DIY Advent Calendar

Although it isn’t even November, I admit that I’m already looking all the way forward to

I’ve been collecting ideas on Pinterest and thinking of new decor and adventures to create in our home this year.  I’ve always loved the holidays and the advent calendar.  I’m especially giddy about it this year because we have a little one (19 months old) to start sharing the season with and creating our own memories and traditions. 

I made this advent calendar with our family in mind, and considering our child’s age, but of course you can personalize it to suit your family’s needs.  I printed the labels on the computer and taped them to the tags with Japanese tape.

ADVENT CALENDAR ADVENTURES
Take a family photo in front of the Christmas tree
Sing Christmas songs
Make Christmas cards for Grandparents
Make a Christmas ornament
Color a Christmas picture 
Make paper snowflakes 
Drink hot cocoa with marshmallows
Watch a christmas movie 
Go out for a Christmas treat 
Drive around the neighborhood and look at Christmas lights 
Visit Santa Claus
Call Grandparents 

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Wrap a gift for your teachers
Read a story about the birth of Baby Jesus 
Make cookies for Santa Claus 
Write Santa Claus a letter
Read the book: “The Night Before Christmas” 
Make a snowman
Make a yummy treat
Build a gingerbread house 
Buy a Christmas gift for Toys for Tots  
Donate toys and clothes
Visit Grandparents
Make chocolate covered toffee
I’m hoping to have this advent calendar for years to come in our home! 

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34 Comments

  1. October 18, 2011 / 1:19 am

    Too cute, Megan!!! I love this. 🙂 I have the supplies for an advent calendar hiding in my dining room sidebar…maybe I need to work on it. 🙂

  2. October 18, 2011 / 1:40 am

    Oh my gosh this is so cute! I may have to do something like this as Christmas gets closer! Thanks for sharing! =D

  3. October 18, 2011 / 2:00 am

    Wow, I love this idea and it turned out perfectly! Your advent calendar will make for such a fun December with your family!

  4. October 18, 2011 / 2:05 am

    Amazing! Just beautiful, Megan. I am sure James will love it for many years to come.

  5. October 18, 2011 / 2:07 am

    I'm glad y'all are sharing my excitement. I told my husband that he has to get on board with these things too but he didn't seem too excited:)

  6. October 18, 2011 / 2:08 am

    I love advent calenders! They help create the magic of the season! Great tutorial Megan!

  7. October 18, 2011 / 2:40 am

    Love it. I'm making one this year. My kids are super excited!!!!!

  8. October 18, 2011 / 4:29 am

    That's a really lovely project! Have fun revealing each activity!

  9. October 18, 2011 / 6:05 am

    Wooow you're so creative! I'm impressed 🙂
    I'd love to do something similar but I'm afraid it will only really be used when we'll have a child so I'll just wait a couple of years 😉
    You really did an amazing job on this one!

  10. cMe
    October 18, 2011 / 1:30 am

    I love, love, love this idea! My little girl is too little, but I'm saving your list of activities for next year when she will be around your little guy's age. Great project!!

  11. Chic Coastal Living
    October 18, 2011 / 2:03 am

    That's a perfect Advent Calender! Your son is going to love it!

  12. Allison
    October 18, 2011 / 3:06 am

    That is the most adorable Advent calendar I have ever seen! So fun, Megan. I'm a big one on traditions and it's great you are starting this when James is so young. He will love it and look forward to it each year. You did a great job making it.

  13. October 18, 2011 / 10:57 am

    I love it Megan! It is beautiful. And yes, it will become a tradition James will look forward to year after year. We have always had some form of an advent calendar or a countdown. The girls always look forward to it.

  14. October 18, 2011 / 12:28 pm

    It's darling! It's one of my little guy's favorite traditions and he is 13!

  15. October 18, 2011 / 1:58 pm

    I love this! I think I'm going to be doing the exact same thing for my house this year! Thanks for the wonderful idea!

  16. Jenny @ Simcoe Street
    October 18, 2011 / 10:09 am

    What a beautiful new tradition!

  17. Kellie Collis
    October 18, 2011 / 10:15 am

    How lovely! The colors and patterns are fabulous! Enjoy the beautiful day, Kellie xx

  18. October 18, 2011 / 5:00 pm

    I love the advent calendar. Will definitely be using this. Thanks for sharing!

  19. October 18, 2011 / 5:27 pm

    That is amazing! I plan on buying one, not quite as ambitious as you. I have started to purchase some Christmas decor and stuff for projects too!

  20. October 18, 2011 / 6:00 pm

    I love this! And love that each of the projects is totally doable (drink hot chocolate with marshmallows? I think we can handle that!)Thanks for sharing!

  21. Amanda
    October 18, 2011 / 2:03 pm

    oh my goodness Megan that is adorable! LOVE it! Wish I had the patience to do a project like that. I would never several glasses of wine to tackle that. LOL

  22. October 18, 2011 / 7:05 pm

    this is adorable…and easy enough that even i could do it 😉 thanks lady!

  23. Aja
    October 18, 2011 / 3:18 pm

    Love this! We never did Advent Calendars growing up, but I've been thinking I want to make one for Evie.. such fun memories!

  24. October 18, 2011 / 8:44 pm

    I love this!! Where did you get the poster board??

  25. October 18, 2011 / 9:12 pm

    This is really cute. I would love to start a tradition like this with our little girl. But she's not due for another five weeks so I may need to wait another year or two, haha!

  26. Lili
    October 19, 2011 / 2:53 am

    This is amazing Megan!!!

  27. October 19, 2011 / 1:11 pm

    This is such a cute idea! We have an Advent Calendar for our daughter, it has small doors….just may use some of your message ideas this year. Thanks for the inspiration!

  28. October 19, 2011 / 1:32 pm

    This is so cute-I love it! I wish you could just come to my house and make it now. (I cook, but I am not crafty ;)!)

  29. October 21, 2011 / 12:55 am

    I really like this take on the advent–alot of the ones I have seen in blog land have actual treats for each day. Trying to get away from that–don't want our boys to expect a treat every day! Where did you find the craft paper to cover the posterboard? (I'm assuming that's what you did)

  30. Michaela
    October 21, 2011 / 5:33 am

    This looks awesome, Megan! Love the look and all the little things you get to do! So creative.

  31. November 4, 2011 / 12:04 am

    Love, love your calendar! It's a beautiful tradition I did for our son (now 26)! He loved it! It's such fun and means so much! Mine wasn't as well made, I just bought red legal size envelopes, sealed them then cut them in half to make 2 pockets out of each envelope, then attached them to green poster board and decorated! Yours is gorgeous!
    P.S. For the comment saying she would wait until she has kids….I originally got the idea from a newlywed who grew up with her parents doing it for her..now she and her husband alternate days putting a card in for each other..isn't that sweet?

  32. November 1, 2014 / 8:02 pm

    Hi Megan – I know this is an "old" post but I love this advent calendar idea and will be featuring it in an article I am writing for our online Christian women's magazine, Ruby for Women. The article will include several beautiful DIY advent calendars, and I will link back directly to your blog and encourage our readers to visit you for more crafty holiday ideas. Thanks so much for sharing! Nina @ Ruby for Women http://www.rubyforwomen.com

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