This is our second year doing an Advent Calendar. For several years I have wanted to create one but wasn’t sure where to start, or waited too late to get it pulled together. Last year, at the tail end of my pregnancy with our third child, I decided I really wanted to pull something together to make the season special and help my two older kids not feel lost in the shuffle of the new baby. It was super bare bones, but we had a lot of fun with it. I made a few tweaks for this year, but overall I kept the structure and many of the ideas the same as last year. I don’t know if we will do it every year, and it will probably change as my kids are older or our schedule changes or whatever, but the thing I love about this type of Advent calendar is that you can make it whatever you want/need for that year.

Here’s the basic set-up I used, and then below I have ideas for filling up each day. This is more of a basic structure to get you started, not really a recipe. I think the advantage of creating an Advent calendar with this system is that you can have fun with it. Treat it like a craft project and adjust it to what fits with your decor, your style, etc. Also, for what it’s worth, it’s ok to start with something really basic and then add embellishments throughout the season or in future years. That’s totally what I have done, and I’m glad I started it even though I wasn’t ready to fully embellish it the first year. ‘Done’ was better than ‘perfect’, in this instance, for me.

DIY Advent Calendar

Supplies

• Over the Door Shoe Organizer in Natural Linen; via Amazon
• Printable Numbers (1-24); I used the Black Printable Number Tags from Live Laugh Rowe on white cardstock.
• Embellishments—little wreaths, bells, ornaments, poinsettias, other cards
• Mini Brads (I used these, but any mini brads would work.)
• Scrapbook Adhesive Mounting Squares
• Scissors
• Safety Pins, various sizes

Directions

• Gather all your supplies. Cut out your number tags.
• Lay out or hang up your shoe organizer.
  • I found it was easier to hang it up to work with it, but you could lay it out on your table if that’s easier for you.
• Attach your number tags to the shoe organizer using the brads—poke a hole in your paper tag using the sharp point of a safety pin. Gently push the brad through the hole and then poke it through the linen fabric of the shoe organizer.
  • You could use a small hole punch, but I thought it looked better with a very small hole that was hidden by the brad.
• Add your embellishments—Using your safety pins, attach any embellishments that you want to mount directly to the fabric of the shoe organizer. Then, using your adhesive mounting squares, add any embellishments that go on the number tags.
  • For me, it helped me to see everything on the shoe rack, and then to remove a number tag, add the embellishment, and then reattach it. That way I could make sure the whole thing was looking balanced. I also left some number tags plain so it didn’t look too busy overall. I think I’d like to add a couple of mini wreaths to my calendar, but otherwise I really like how it has come together.
• Fill your DIY Advent Calendar with notes and goodies and have so much fun with your kids!

A Few Thoughts on Filling Your Advent Calendar

Before we get into the list of ideas, I have three thoughts about filling your Advent Calendar.

First, be intentional about how you fill your calendar. It can be so easy to buy a bunch of random things at Target or the Dollar Store to fill each day. But, will you actually use those things after the season?! Will they just add clutter to your house/life?! Think about your family’s values, what’s important to you, your kid’s needs/wants, and use that to craft your list of items to fill your calendar. Just because they are on my list doesn’t mean they are right for you. Use my list as a jumping off point to make your own list. For example, maybe your child doesn’t care about legos, but they love their play kitchen. Think of something small you could make (or buy) to use with their play kitchen.

Second, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to fill your calendar. Every day doesn’t have to be a gift, and the ‘gifts’ can be small. Think of ways you can use what you have, leverage the thrift store, or incorporate something you were planning to do/buy for the season already.

Third, take your schedule into account when you plan how to fill each day! Go through your calendar—make note of any special events you have already; use those as your ‘activity’ for that day of the calendar. For example, we have a December birthday, and this year we were planning to host a Christmas Party. Those were our ‘activities’ for those days. Also, note any busy days/evenings and choose something simple (or a gift) for those days. There’s nothing worse than planning an activity and not having enough time to actually do it. You will be stressed and your kids will be bummed. Finally, try to intentionally build in calm nights. It’s already a busy, full season; do yourself and your kids a favor and build in some calm nights at home to enjoy each other’s company.

Without further ado, here are my Advent Calendar Filler Ideas!

Ideas for Filling Your DIY Advent Calendar

Advent Readings

Christmas is about Christ after all. Building Advent readings into your calendar is a great way to keep your eyes on Jesus during the Christmas season.

• Sally Lloyd-Jones has an Advent Kit on her blog that includes printable ornaments for each day of December that correspond to The Jesus Storybook Bible. You could do all of them or just a selection, depending on what fits your schedule.
• Lots of families like The Jesse Tree during Advent. I’m not very familiar with it, but it may be worth looking into.
• New Growth Press has several Advent Devotionals for Families. You could write the verses for that day onto a notecard and tuck that into your calendar.
• Advent Candles for each Sunday of the month—This year we have been lighting Advent candles as part of an Advent wreath on each Sunday of the month. I tuck the reading for those days into our Advent calendar, but it could also work to tuck the candles into the corresponding pockets until you are ready to light them.

Gifts

• Christmas Pajamas—I love to do this for the first day of the month!
• Twisty Straws
• Small Lego Sets
• Bath Bombs or Bubble Bath
• Open a gift from under the tree—My aunt has a tradition of sending books for each of the kids, and I decided this year to make it part of our Advent calendar. I thought it would make it really special, and this way they won’t get lost in all of the presents on Christmas Day. You could pick a present from an extended family member to use for this day.
• Books (Christmas or otherwise)
• Bookmarks (my son is forever looking for a bookmark!)
• Stuffed Animals
• Socks
• Glow Sticks
• Temporary Tattoos
• Stickers
• Markers (or other art supplies they are running low on)
• Coloring Books (The ‘Paint by Sticker’ books are pretty cool too.)
• Playdoh
• Games—This Animal Kingdom Card Game has been a huge hit, and my four year old can play herself. I got the Silly Monkey Card Game for this year. A checkers or tic tac toe set would also be fun!
• New ornaments (either one for each kid or a family ornament)
• Lip balm

Food / Treats

• Make special Christmas drinks (mocktails to use with the twisty straws)
• Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix with Homemade Marshmallows
• Homemade Egg Nog
• Cookies
• Chocolates
• Candy Canes
• Oranges
• Pomegranates
• Popcorn

Activities

• Decorate the Christmas Tree
• Go see Holiday Lights
• Pull out a special blanket and read Christmas books
• Make Christmas cards for extended family
• Blast Christmas Music
• Popcorn and a Movie
• Make Christmas cookies together (or just decorate some!)
• Attend a holiday party!
• Family Game Night
• Make Paper Snowflakes or Paper Christmas Stars to decorate the house
• Homemade Gifts for family or friends
  • Make Bird Seed Ornaments (as a DIY gift for family or friends)
  • Make Homemade Crayons (as a DIY gift for cousins or friends)
• Homemade ornaments—There are tons of homemade ornament ideas on Pinterest, but here are 2 that I hope to make.
  • DIY Icicle Ornaments—I think these look so beautiful, and it is sort of like a science experiment to make them. Win-win.
  • DIY Botanical Clay Ornaments (for your tree or to give as gifts)
• Special visit to the Zoo, Children’s museum, Art museum, or Science museum (whatever your family is into!)
• Listen to a Christmas Story
• Attend a special Christmas performance (a play or recital or concert)

Do you do an Advent calendar with your kids? If so, what’s your favorite gift or activity you’ve done?