Do you celebrate the Advent Season with an Advent Calendar of some sorts?

What is an Advent Calendar, you ask?!?!?  It is a calendar that counts down the days to Christmas Day…December 1st to the 24th.

As a child, how exciting can that be?  Counting down the days until Santa shows up!  Very!  I know from experience as it was a tradition in our home.  My mother always made sure we had one.

Some years we had the traditional German calendar filled with Chocolate.

Other years, instead of chocolate, we would have one that hung on the wall with pockets.  The pockets were filled with gifts.  Gifts such as chocolate, jewelry, chapstick/lipgloss, socks, etc.  I don’t have a picture of that calendar, and I haven’t ever seen two alike, but it is similar to the one that we use for Emma today.  I bought this one from Pottery Barn a couple of years ago.

Last year, I actually started a new tradition with an additional one.  Yes…two of them.  One filled with gifts.  And one with a list of activities.  A different activity every day.

Emma was too young to really understand and appreciate it, but I hope this year she can.

I made the calendar myself and I am going to show you how to create your own.

The supplies you will need are:

• Scrapbook paper
• Scissors
• Paper Cutter (if you have one)
• Ruler (optional)
• Hole punch
• String
• Markers or Printables
• Rope, Curtain Rod, Frame or anything else that you can hang them from

Obviously, the first thing to do is to choose your scrapbook paper that you will want to use.

You will then want to cut each paper in fours.  To do so, fold the paper, just at the top, in the middle, so you know where to cut, if using a paper cutter.

If using scissors, you will want to draw a straight line, with a ruler, down the middle and then cut.

Punch a hole, at the top, in the middle.

Instead of punching holes, you can use clips or clothespins such as this one below.

On the printed side, write the days using a Black Marker.  Start with 1 and number through 24. 

I wish I would have used a Silhouette Machine as Lauren from the Thinking Closet did for her Instagram Advent Calendar.

My numbers would have then looked more clean and visible.  Saving grace is that the wall that I am going to hang it on…you can’t see it too close and the busy-ness of the print hides them a bit.

The activities are then written on the backside of the scrapbook paper.  

You can also try out these Free Printable Advent Calendar Printables from My Joy-Filled Life.  

Using Printables would have been a nicer look than in my handwriting. Thankfully the backside is hidden from everyone anyway.  Another saving grace.  What did I learn this year?

To buy a Silhouette Machine.  I so need one!!!

But lets move on…

Next cut two string sizes, one long, one short.

Thread the string through the hole.  You will want to alternate the string sizes so that each day hangs either short or long to minimize the length of the calendar as much as possible.

Thread each of the days with something to hang.  I used red rope.

However, you can use a curtain rod, a frame with rows of wire, etc.  The options are limitless.

In fact, there are so many Advent Calendar options.  Just Google Advent Calendar (I have already done for you) and you will find a lot of examples such as those made of Wood, Banners, Socks, Mini Stockings, Envelopes, Mini Boxes Stacked on one another, Luggage Tags, etc.   

But not only are there so many different designs, there are also a variety of types.  We have the gift and activities calendars, but you can do books, chocolate, scriptures, ornaments, nothing, etc.  

Our gift Calendar actually has a filler to place in the corresponding day and does a backwards countdown.  Rather than representing the Day in December (such as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and so on) it represents the number of days left (24, 23, 22 and so on).  It was not meant to specifically be filled with anything.

If you don’t practice the tradition yet, I hope that you decide to do so.  It is so much fun for the children.  I realize that by the time you are reading this, it is already December 2nd, but you can start late.  Start tomorrow, on the 3rd and let them have 1-3 at one time.

I hope I have inspired you.

I love Christmas!!!

Don’t forget to link up at Share it Sunday or peruse the links for Inspiration.

And if you have not yet Entered for your chance to win either Disney Tickets or Gift Certificates, valued at $600, do so now.  Ends on December 5th.

 

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• 10 Advent Calendar Crafts You Can Make
• 24 Creative Homemade Advent Calendars!