Homemade Advent Calendars
Advent Calendars are an essential party of our family’s Christmas traditions.
However, I am in two minds about them.
I can’t quite decide whether to stick to the simple versions from my childhood, that certainly didn’t include a daily gift or chocolate, or whether to embrace so many of the beautiful ways that there are for sharing a very simple gift every day.
Whichever, I do, I’ve got a few ideas that will keep my options open .
I know that my daughter will be beyond excited if I can produce anything that comes close to one of these beautiful advent calendars in our roundup below.
I’ve gone for calendars that are super easy to make – because I am not blessed in the crafting department!
I do hope you enjoy these ideas as much as I have…
Easy homemade Advent Calendars
Brown Paper Packages
Brown paper packages wrapped up with string and hung on a branch from the old Englemor blog … definitely one of my favourite things …
… Silly Old Suitcase has more parcels, who knew simple packages could look so good?!
Lovely Little Bags
A wonderful re-usable alternative to packages are little bags which could be hung to branches or to a simple twig arrangement like Design Mom
Or these lovely little stockings from Trillium Bunting ….
Peg It!
There are lots of homemade advent calendar ideas around involving pegs … I suspect they are going to feature on mine! … Creek Line House has a simple idea for pegged goodie bags…
…and Yellow Bliss Road has some lovely printable bags …
Charm Design also has lovely bags but tied rather than pegged onto this beautiful branch ladder …
Envelopes
If you’re not so keen on a daily gift … however small … envelopes with personal messages, jokes, photos or a piece of scripture are a lovely idea …
… they can be arranged super simply but effectively as these from A Few Things From My Life
…or this fabulously simple homemade advent calendar idea by Martha Stewart styling envelopes to form a shape …
…or simply arranged in a bucket like the Workman Family …
A Daily Decoration
Another alternative to a daily gift is a daily decoration that can then be hung on the tree …for lovely ideas on how to do this check out Imperfect Blog …
… and A Pretty Life in the Suburbs for Whipperberry …
… obviously the decorations don’t have to be new … and there are loads of lovely easy ways you can make your own home made decorations (this is our MOST POPULAR POST ON MUMS MAKE LISTS EACH CHRISTMAS!)
Just look at this lovely salt dough numbers calendar from The Waterfalls …
Boxes
There are so many lovely box calendar ideas out there but my crafting isn’t up to designing our own so was really pleased to find this printable template from Little Stuff for a whole set …
Countdown
… and there are other simple but fun ways the children can countdown to Christmas by hanging numbers …
… Brenda Johnston has magnetic numbers on a baking tray…
… Huckleberry Love has very prettily hung numbered gift tags within an old frame …
Small & Simple
But older children will also appreciate small and simple like this jar of felt balls with a message from Poppy Talk …
Or this paper chain from Christmas Your Way …
Mini Boxes
And if you want to include a very small gift a matchbox calendar like this one from A Little Bit of Quiet is perfect …
Cardboard Roll
But if you don’t have the time to make the boxes you can produce a similar effect with the inside from paper towel rolls as illustrated by North Story …
Or even simpler you could just hang paper cups like Red Ted Art …
Washi Tape
And where would we be at Christmas without a little Washi tape crafting… I LOVE this Washi Tape Advent Calendar, which you can find in our Washi Tape Christmas craft roundup…
…along with this other Washi tape Advent calendar gem.
Well I hope you find something here that you like.
You can find all our other holiday season and Christmas posts here. Do take a peak, we’ve got posts on homemade Christmas ideas, Christmas food, gift ideas and more…
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Loved seeing all the advent calendar ideas. Such a fun tradition..
Oh my goodness these are fantastic! I don’t need to look anywhere else for an advent calendar idea! I made a magnetic cookie sheet one last year, but I would love to make more!