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Sweeten Your Days With a DIY Advent Calendar

Tuck candies and small gifts into packets you make yourself for a simple holiday wall hanging

Soni Sarat November 28, 2014

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Using an Advent calendar is a fun way for children and adults to count down the days until Christmas. Every day during December, you discover a small gift or sweet to make your day a little brighter. Why not craft one yourself? Here’s a DIY Advent calendar that requires only a few simple supplies and a little imagination and know-how.

DIY Calendrier de l'avent

Materials and tools:

Tree branch, about 2 feet long
Roll of kraft paper
Masking tapes in Christmas colors
Fantasy paper puncher (star, Christmas tree)
String
Jute twine, 3-foot length
Pair of scissors
Red marker
24 little gifts and sweets

DIY Calendrier de l'avent

1. Find a slim tree branch measuring 2 feet long. It’s fine if it’s a little crooked; the wall hanging will look more natural. If you find the branch outside in the rain or in damp weather, let it dry out for a day.

DIY Calendrier de l'avent

2. Use your scissors to cut a large strip of kraft paper and then fold it in two. Then cut the strip vertically to create little packets of different sizes. Close up the sides of the packets with masking tape. Choose various colors and patterns to brighten the result. Prepare 24 packets.

DIY Calendrier de l'avent

3. Punch a hole at the top of each packet. If you don’t have a fantasy puncher, just use a regular one. This hole will allow you to insert the string and attach the packets to the branch.

DIY Calendrier de l'avent

4. Write a number (from 1 to 24) on each packet using your red marker. Then slide in a little gift or sweet. Mini erasers, bracelets, toy figures and so on can work beautifully for an Advent calendar. If you’re short on time, you can alternate gifts and sweets or just go with the candies for the full month.

DIY Calendrier de l'avent

DIY Calendrier de l'avent

5. Insert the string through the punched hole and tie a knot. Each string should be of a different size so the packets hang at different heights from the branch. The irregularity will add to the style of the calendar. Tie the other end of the string to the wooden branch.

DIY Calendrier de l'avent

DIY Calendrier de l'avent

6. Cut a 3-foot-long piece of jute twine, wrap each end three or four times around the ends of the branch and tie a knot at each end.

DIY Calendrier de l'avent

All that is left to do is find the perfect spot for your calendar. Of course, you will also have to fend off those in a hurry to open all the packets at once.

Tell us afterward: Did you make your Advent calendar yourself or with your family? Please share your pictures and experiences in the Comments section.

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Comments (38)

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carli8020

2 years ago I made Origami cups, you can actually drink water from them. But they're great for an advent calendar. Used beautiful Japanese paper squares, and connected yarn length to be able to hang them across the kitchen window. Look so pretty in the morning light.

1 Like December 10, 2014 at 7:08PM

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Diane Kaskel

I am so inspired with this idea as well as those from folks who sent their ideas & photos. I have been trying to think of something to do for our nephew's children for next Christmas that might be fun each day leading up to Christmas & also wouldn't be something we purchased that they might not especially enjoy. This way they can discover something each day whether it's a little sweet treat, silly inexpensive toy, whatever. Hopefully this will be a fun thing not only for the boys but also the parents as they enjoy it watching the boys open some surprise each day leading to Christmas. Now I can keep an eye out through the year for things to fill the advent calendar. It may provide just as much fun for me as it will the kiddoes.

1 Like January 5, 2015 at 10:56AM

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arimlap54

Tack for good idea

Like November 23, 2015 at 7:08AM

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