H&G It Yourself: 4 Ways to Make Your Own Advent Calendar this Festive Season

Curate your Christmas countdown with tiny bespoke treats in a homemade advent calendar

By House & Garden | September 24, 2023 | Category

Who doesn’t love a chocolate a day in the countdown to Christmas? An advent calendar in December is one of those small pleasures anyone can enjoy during the anticipation to Christmas Day, especially children. But advent calendars don’t only have to house Santa-shaped chocolates and coins, the advent to Christmas Day can be commemorated with small treats like small bottles of alcohol, travel-size beauty treats, and jewellery (comparable to those luxury beauty advent calendars). You can also buy a ready-made refillable advent calendar or make your own as a festive family DIY project that is full of fun and surprises.

Christmas Stocking Advent Calendar

Your Christmas stockings don’t have to be reserved for Christmas Day’s smaller gifts. You can easily create a Christmas stocking advent calendar by either sewing two sock-shaped pieces of felt together or buying 24 small stockings. Hang them across the wall horizontally or layer each stocking in four rows of six stockings. A Christmas Stocking Advent Calendar is perfect for small treats and trinkets like games. jewellery, and small Lego sets.

Christmas stockings are a great advent calendar alternative that you can reuse every year. Image via Unsplash

Mini Box Advent Calendar

If you have a family who can’t wait for December 25th to open presents, then numbering 24 small boxes with tiny treats inside is a great way to build excitement around Christmas Day. Keep gifts small and consistent with 24 small boxes of the same size, and treats of the same price not to outshine the big day.

Colourful Paper Bag Advent Calendar

The easiest way to make your own advent calendar with a small budget is by using paper bags that you decorate with sticking down colourful paper, stickers, and paint. Using brown paper bags is also a recyclable DIY advent calendar that can securely house tiny festive treats. A paper bag advent calendar is great to fill with multiple chocolates for multiple family members.

Envelope Advent Calendar

Use envelopes to create a more sentimental advent calendar filled with hand-written notes and gift cards to some of your family members’ favourite shops and restaurants. Envelope Advent Calendars are a great way to alternate who gets the treat on the specific day by addressing it to a certain family member or hiding a specific gift card they will love.