Get the best, most creative ideas for Christmas advent calendars you can make. This is a list of the cutest Christmas countdown crafts.
I love advent calendars. I love making them. I love the anticipation they build while waiting for Christmas. It’s just so much fun to have something to look forward to every day in December as you look forward tor the big holiday. It makes the Christmas magic last longer. What can I say? I am a sucker for advent calendars!
Today I thought I’d share all of my favorite DIY advent calendar ideas that you can make for your family. This list includes the whole gamut of ideas. Some you can make in an hour, some are family heirlooms that will take months to lovingly create. There are expensive projects, dollar store projects and everything in between, so I am confident you will find an advent calendar idea that suits you perfectly.
Advent Calendar Ideas
Tiered Christmas Village Advent Calendar
This advent calendar features darling little wooden Christmas houses with doors that open and have a spot for a treat or paper, etc. It comes unpainted and you get to decorate it to fit your Christmas color scheme. So cute!
Cookie Sheet Matchbox Advent Calendar
Turn a dollar store cookie sheet and matchboxes into a cute magnetic advent calendar. The boxes are the perfect size to hold a mini Hershey’s bar.
Hot Cocoa Tree Christmas Countdown
Remove one packet of hot cocoa from this darling tree each day leading up to Christmas. The tree sits atop a cute Christmas mug, so this makes a really fun gift or craft fair item.
Christmas Tree Wall Hanging Advent Calendar
This quilted advent calendar features handmade felt ornaments in numbered pockets. Each day you hang a new ornament on the tree and end with a star on top. You have to see all the ornaments. They are so cute!
Giant Coloring Poster Christmas Countdown
Print this giant poster sized coloring page for less than $3 and then your kiddo can color one picture each day in December. This is the easiest calendar to pull off. You can pick up the print same day!
Nativity Felt Advent Calendar
This entire project is made of felt, so it’s a no-sew advent calendar. Mary and Joseph travel along the path to Bethlehem, then on Christmas Day, there’s a tiny baby Jesus for the kids to put in the manger.
Christmas Movie Advent
This is an awesome printable with 25 Christmas movies you can watch to count down to Christmas.
Felt Stocking Advent Calendar
Hand stitched and embellished felt stockings are hung on the cutest wood bead and dowel wall hanging for a very boho take on a Christmas countdown. Take this idea and make it match your favorite Christmas color scheme.
Punch Advent Calendar
Make a simple punch out advent calendar with tissue paper and paper cups. Cute, easy and fun!
Santa’s Beard Countdown
Print out the Santa graphic onto white cardstock, then glue one cotton ball on every day until Santa’s beard is completely filled in by Christmas!
Paper Cup Advent Calendar
Turn cute paper cups into a fun garland to count down to Christmas. I love how accessible this calendar is… you could buy all the supplies at the dollar store!
Christmas Candle Advent + Printable
Add 24 markings to a candle, then light it each night and as you wait for it to burn down to the next marking, there are Christmas scriptures to read and discuss together.
Tea House Advent Calendar
This is just the cutest… create a mini paper house that is the perfect size to hold tea packets, then you pull one tea packet out every day leading up to Christmas.
Candy Advent Wreath
Each cute candy in this wreath has a plastic container inside. Tear the tissue paper open to reveal a surprise each day. This would be so cute if you have a gingerbread theme for Christmas!
Lego Advent Calendar Ideas
If you have a Lego lover in the house, Sarah shares several great advent calendar ideas you can make out of Legos. So fun!
Christmas Book Tree Countdown
Wrap 24 Christmas picture books in green paper and stack them to look like a Christmas tree, then you can read one book together every night.
Clothespin Advent Calendar
Paint wooden clothespins, clip them into a wreath shape and attach little numbered tags to each one with a fun Christmas activity written on the back so you can fill December with lots of family fun.
Shoe Organizer Advent Calendar
Turn an over-the-door shoe organizer into a darling advent calendar for Christmas. The pockets are a great size for filling with little gifts.
Takeout Box Advent Calendar
Find a set of colorful takeout boxes and some number stickers and make a simple but striking advent calendar in no time!
Kraft Paper Gingerbread Man Countdown
Cut gingerbread men out of kraft paper, place a goodie inside, then sew two together to form a little tearaway pouch you can open each day to reveal the treat inside.
Christmas Charms Advent Tree
If you are a charm bracelet collector, this advent calendar will be right up your alley. Make a wooden Christmas tree shape, add tiny little nails, then hang 24 Christmas charms on the tree so you can add one to your bracelet each day leading up to Christmas.
Muffin Tin Advent Calendar
Grab a mini muffin tin and cover each hole with a cute paper square that sticks with magnets to the metal pan. The holes are a great size to stash a little treat or paper activity or scripture or whatever you want to fill it with.
Reindeer Advent Calendar
This advent calendar garland is so clever…. each felt reindeer face is actually a little pocket and they are attached to the garland with clothespins that look like antlers! And the pom pom red nose is just too cute.
Fabric Santa Advent Calendar
Make a darling Santa wall hanging with pockets for each day. If you love to sew, this is a pretty darling idea with a good tutorial, but no printable pattern.
Instagram Photo Advent Calendar
Print out 24 favorite photos from the year and add cute numbers to the back, then you can turn one photo around every day to look back on the best moments of the year.
Paper Bag Advent Calendar
I absolutely love the bright happy colors of this fun advent calendar made from paper bags. It looks easy to put together and can be customized with whatever colors you love.
Toilet Paper Roll Advent Wreath
Turn unassuming toilet paper rolls into a cute wreath filled with numbered goodies inside for an earth-friendly recycled advent calendar that is also adorable.
Christmas Tree Advent Calendar
Each of these paper Christmas trees is a little card with a fun activity printed inside and they sit upright with the help of numbered half log slices to make a happy forest of pine trees to count down to Christmas. Cuteness!
Felt Houses Christmas Advent Calendar
There’s no tutorial for this idea, but it’s so cute I had to include it. It looks pretty straightforward… make 24 little houses out of felt and sew backs on them so each house is a pocket. Then hang all the houses together to make a Christmas village.
Did you find a favorite advent calendar? I love so many of them that I can’t even pick just one! How many advent calendars is too many for one family… asking for a friend. LOL. Anyway, I hope these ideas sparked your creativity and got you excited to make an advent calendar for your family. Merry Christmas!
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