Advent calendars are a classic holiday tradition. The paper calendars with festive chocolate shapes will always be a classic, but don’t limit yourself to store-bought versions. Not only is a DIY Advent calendar a fun Christmas craft, it’s an activity the whole family can enjoy all season long. Common household objects—like envelopes, clothespins, and cookie sheets—can easily be transformed into creative Advent calendars or Christmas countdowns. To help you make the most of this holiday season, we’re sharing our favorite DIY Advent calendar ideas.
Rustic DIY Advent Calendar
This festive calendar doubles as an eye-catching piece of wall art. Hang two branches in an area where your family regularly gathers, such as a breakfast nook. Clip 25 small favor bags or packages to the branches for family members to open.
Chalkboard Advent Calendar
This oversize Advent calendar is fashioned from a framed chalkboard and dressed up with a simple evergreen garland. To make, simply write a 24-day calendar and move a mini evergreen wreath each day.
Acts of Kindness Advent Calendar
Celebrate the season by doing good! Create a handmade advent calendar that offers acts of kindness suggestions instead of gifts. You’ll feel good opening each envelope, and even better completing each act of kindness with your family. This is the perfect Advent calendar for kids—it will help them discover the true meaning of the season! Before completing each task, sit down and talk about why it’s important.
DIY Farmhouse Advent Calendar
This galvanized bucket Christmas Advent calendar doubles as a rustic piece of farmhouse Christmas decor. To make it, look for a set of mini galvanized buckets and finish with artificial greenery and a bow.
DIY Hanging Advent Calendar
A fun treat for kids and adults, this hanging Advent calendar is a cinch to make with inexpensive boxes and spare supplies. Fill with fun trinkets, candy, and notes to make the days leading up to Christmas more enchanting.
Christmas Countdown Wreath
Combine two Christmas classics into one project. Paint a large wooden wreath form white. Glue magnets to the form and to the bottoms of 24 small favor tins (approximately 2 ¼ inches in diameter). Cut 12 circles from solid-color scrapbooking papers to fit the tin lids. Adhere number stickers, 1 through 12, to the circles. Cut out 12 more circles from coordinating patterned papers. Adhere the paper circles to the 12 tin lids and fill the tins with treats or small gifts. Arrange the tins on the wreath form, alternating a numbered tin with a plain one.
DIY Ladder Advent Calendar Idea
Kim Cornelison
Turn a vintage wood ladder into a rustic Advent calendar. Use paper treat cups and decorative stickers to create buckets for all 24 nights, then use twine or string to hang each one from the ladder’s rungs.
DIY Envelope Advent Calendar
Offer daily surprises with this simple Advent calendar. Fill colored envelopes with treats, then seal and adorn with numbers. Get creative and trying using a simple hand-lettering technique to decorate the Advent calendar envelopes. Hang with mini clothespins across a line of twine.
Christmas Village Advent Calendar
Aurelie Erikson
Don’t have room for a Christmas village on your mantel? Turn the classic tradition into an Advent calendar instead! Hang 24 tiny cardboard houses from a garland anywhere in your home, and fill each one with a lightweight treat or toy.
DIY Advent Calendar Wreath Idea
Cardboard box lids double as an adorable DIY Advent calendar idea. To create, simply glue the recycled materials onto a wire wreath frame. Fill each with a small toy and cover with patterned paper. Hang this toy Advent calendar near your Christmas tree or make one for each child’s bedroom to make them feel extra special during the holiday season.
Fill-in-the-Blank Advent Calendar
Marty Baldwin
This DIY pegboard Advent calendar is so easy to make. Cut house shapes out of cardstock, and use patterned paper or fabric scraps to decorate each one. On the back, write a prompt for each day, then write down your kids’ answers each night. When you’re finished, you’ll have a special holiday keepsake to look back on.
DIY Activity Advent Calendar
A handmade wood frame means you can customize this Christmas advent calendar to fit any space. A bright garland of colorful pom-poms gives it a cheery pop of color. Plan a small family activity for each day and write one on the back of each card, then have fun completing it together each day. It can be as simple as reading a story together or going for a ride to look at Christmas lights.
Cookie-Inspired Advent Calendar
Cutout gingerbread cookies are the base of this tasty Advent calendar. Bake a batch and decorate them with colored royal icing. Once dry, attach them to a framed chalkboard using royal icing or glue.
Ornament-a-Day DIY Advent Calendar
No need to peek and see what tomorrow holds. This advent calendar idea puts every trinket in plain view. Hang baubles, handmade ornaments, or decoration next to poster board tags, then each morning, let someone hang a new adornment on the tree. Or, gather the family and hang a few of your favorite ornaments on the tree each night.
DIY Elf Advent Calendar Idea
Count down the days to Christmas with a handmade elf hat Advent calendar. Fill this Advent calendar for kids with fun treats, small toys, and special messages.
DIY Advent Calendar with Wood Doors
Turn a wooden cabinet into a surprise-filled Advent calendar by embellishing each door with rub-on numbers and designs from the scrapbooking aisles.
DIY Advent Calendar Tree
Jim Franco
Collect small branches in a vase, then hang a mix of numbered tags and small envelopes to the branches. Write holiday quotes, or activity suggestions on the tags, then fill envelopes with small trinkets. Wrap any bigger surprises and nestle under the tree.
