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63 DIY Advent Calendars to Get You in the Holiday Spirit

by on Nov 17, 2017

A DIY advent calendar is the perfect way to bring tradition and beautiful holiday decor into your home for the Christmas season. We scoured the web for our favorites – Scandinavian-inspired, modern, inventive, and colorful – so we hope you find one to make with your family this year! 

 

15 Scandinavian-Inspired Advent Calendar Ideas

It’s almost December, which means it’s time to bust out your diy advent calendar! Here are 15 Scandinavian-inspired DIY options to try this year.    

DIY advent calendar with hoop wreathsLapinblu

1. Embroidery Hoop Wreath DIY Advent Calendar from Lapinblu

paper forest advent calendarBloesem Kids

2. Paper Forest DIY Advent Calendar from Bloesem Kids

hanging gift bag advent calendarTonje Boganes

3. Hanging Gift Bag Advent Calendar (with printable labels) from Tonje Boganes

Chalkboard converted into advent calendar with hanging ornaments on string with clothespins near table decorated with Christmas decorations.Modern Country Style

4. Chalkboard and Ornament Advent Calendar from Modern Country Style

DIY hanging advent calendarThe Merrythought

5. DIY Branch and Matchbox Hanging Advent Calendar from The Merrythought

advent calendar - hanging branch and paperThird Floor Design Studio

6. Hanging Branch and Paper Sack Advent Calendar from Third Floor Design Studio

Natural colored small buildings for a Holiday village in a white box.Mokkasin

7. Paper Box Village Advent Calendar from Mokkasin

chalkboard box calendarLiebesbotschaft

8. Chalkboard Box Advent Calendar from Liebesbotschaft

bundle advent calendarA Merry Mishap

9. Hanging Bundle Advent Calendar from A Merry Mishap

geometric hanging advent calendarA Merry Mishap

10. DIY Hanging Geo Advent Calendar from A Merry Mishap

A Christmas tree on the wall is made out of many materials.deas og mia

11. Reclaimed Wood Tree Advent Calendar from Deas og Mia

A lantern in front of a wall Advent calendar.Apartment Therapy

12. Wool Felt Wall Hanging from Apartment Therapy

chalkboard advent calendarHank and Hunt

13. Hanging Chalkboard Advent Calendar from Hank and Hunt

linen pin and muslin bag advent calendarThe Marion House Book

14. DIY Linen Pin Board and Muslin Bag Advent Calendar from The Marion House Book

White wooden advent calendar on wall near side table in living room.Elisabeth Heier

15. Wall-Mounted Tree and Paper Bag Advent Calendar from Elisabeth Heier

 

 

10 Imaginative DIY Advent Calendars to Welcome the Holiday Season 

By Faith Towers 

Roundup: 10 Imaginative DIY Advent Calendars

It doesn’t seem possible that another holiday season is upon us, but it is… which means that if you plan to make an advent calendar, it’s time to get started on it! This is a wonderful tradition, especially for children… when I was a kid I remember looking forward to opening my advent calendar each day in December. So today I’m sharing ten super creative, beautiful ways to make your own.   

 

Roundup: 10 Imaginative DIY Advent Calendars
Photo: Craft and Creativity

1. Simple brown kraft boxes are adorned with red and white, then filled with little goodies. Check out the full how-to here. [Photo: Craft and Creativity

 

Roundup: 10 Imaginative DIY Advent Calendars
Photo: Thirsty For Tea

2. This unique advent calendar is perfect for tea lovers! Get the full tutorial over here. [Photo: Thirsty For Tea]

 

Roundup: 10 Imaginative DIY Advent Calendars
Photo: Hello Wonderful

3. Stylized Santas make an appearance in this adorable advent calendar idea.  Click here for the free printable. [Photo: Hello Wonderful]

  

Roundup: 10 Imaginative DIY Advent Calendars
Photo: Love Decorations

4. Here, brown paper bags and doilies form a sweet little advent calendar setup. Read more here. [Photo: Love Decorations

 

Roundup: 10 Imaginative DIY Advent Calendars
Photo: The House That Lars Built

5. Here’s a refreshing concept… fill your advent calendar with memories! Check out this adorable photo project here. [Photo: The House That Lars Built]

 

Roundup: 10 Imaginative DIY Advent Calendars
Photo: Thirty Eighth Street

6. This modern advent calendar has 25 activity ideas that will help your family celebrate the holiday season. Head on over here to check it out. [Photo: Thirty Eighth Street]

 

Roundup: 10 Imaginative DIY Advent Calendars
Photo: The House That Lars Built

7. This colorful Christmas bulb advent calendar is another creative one… get all the details  here. [Photo: The House That Lars Built]

 

Roundup: 10 Imaginative DIY Advent Calendars
Photo:  Paulsvera.com

8. If you gravitate toward Scandinavian style, give this beautiful calendar a try. [Photo:  Paulsvera.com]

 

Roundup: 10 Imaginative DIY Advent Calendars
Photo: Pillar Box Blue

9. If you enjoy upcycling, then you’ll love this fun red and white tin can advent calendar. Get the full tutorial here. [Photo: Pillar Box Blue]

 

Roundup: 10 Imaginative DIY Advent Calendars
Photo: My Little Secrets

10. This black and white advent calendar is accented with pretty metallics. Read more about it here. [Photo: My Little Secrets]

Bonus! This free printable mountain advent calendar DIY from Curbly’s own Stephanie Lee might be our favorite one on the list!

Free Printable Mountain Advent Calendar

 

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Roundup: 10 Imaginative DIY Advent Calendars
Share this post on Pinterest! [Photo: Love Decorations]

 

 

14 Modern DIY Advent Calendars and Holiday Countdown Projects

By Capree Kimball

A two photo collage shows decorative house items.

I’ll be honest, I prefer that my DIY projects and crafts be heavy on the modern side of things. Sometimes it’s hard to find ideas that are easy to make, affordable, and super contemporary. BUT! It can be done! Even the most ubiquitous Christmas craft, the advent calendar, can be turned into an aesthetically pleasing design object. Here are 14 examples that are sure to fit in with modern homes of all types!     

Pyramid cardboard building with flags with yeti climbing mountain and pine trees.

1. Craft Box Pin Board Calendar

2. Modern Plywood and String Advent Calendar

3. Paper Mountain Advent Calendar

Large group of cardboard boxes and cylinders with one containing a Christmas tree decoration.

A pair of dark antlers hanging on the wall with brown packages hanging from each antler and a white rustic wooden slat door with wrapped packages hanging from horizontal boards in front of it.

4. Recycled Packaging Calendar Sculpture

5. Tied Up with String Calendar countdown

6. Reclaimed Wood Advent Calendar Tree

A separated pieces barn scene wall art piece with a snowy mountain in the background, a little girl in a red and white striped shirt touching the wall art and a little girls hand grasping one of the wall art blocks.

Orange, grey, yellow, pink, and teal blocks and circles have numbers on them to create an advent calendar.

7. Photo Puzzle Advent Calendar

8. Colorful Boxes Advent Calendar

A little blonde girl holding a large poster board with colored circles on it and a triangle with six triangles inside of it with pink circles on it on a wall above a grey pillow with big red circles on it.

Colorful Xmas crafts hang from strings.

9. Colorful Punch Board calendar

10. Advent Activity Calendar with Free Printable Number Tags

11. Modern Branch Hanging Advent Calendar

Black and white decorated boxes sit among each other.

A wall has colorful decorative origami art on it.

12. Modern Boxes Free Printable Advent Calendar

13. Christmas Houses Free Printable Advent Calendar

14. Geometric Advent Calendar with Free Printable Templates

 

 

 

14 Colorful DIY Advent Calendars

A variety of items to use as advent calendars including origami and crystals.

Here we’ve rounded up projects for the color and design-loving set. Check out these playful, modern advent calendar ideas below. 

 

A calendar is decorative and in black and white.My Dubio

1. Modern Wire Advent Calendar from My Dubio

A colorful Christmas tree is made up on the wall.Lexy Ward

2. Colorful Paper Ornament Tree Advent Calendar from Curbly

A holiday calendar has been made on a large piece of poster board with attached pockets to hide things in for every day of the month of December.Oh Happy Day

3. Iron-On Advent Calendar Bags from Oh Happy Day

A girl puts up gold white and black pages on a wall to create an advent calendar.Rae Ann Kelly

4. DIY Scratch-Off Advent Calendar from Rae Ann Kelly

A white piece of lattice with red and white little bags attached at each zenith.Lexy Ward

5. DIY Lattice Advent Calendar from The Proper Pinwheel

Multicolored diamond shapes hanging from a branch which is held up by an orange strap.The Sweet Escape

6. Modern Hanging Felt Advent Calendar from The Sweet Escape

A round table with craft houses in white and tan with five green Christmas trees.Curbly

7. Modern DIY Advent Calendar Village from Curbly

A banner is made of whitecap mountains in three shades of green and two shades of blue. Le plus bel âge

8. DIY Paper Mountain Advent Calendar from Le plus bel âge

Numbers on wood circles create the dates of an advent calendar designed to look like a birdhouse.Morning Creativity

9. DIY Toilet Paper Roll Advent Calendar from Morning Creativity

Many crystal shaped white and blue, white and pink, white and purple and white and green pieces.Mr. Printables

10. Paper Crystal Advent Calendar from Mr. Printables

A small child playing with toys in front of a Christmas tree.Oh Happy Day

11. Giant Canvas Tree Advent Calendar from Oh Happy Day

Numbers in various fonts with patterns on square tiles in pink, black, and teal create an advent calendar.Oh Happy Day

12. Printable Holiday Box Advent Calendar from Oh Happy Day

A wooden sign reading "25 sleeps until Christmas" is next to a cup of candy canes.ManMade

13. DIY Typographic Advent Calendar from ManMade

Few pieces of a advent calender.Madame Citron

14. DIY Geometric Advent Calendar from Madame Citron

 

10 Super Simple DIY Advent Calendar and Holiday Countdown Ideas

Decorative pieces are forming Christmas trees in different ways.

It seems as though every year is a foot race, with holidays paced out evenly throughout … until the mad final sprint to the finish line with three major holidays right in a row.  That is why it is never too early to start prepping for that great gift-giving time of year.  Here is a roundup of 10 simple diy advent calendar ideas to help you in all your early preparation! 

 

1.  Magnetic Tin Advent, from Twig and Thistle.

2. Pyramid Tree Advent, from Julie Ree.

3.  Easy Paper Cone Advent, from Family Fun Magazine.

Advent calendar with boxes.

4.  Colorful Matchbox Advent, from Just a Girl.

5.  Stacked Matchboxes, from Country Living Magazine.

Colorful paint buckets have been stacked like a pyramid.

6.  Pinned Ornament Advent, by Bower Power Blog.

7.  Recycled Canned Ornaments, from House to Home.

Christmas decorating wall

8. Paper Envelope Advent, by A Few Things From My Life.

9. Vintage Spool Advent, by Just Something I Made.

10.  Simple Paper Bunting Advent, by Pink Pistachio.

 

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2 Comments

  1. These are very nice ideas for advent calendars, though many of the same ideas are repeated.