bag.
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Then use your marker to stamp numbers on the bag. Repeat for all the 24/25 bags.
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Then open up the bags and fill them up with the little treats.
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Hang the bags with your string and clothes pins.
Fun Countdown Advent calendar
You can convert any material into a fun advent calendar to count down the days.
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Grab some wooden drawers and old boxes.
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Get them filled up with small toys or treats, which could be pom poms or candy canes.
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Find some construction paper or scrapbook paper and cut out the number stickers and then place them on the boxes.
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Finally, place the well-arranged boxes on a dedicated table.
Making a Matchbox Advent Calendar
This DIY advent calendar is made from little boxes and it is super cute. If you choose to go for this design, you will save yourself some money as it is budget-friendly and simple to put together.
What you will need:
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24/25 match boxes, depending on the number of days in your advent calendar. (you can purchase matchboxes from dollar tree)
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Glue stick
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Decorative trinkets (rubber bands, club-crafted pieces)
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Metal cookie sheet
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Spray paint
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Scrapbook paper
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Magnets and ribbons
How to make:
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Cut out the required strips of paper and wrap them around the outer part of the matchbox, gluing them in place with your glue stick.
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Next, add numbers to the matchbox. You can decorate it any way you want with scrapbook paper and other decorative trinkets.
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Paint the cookie sheet with your desired color.
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Then, add little pieces of magnet to the matchboxes and stick them on the metal sheet.
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You can then hang your advent calendar.
Toilet Paper Tubs Advent Calendar
It is easy to make a DIY advent calendar from toilet paper rolls.
What you'll need:
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Glue stick, number stencils, adhesive tape, utility knife, pencil, scissors
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White felt fabric
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Colored paper
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24 tissue paper rolls
How to make:
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With the use of the stencil, draw using a pencil the numbers you need on the white felt fabric. Then cut them out. If you wish, you can utilize a craft foam board or construction paper.
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Cut out rectangular pieces of colored paper and wrap them around the toilet paper rolls. Then, close out the bottom with adhesive tape.
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The main idea of this DIY advent calendar is that the paper rolls serve as small plastic cups or mini bottles holding the daily surprise. You can go ahead to use your glue stick and attack the number cutouts to the tubes.
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Fill up the makeshift cups with your little surprises.
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The final step is to make two cuts with the utility knife at the same height on all paper rolls. Then string them all together using a ribbon to make a garland.
You can decorate and hang your calendar on hooks on your wall.
More creative ideas to make an Advent Calendar
These are a few ideas you can still utilize to make this holiday activity even more fun. If you have the time and desire to make DIY advent calendars, then you will find that these designs will come in handy. They are easy to assemble and you will enjoy every bit of it.
Painted Jars
Jars are reusable and you can put them to good use by turning them into a nice and cute DIY advent calendar. It is very easy to make. You can start out by painting your mason jars in different colors that you like. Then use some number stickers to number all the jars. You can also add a craft label if you wish. Don't forget to fill up the jars with treats and surprises.
Colorful Envelopes
Making DIY advent calendars out of envelopes. You could choose to let each envelope reveal a secret task, treat, or message. What's more, fun is that you can get different people in your house to fill up the envelopes. This way, there is an element of surprise for everybody. You will need some colorful envelopes, different colored paper or cardboard, glue, scissors, some string, and clear tape.
Wood Snowman
Making DIY advent calendars that are unique will require some skill. For this wooden snowman advent calendar, you will need a drill and a saw, and you should also be able to use them to make basic cuts. You will also need paint, brushes, a glue gun, and unfinished pine wood pieces. After getting all your supplies, you will need to cut the wood and design it in a way that looks like a snowman. Then number your snowman and glue the whole thing together.
Bottle Cap Advent Tree
One of our favorite ways to enjoy the season is with this handmade bottle cap advent calendar. You are going to need 24 plastic caps, wrapping paper, glue, a paper cutter, scissors, and green card stock. You will also need your prizes like candies, coins, wrapped candy, or other treats. The idea is to arrange the bottle caps filled with goodies in the shape of a Christmas tree.
Muffin Tin Advent Calendar
Making a muffin tin advent calendar to celebrate the holiday season can really be fun. You first need to decide on the theme you are going with. You are going to need a 24-count mini muffin tin, ribbon, adhesive roller and magnet sheets, and some scrapbook stamps. Make your paper squares, decorate and number them, and add the magnets. Ensure the papers can cover the muffin holes. Fill the muffin cups with a lovely surprise and then hang your advent calendar.
Santa Hats
On the list of DIY advent calendar ideas, this upside-down Christmas craft is certainly among the top ones. If you are skilled with a sewing machine, you can cut and sew some holiday fabrics into cone shapes. Using a glue gun, attach a pom pom to the pointy end of the Santa hat. Proceed to add number tags to each one. Then line them up with clothespins and fill them up with goodies.
Christmas Santa Sacks
It doesn't matter if your kid made the nice list or if they are on Santa's naughty list, you can still give them the thrill of opening a present from Santa's big bag daily. This is one of the most adventurous DIY advent calendars. Get some paper bags and stamp numbers onto them. You will also need pretty ribbons to tie them up. Don't forget to add small gifts for your child as they embark on the Christmas countdown.
Starry Trees
Have your DIY advent calendar hanging from your mantel in style. These beautiful boxes are designed like Christmas trees and pyramids all at the same time. It is a very interesting design and no one would even know that there is a surprise present waiting inside, ready to be unleashed. You will need scissors, cardboard paper, a white marker, some strings, gift tags, and of course, your special treats.
Plastic Animals
Another great calendar on our list of advent calendar ideas is this delightful plastic animal-themed calendar to help you with your countdown to Christmas. You can make the advent calendar with plastic animals that hold different gifts to surprise your child each day that passes until December 25th. You will need about 25 plastic animals, spray paint, craft boxes, red pom poms, number stencils, and glue.
Chalkboard Boxes
DIY advent calendars like this one have everything you need to keep the excitement going. It is quite cheap and easy to make as it would take you not more than an hour to finish. You will need your small treats or toys, a mini Christmas tree, ribbon, chalk, some small boxes, and chalkboard spray paint. Flatten the boxes and spray paint them. Fold them up and fill them up with your treats, then hang each one of them onto your Christmas tree.
Gingerbread House Advent Calendar
Advent calendars like this gingerbread house-themed one are sure to keep your kids excited all the days leading to Christmas. It is so easy to make that you can get everything you need from your local store. You will need brown paper bags, a white paint pen, scissors, and some thread. Life doesn't get much easier than that. Don't forget your goodies and ornaments.
Magnet Board Advent Calendar
This amazing advent calendar makes use of vinyl stickers and sheet metal to give you a wonderful magnetic board. With this advent calendar, you can count down the time in an enjoyable style. You will need hot glue, vinyl lettering, sheet metal, bead board, and wood.
Clothespins Advent Calendar
With just a white picture frame, twine, and clothespins, you can make this wonderful advent calendar. Your kids can keep taking the small treat bags you hang on this calendar to pass time. You will need stamps and ink, small bags, clothespins, hot glue, twine, and a picture frame.
Punch Board
Punch a hole through each day on your advent calendar as you try to contain your holiday excitement. You don't have to do too much when making this advent calendar. Items you need include ribbon, permanent marker, white foam board, candy, small gifts, rubber band, tissue paper, and small cups.
Christmas Street
This is a beautiful Christmas advent calendar. You get to arrange houses and buildings made from boxes in a street-like form. So, as you count down to December 25th, you can keep moving through each house on Christmas street. You will need heavy-weight paper, interesting designs from the internet, and glue.
Etched Christmas Lights
Hope you saved some of those baby food jars because they are going to be very useful to you if you are going to be making this Christmas advent calendar. Shopping for what you will need to craft this shouldn't be stressful. You need some snowflakes and ribbons, tea-light candles for each jar, number stickers, and etching cream.
Christmas Tree Advent Calendar
Crafting the calendars on our list of advent calendar ideas is so easy and enjoyable. The idea is to shape the calendar to look like a Christmas tree, so you can let your imagination run wild. Some common supplies you will need include cardboard, scissors, small makeshift cups, paint, glue, and gifts.
Tin Can Advent Calendar
This tin can advent calendar is inexpensive and also fun to make. You will be making use of those tin cans you have been saving. In addition to that, you will also need red and green spray paint, twine, wire, and number stickers. You can hang this advent calendar on your mantel.
LEGO Advent Calendar
Who doesn't like LEGO toys? Now, you can use them to make the perfect advent calendar. The LEGO advent calendar is great for your kids and will surely keep them pumped for Christmas. You will need LEGO sets, gift tags, paper cutouts, labels, small paper bags, and printable LEGO advent calendar project cards.
Fabric Christmas Countdown With Pockets
This fabric advent calendar can be used for counting down the days till Christmas. You will be needing wax papers, a small piece of wood, little gifts, jute twine, thread, small numbers, a dowel, and 2 tea towels. This advent calendar will accent your decor perfectly.
Bath Set Advent Calendar
You can also opt for a bath product-themed advent calendar, because why not. You can include different bath products as your gifts when filling up the boxes. Some products that you can include are hair clips, Santa hats, socks, body scrub, body lotion, shampoo, soap, bath salt, and bath bombs. You can try out this already-made bath set advent calendar.
What to put in the advent calendar
Trying to figure out what to put in your DIY advent calendar with can be so confusing, especially as there are so many things to choose from. To get the party started before the big day, take a look at some of the best filler ideas for DIY advent calendars
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Sentimental messages and love tokens
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DIY coupons
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A gift card
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Bottles of beer
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Little beauty products
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Hair accessories
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Tickets to see a Christmas movie
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Tiny toys for the kids
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Household special treat and sweet
Conclusion
During the holidays, there is always a delightful buzz in the air. For most people as soon as November ends, they already start preparing for Christmas.
In order to keep things exciting, a great idea would be to make a cool DIY advent calendar. This way you will not need to have a boring wait. An advent calendar would give your decor a fantastic look.
So, you can get inspired by any of our amazing DIY advent calendar ideas and make something fun for you and your family.
