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These DIY Advent Calendars Will Make the Holidays Special
40 Fun Advent Calendars to DIY for ChristmasInstagram/@danafaylee
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As soon as December 1 hits, the unofficial countdown to Christmas begins. Make the most of your holiday season this year by crafting one of the cutest DIY advent calendars. These ideas are as fun to create as they are to use, and you can be sure your kids will love unwrapping a new surprise every day leading up to December 25. Best of all, some of these calendars will even inspire your family to embrace the true reason for the season by performing little acts of kindness.
New to this fun Christmas tradition? Here’s what you should know: Christmas advent calendars are creative tools used to track the days from December 1 to December 24 in preparation for the big day. Believe it or not, the first-known advent calendar was created way back in 1851 with nothing more than a few chalk lines. But by the 1950s, it had taken on a new look, and the idea of revealing candies and toys was introduced.
Now, advent calendars can be pretty much anything if you put your mind to it. The options are endless! On this list, you’ll find chocolate advent calendars, printable advent calendars, and cute toy advent calendars for kids. Many of these projects also double as DIY Christmas decorations. If you’re a Christmas fanatic and want to make this year’s celebrations more special than ever, read on to learn how to make an advent calendar of your very own.
Magnetic Advent Calendar
Bring some Christmas magic to your kitchen with a fun magnetic calendar for your fridge! Add this blogger’s adorable printables to a set of magnetic spice containers and then arrange them in the shape of a Christmas tree or star.
Get the tutorial at Somewhat Simple.
SHOP MAGNETIC SPICE JARS
Somewhat Simple
Matchbox Advent Calendar
To easily create this adorable calendar, wrap some matchboxes in vintage-inspired Christmas paper and attach them to a cookie sheet. A patterned ribbon on top makes the perfect festive finishing touch!
Get the tutorial at The Craft Patch.
The Craft Patch
Tea House Advent Calendar
How cute is this tiny DIY tea house?! The design is easy to print and fold, and you can see your variety of teas through the little doors and windows. If you want to take this a step further, tape daily Christmas activity suggestions to each packet.
Get the tutorial at Delia Creates.
Delia Creates
Tree and Ornaments Advent Calendar
The more Christmas trees, the better! Your kids will love spending the days leading up to December 25 adding adorable ornaments to their own special tree! Watch as it grows with decorative, festive cheer.
Get the tutorial at The Craft Patch.
The Craft Patch
Felt Nativity Advent Calendar
Bring a splash of color to your Christmas décor with this vibrant nativity calendar. It looks even more whimsical when paired with coordinating bottle brush trees.
Get the tutorial at Lovely Indeed.
SHOP FELT
Lovely Indeed
Mini Box Advent Calendar
Fill these playful, pom pom-topped boxes with little treats and prizes for a daily surprise for your little ones. Place them on cake stands or a buffet table for a colorful display.
Get the tutorial at Alice & Lois.
ALICE & LOIS
Mini Houses Advent Calendar
We love a pastel color scheme for Christmas! Hand paint house-shaped boxes and add a sprinkle of fake snow on top to create your own little holiday village.
Get the tutorial at Sugar & Cloth.
Sugar & Cloth
Beverage-Filled Advent Calendar
Whip up all of your favorite Christmas cocktails with a little help from this beverage-filled calendar. Stock it with 24 tiny bottles of your favorite spirits, or even mini wine bottles!
Get the tutorial at Feast + West.
The Pioneer Woman
Christmas Lights Advent Calendar
This colorful garland doubles as a festive holiday decoration for your living room or entryway. And filling these whimsical Christmas lights with little surprises is such a bright idea, too!
Get the tutorial at The House That Lars Built.
The House that Lars Built
Acts of Kindness Advent Calendar
The holidays are about so much more than just presents. Embrace the true reason for the season by crafting this pretty calendar that invites kids to perform a different act of kindness every day.
Get the tutorial at Lovely Indeed.
SHOP CLOTHESPINS
Lovely Indeed
Mini Stockings Advent Calendar
The only thing better than one Christmas stocking is 24 mini ones! There are many ways to hang these cuties: on a simple wooden Christmas tree as shown here, strung up on a festive garland, or lined up along the mantel!
See more at Make It & Love It.
Make It & Love It
Instagram Photo Advent Calendar
Here’s an amazing idea for displaying all those cute photos from the past year. Add them to this calendar that’s designed to look like an Instagram grid, and prepare for a lot of “likes” from your friends and family!
See more at Thinking Closet.
Thinking Closet
Felt Advent Calendar
These pouches are soft, cute, and just the right size for gift cards. Hang them on a pom pom garland and display the rest in a bowl nearby, or hang them all!
See more at Skip to My Lou.
Skip to My Lou
Shadowbox Advent Calendar
Here is one is for all the Silhouette lovers out there! Your machine will be busy creating these beautiful, vintage-looking gift boxes. Then, all you need to do is decorate and craft a unique shadowbox display!
See more at Make It & Love It.
Make It & Love It
Paper Advent Calendar
Kids will love how tactile and interactive this calendar is. Fill each section of a jewelry organizer with small gifts, color the top with colored paper, and create small marks where each cavity is. Then, ask your kids to tear the paper each day to reveal a different present!
Get the tutorial at Club Crafted.
SHOP JEWELRY ORGANIZER TRAYS
Club Crafted
Modern Tree Advent Calendar
You can swap out the colors of this modern-looking tree to ensure that it fits in nicely with the rest of your home décor.
Get the tutorial at A Kailo Chic Life.
A Kailo Chic Life
Paper Bag Present Advent Calendar
The 24 numbered paper bags used to create this calendar can be all different shapes and sizes, allowing for a wide variety of gifts. Add candy canes to the longer rectangles, small toys to the squares, and so on.
Get the tutorial at Tell Love and Party.
The Pioneer Woman
Wooden House Advent Calendar
Minimalists will love these simplistic wooden houses. They’d look lovely grouped together on a mantel, but you could just as easily space them out across an entire room.
Get the tutorial at Your DIY Family.
Your DIY Family
Pegboard Advent Calendar
This show-stopping calendar involves mini felted stockings and a larger-than-life pegboard. Just wait until your holiday guests get a peek at it.
Get the tutorial at Damask Love.
SHOP FELT
Damask Love
Felt Truck Advent Calendar
Have a little one at home? This colorful, present-filled felt truck advent calendar will make their holiday season extra bright.
Get the tutorial at Studio DIY!
Studio DIY!
Hanging Boxes Advent Calendar
Prefer something a bit more whimsical? This dangling DIY advent calendar will keep holiday cheer within reach all month long.
See more at House of Sparrows.
Instagram/@houseofsparrows
Woodland Animals Advent Calendar
Kiddos will adore these cute woodland critter envelopes! Let them help create the envelopes ahead of December so they can enjoy the calendar from both ends of the spectrum.
See more at Ivana on a Mission.
Instagram/@ivanaonamission
Hanging Advent Calendar
You’ll love the look of this mobile advent calendar. With packages of different shapes and sizes, it’s extra charming.
See more at My Home My Way.
SHOP RED AND WHITE TWINE
Instagram/@myhome_my_way
Simple Pouches and Bold Numbers Advent Calendar
For a more minimalist take on DIY advent calendars, check out this cute ladder option. Each day has a little canvas pouch with a bold black number that makes it stand out.
See more from Heidi Liz of My Happy Now.
Heidi Liz of My Happy Now
Wreath Advent Calendar
You can even turn your holiday wreath into an advent calendar of its own. Simply hang the little boxes (or, in this case, houses) from the garland for a truly whimsical final look.
See more at The Big Decor Theory.
Instagram/@thebigdecotheory
Floral Advent Calendar
More of a naturalist? Check out this hanging advent calendar that features dried blooms.
See more from Mangelka.
Instagram/@mangelka
Rolling Tin Advent Calendar
How fun is this rolling, multi-leveled advent calendar? Each time you take a tin from the bottom, another plops down for never-ending holiday cheer.
See more at Oh Oh Deco.
Instagram/@ohoh.deco
Fabric Advent Calendar
Advent calendars don’t have to be big and colorful. They can make just as much of an impact with a limited color palette and a few floral touches.
Get the tutorial at The Merrythought.
SHOP EUCALYPTUS
The Merrythought
Christmas Tree Advent Calendar
No room for a real Christmas tree in your home? Create a tree-inspired advent calendar, of course!
See more at Style the Clutter.
Instagram/@styletheclutter
Christmas Tree Advent Calendar
Love a simple advent calendar that looks like more than, well, a calendar? This creative little forest is a great option. Each tree is a card where you can write an uplifting note or conceal a prize.
Get the tutorial at Tried & True Creative.
Tried & True Creative
Box Advent Calendar
If you want to hold true to the little drawer advent calendars of your youth, check out this dressed-up version. With a glue stick, scrapbook paper, and stickers, you can bring your dream drawers to life.
Get the tutorial at Swoon Worthy.
Swoon Worthy
Classic Advent Calendar House
If you pride yourself on your classic Christmas decorations, you’ll love this house-shaped advent calendar. Of course, if you prefer a more pastel Christmas palette or one loaded with hints of silver and hold, you can always paint yours with that in mind.
lsannes – Getty Images
Wall Hanging Advent Calendar
Little tags fit squarely into each flap of this wall scroll, giving it a neat, farmhouse feel. It looks like something you’d see on the Hallmark channel! In other words, it’s cute as can be.
Get the tutorial at The Painted Hive.
The Painted Hive
Whimsical Garland Advent Calendar
You’ll be swooning over this dreamy advent mobile. With red and white stripes, natural garland, and twinkle lights, what’s not to love?
See more at Dana Fay Lee.
Instagram/@danafaylee
Shoe Organizer Advent Calendar
DIY advent calendars don’t have to be super complicated. Here, we have an over-the-door shoe organizer labeled with numbers and filled with goodies.
Get the tutorial at Elizabeth Joan Designs.
Elizabeth Joan Designs
Refillable Rustic Advent Calendar
This cute advent calendar can be repurposed for any countdown of the year since it’s a chalkboard. With little metal boxed glued in place, this calendar is a rustic way to present presents all month long.
Get the tutorial at Houseful of Handmade.
SHOP CHALKBOARDS
Houseful of Handmade
Clear Shoe Organizer Advent Calendar
Here’s another take on an over-the-door shoe organizer advent calendar. With the addition of clipped-on tags, you can make it as whimsical as you wish.
See more at Small Town Farmhouse.
Instagram/@smalltown.farmhouse
Colorful Pyramids and Houses Advent Calendar
These pastel pyramids and houses make for a seriously sweet DIY advent calendar. Since they’re made with paper, keep the fillings light so they don’t break.
See more at Lia Griffith.
Instagram/@liagriffith
Clothespin Advent Calendar
Here, we have little clothespins glued in a row with a small number above each. Each pin holds a canvas pouch that can be filled with whatever you like. Minimalist yet meaningful, don’t you think?
See more at Ashlyn Carter.
SHOP CANVAS DRAWSTRING BAGS
Instagram/@ashlyncarter
Graphic Colorful Advent Calendar
You’ll adore this simple-yet-colorful advent calendar. Topped off with eucalyptus, bold velvet ribbons, and bright ornaments, it’s impossible for it to not catch your eye.
See more at Honestly WTF.
SHOP BLUE VELVET RIBBON
Instagram/@honestlywtf
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