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
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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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. 🙂
Oh my gosh this is so cute! I may have to do something like this as Christmas gets closer! Thanks for sharing! =D
Wow, I love this idea and it turned out perfectly! Your advent calendar will make for such a fun December with your family!
Amazing! Just beautiful, Megan. I am sure James will love it for many years to come.
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:)
What size cork board did you use?
I love advent calenders! They help create the magic of the season! Great tutorial Megan!
Love it. I'm making one this year. My kids are super excited!!!!!
That's a really lovely project! Have fun revealing each activity!
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!
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!!
That's a perfect Advent Calender! Your son is going to love it!
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.
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.
It's darling! It's one of my little guy's favorite traditions and he is 13!
I love this because you can make new strips when James is older but keep the base – we did something like this everyday last year except my did not look nearly as nice as yours
http://www.bigdandme.com/2010/11/advent-calender-with-a-twist/
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!
What a beautiful new tradition!
How lovely! The colors and patterns are fabulous! Enjoy the beautiful day, Kellie xx
I love the advent calendar. Will definitely be using this. Thanks for sharing!
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!
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!
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
this is adorable…and easy enough that even i could do it 😉 thanks lady!
Love this! We never did Advent Calendars growing up, but I've been thinking I want to make one for Evie.. such fun memories!
I love this!! Where did you get the poster board??
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!
This is amazing Megan!!!
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!
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 ;)!)
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)
This looks awesome, Megan! Love the look and all the little things you get to do! So creative.
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?
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