Need a DIY Advent Calendar? Try This Super Easy Idea!
Supplies Needed for DIY Advent Calendar
- Small cardboard boxes – 24
- Scissors
- Kraft glue
- Hot glue
- Glue stick
- Washi tape
- Glitter
- Ribbons
- Trims
- Buttons
- Doilys
- Card stock
- Paint chip cards
- Markers
- Stickers
- Poms
- Sequins
- Cookie cutter
- Ornament
Christmas Advent Calendar Instructions
It’s that time of year. Christmas day is around the corner and the Christmas countdown has begun. This easy DIY Advent calendar is cute and so much fun. Skip the book advent calendar, the chocolate advent calendars and make your own. You can put your own advent calendar together with stuff you probably already have. And make it a fun christmas crafts project. Both older kids and little kids will enjoy this fun christmas tradition. Opening one box at a time through the month of december.
I started with two dozen small cardboard boxes, about the size of a small matchbox. And I decided mine would center around a red, white and pink color theme. Then I scoured my craft box for items to use.
Starting at the top and going left to right, the first box is simply embellished with a sparkly pom pom hot glued to the middle of the box.
On the next box, I glued three small buttons at varying heights to resemble ornaments, adding a drawn red line to complete the look.
Two white iridescent snowflake stickers are all that adorn the next box.
For the next row, the first box is wrapped multiple times with simple red and white kitchen twine, with both ends glued to the back of the box. A tip. Be sure and add whatever small treats or small gifts you want to put in the box before you tie this one up. I didn’t. Lesson learned.
I found this mini pink ornament, added a narrow pink bow and hot glued it to the corner of the center box in this row.
The last one in this row is a cupcake wrapper folded in half and then in half again and glued to the corner. I thought it needed a little something more so I added a few red sequins – just hot glued them on as shown.
In the fourth row, starting on the left, I glued a length of red ribbon I had around the box and then glued another length of pink on top of that. Again, put your sweet treat in before completing this one.
I got quite creative on this next one. Or rather I wanted to use a feather but did not have one. I used a small leaf from a bush in my yard. I painted it white, sprinkled it with some glitter and let that dry. Then I taped it to the box with some pale pink washi tape.
For the next box, I used a simple red ribbon, tied in a bow, and glued vertically to the box. That’s it.
For the last box in this row, I used my Cricut machine and cut two hearts out of card stock. A larger light pink heart and a smaller darker pink heart. Then I glued them together and with a pink marker bordered the smaller heart with dots. Then I glued the whole thing to the box.
Row five begins with an Ombre Christmas Tree shape cut from a pink paint chip. I cut out three triangles, a one-inch, a one and ½ inch, and a two-inch. Then I glued them on, starting with the largest triangle first and layering the other two on top. Then I added a star sticker as the final touch.
I found this cute trim in my craft box and used a piece of it for the next box. Once I glued a length of it to the front, I still thought it needed something, so I added a band of regular old Elmer’s glue to the bottom of the box and sprinkled it with red glitter. And just let it all dry.
Another find! This cute mini cookie cutter. I glued this on with Elmer’s glue and let it dry overnight. Then I filled the center with more Elmer’s, using a toothpick, and sprinkled it with sparkly iridescent glitter.
I love washi tape because you can do so much with it and it’s so easy to use. That is all that I used on this next box. Two rows of the darker red washi tape, taped vertically across the box, and one row of the candy cane stripe on top of that. Done.
This next box is one of my favorites. This cute burlap and white lace trim was just begging to be included. For this box, I just glued two rows of this trim around the box and that’s it. And again, include your small toys first. Yup. Lesson learned.
Row six begins with a snowman made of buttons, starting with the smallest button at the top and getting gradually bigger. I added a bow made of red and white kitchen twine and drew arms with a black marker.
For the next box, I glued a length of wide white ribbon around the box and then another length of red glitter stripe on top of that. Again, put your small gifts in before completing this one. Nag, nag, nag!
A paper doily was all that I used for the next box in this row. I just cut out a piece that looks like a snowflake and glued it in place.
For the next in this row, I used a small piece of 6” wide tulle ribbon, folded it in half, gathered it at the bottom, and tied the gathered ends with a narrow piece of red ribbon. Then affixed it with hot glue to the top of the box.
I had this fun shimmery ribbon that I decided to use for the next box. I cut out a shape to resemble a Santa’s hat, added a narrow piece of white ribbon to the bottom and a white puff to the top, and glued the whole thing to the box.
Last in this row is a group of stars cut from another paint chip and glued diagonally to the box.
For the last row, the trunk of our tree, I again used a paper doily and cut a shape to fit the corner of the box. Then glued it in place.
The little mitten is something I had in my craft box. So cute! I just glued it to the middle of the box and how cute does it look?
And finally, the last box was wrapped with some fluffy white iridescent trim and glued in place.
If you need some gift ideas think small. Small treats like individual chocolates or gummies or caramels. Little toys like friendship bracelets and bouncy balls. Small gifts like coins and paper fortunes. Have fun with it and Merry Christmas!
