We all love a chocolate advent calendar, but sometimes there’s an overload of sweet things at this time of year. Making your own festive countdown display isn’t as daunting as it might seem — and we’ve gathered 20 homemade advent calendar ideas that you (and your kids!) will love.
Creating a homemade advent calendar is a lovely way to make family memories, and many of these designs can be packed away and reused year after year. We’ve compiled 20 fun and easy ideas so you can fill each day with a little treat or a Christmas activity to enjoy together.
You May Also Enjoy 12 Easy Homemade Advent Calendar Ideas
You May Also Enjoy 24 Of The Jolliest Advent Calendar Fillers That Aren’t Candy
How to Make a Homemade Advent Calendar
Christmas Advent Jar
With some empty matchboxes, wrapping paper and a pretty glass jar, Just A Girl created this fantastic Christmas Advent Jar. Each box is labelled with a number for the day, and inside each is an idea for spending time together as a family — play a board game, watch a Christmas movie, do a Christmas craft, bake cookies, and so on.
You May Also Enjoy 8 Simply Scrumptious Christmas Baking Recipes You’ll Love to Make
Countdown Calendar Garland
This countdown calendar garland from Maya Made needs a supply of empty toilet or kitchen roll tubes (or make your own from thick craft paper), plus some wrapping paper to decorate and string to create the garland. Hang it around your tree, from your mantel, or along the stairs, and enjoy the daily excitement.
You May Also Enjoy Things to Do with Kids Around Ireland at Christmas
Bonbon Advent Wreath
What a lovely idea for fun and festive decor! This advent wreath from Oh Happy Day features little gifts — sweets, temporary tattoos, stickers, hair clips, or a ticket for a family activity. Each one is wrapped in coloured crepe paper and stuck to a wire frame (a wire coat hanger works well if you can’t find a wreath frame).
You May Also Enjoy The Best Places to See Christmas Lights Events in Ireland
Advent Calendar Bags
All you need for these homemade advent calendar bags from Moment to Moment are 24 paper bags, string, and craft paper or festive wrapping paper for the numbers. Inside each bag you could pop a small treat, a Christmas printable (try our Christmas word search), a book, or the ingredients for a Christmas activity, like a recipe and cookie cutters for an afternoon of baking. Best of all, these bags are reusable every year.
You May Also Enjoy The Best Christmas Markets in Ireland
A Natural Advent Calendar
The Li’l Sparrow came up with an eye-catching and easy idea for a homemade advent calendar using a large stick, some gold paint and individually wrapped gifts.
You May Also Enjoy 11 Christmas Gift Ideas for Tweens That Will Be Appreciated
A Monochrome Christmas
Elegant, stylish and still very festive — we love this quick and easy homemade advent calendar notice board idea from You Did Blog. A mix of fonts, styles and designs transforms a noticeboard into a homemade advent calendar.
You May Also Enjoy 11 Spectacular Seasonal Cupcake Recipes
Advent Tree
This advent tree from Maya Made is not only cute for the kids to enjoy, but a lovely decorative piece too. Each little door is made from card or craft paper, with something to look forward to behind it — or, as in Maya’s case, a “time ticket” for one-on-one time with a parent.
You May Also Enjoy 7 Easy Christmas Decorating Ideas for Toddlers
Festive Craft Stick Calendar
This simple idea of using craft sticks to create your own homemade advent calendar is chic and effective. The Merry Thought used fake greenery to decorate the sticks, but you could paint, decorate or wrap them instead.
You May Also Enjoy 15 Christmas Craft Ideas for Kids to Get You in the Festive Mood
Egg Carton Calendar
Linfa Creativa shows how easy it is to make this egg carton calendar. Paint the egg carton, then use craft paper to create discs to cover your hidden treats.
You May Also Enjoy 10 Easy Christmas Crafts for Toddlers to Make
Advent Chalkboard
Create a reusable advent calendar with chalkboard paint, like this one from The Merry Thought. Plywood is painted with chalkboard paint, then your child can mark off each day with chalk and choose an activity from one of the “Give”, “Make” or “Do” envelopes.
You May Also Enjoy 101 of the Best Christmas Activities for Kids (And Their Parents)
Advent in a Jar
We love this idea for Advent in a Jar on PoppyTalk. Using craft materials you probably have already, create 24 activity tokens and decorate with pompoms for a little festive cheer. It’s a kid-friendly and space-saving way to have some family fun.
You May Also Enjoy 15 Christmas Craft Ideas for Kids to Get You in the Festive Mood
Advent Stocking Garland
Cardboard and crepe paper Santa stockings, like this one from Hello Glow, are a great way to give out a little sweet treat — plus they look lovely hung on the wall.
You May Also Enjoy 50 Magical Places to Visit Santa in Ireland
Balloon Advent Calendar
Print or write out some activities or Christmas jokes, roll them up and pop them inside 24 balloons. Blow up the balloons, number them carefully, and create your own version of Look What I Made’s balloon tree to be popped each day.
You May Also Enjoy 12 Jolly Christmas Gift Tag Ideas to Make with the Kids
Reindeer Cups
Little ones will love this reindeer advent calendar from Balancing Home. Try variations with snowmen, Santa Claus, penguins, or a mix of characters.
You May Also Enjoy Make This Jolly Christmas Countdown Santa Calendar
Pillbox Advent Calendar
A clever way to repurpose a household item — A Subtle Revelry made this look quick, easy and fun. Worth a try if you have a spare weekly pill organiser going unused.
You May Also Enjoy 20 Homemade Christmas Decorations for Kids
Paper Ornament Garland
This paper ornament garland from Oh Happy Day is gorgeous. Download and cut the box template from card stock, then hang the finished decorations from a mantel garland, the Christmas tree, or hide them around the house for the kids to find.
You May Also Enjoy 12 Stunning Christmas Wrapping Ideas to Gift in Style
LEGO Advent Calendar
Quick, easy and fun — follow Jacks & Kate’s lead and use LEGO to build a festive scene, complete with seasonal activities on little lollipop-stick signs.
You May Also Enjoy 12 Kid-Friendly Christmas Recipes That Are Super Easy to Make
Christmas House
Toilet rolls come into their own with this surprisingly elegant Christmas house calendar from Morning Creativity. Each tube holds a treat and is sealed with brown paper, ready for little hands to poke through.
You May Also Enjoy 10 Easy Christmas Cookies to Make and Enjoy
Christmas Books Calendar
Wrap up a Christmas book for each day — we love Oopsey Daisy’s simple brown paper wrapping — then snuggle up for some festive bedtime reading with your little one.
You May Also Enjoy 30 Magical Christmas Books the Kids (and You) Will Love
Sock Calendar
Martha Stewart’s baby sock calendar is cute beyond belief — but mismatched socks and mittens work just as well for the same charming look.
You May Also Enjoy How to Get Your Kids to Sleep Early on Christmas Eve
Would you make a homemade advent calendar? Which one is your favourite? Leave a comment below and let us know — we’d love to hear from you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I put inside a homemade advent calendar instead of sweets?
Small activities work brilliantly — a joke, a family game night, a Christmas movie pick, a craft session, a book to read together, or a “time ticket” for one-on-one time with a parent. Several of the ideas above, like the Advent Jar and Advent Chalkboard, are built entirely around non-sweet activities.
How far in advance should I make an advent calendar?
Most of these designs can be put together in an afternoon or two, so late November is plenty of time. Reusable versions, like the calendar bags or the advent tree, are worth making a little earlier since you can use them again every year.
Can I reuse a homemade advent calendar every year?
Yes — many of the ideas here, such as the fabric bags, the chalkboard, and the wooden advent tree, are designed to be packed away and brought out again each December. Just refill them with new treats or activities each year.
What’s the easiest homemade advent calendar for young kids?
Simple, sturdy designs work best for little hands — the egg carton calendar, reindeer cups, and calendar bags are all quick to make and easy for toddlers and young children to open by themselves.
Related Articles
Looking for more festive inspiration? Don’t miss 12 Easy Homemade Advent Calendar Ideas, 24 of the Jolliest Advent Calendar Fillers That Aren’t Candy, and 101 of the Best Christmas Activities for Kids (And Their Parents).
Save This for Later
Loved these ideas? Bookmark this page or pin your favourite so you can come back to it when you’re ready to start your own homemade advent calendar.
Don’t Miss Out
Want more seasonal ideas like these delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free newsletter for weekly activity ideas, competitions and offers for families.
