22 Creative Christmas Countdowns You Can Make

Advent calendars are a fun way for kids to count down the 25 days leading up to Christmas. Check out these festive and unique handmade Advent calendars you can create just in time to open the very first gift.

November 05, 2020

By: Kayla Kitts and Chelsea Faulkner

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Sweater Chic

Upcycle cozy, old sweaters into mini mittens to make this adorable and charming Advent calendar.

GET THE HOW-TO: Turn Old Sweaters Into an Adorable Advent Calendar

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Gift-Wrap Magic

Transform discarded wrapping paper tubes into a colorful, tree-shaped Advent calendar the kids will love.

GET THE HOW-TO: Make a Tree-Shaped Cardboard Tube Advent Calendar

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Yard Takeover

Drum up some neighborhood chatter with this oversized Advent calendar made from a ladder.

GET THE HOW-TO: Make a Giant Advent Calendar With a Ladder

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Chalk It Up

Layered against the backdrop of an arched black mirror, a DIY chalkboard Christmas countdown makes a chic holiday decoration on this foyer table. To make your own, use a straight edge to create a grid, then follow our hand-lettering tips below to sketch out the words on top. Design by blogger Made by Carli.

Upcycled Chic

Got lots of old, patterned dress shirts on your hands? Put them to good use! Copy designer Casey Noble and turn them into a chic Advent calendar garland that can be used year after year.

GET THE HOW-TO: Upcycle Men's Shirts Into an Advent Calendar Garland

Takeout Goodies

This Advent calendar made from takeout food containers is a clever way to get your kids to count down to Christmas. Blogger Layla Palmer made the standard white boxes more jolly with construction paper and stickers.

GET THE HOW-TO: Make Your Own Takeout Box Advent Calendar

Traditional Countdown

This holiday advent calendar by Marian Parsons is full of traditional charm and vintage style, keeping the Christmas anticipation alive for both kids and adults.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make a Vintage Garland Advent Calendar

From: Marian Parsons

Frame Job

A frame, cork board, holiday cards and ribbon are all you need to make a cute calendar like this one by designer Brian Patrick Flynn. Just add five rows of five cards to the cork board with push pins and mark each card with the numbered days.

SEE MORE: 16 Festive Holiday Entryway Ideas

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Scandinavian-Inspired Advent Village

Advent calendars have been in use since the early 19th century. Starting as a German tradition, they typically share a scene, a biblical verse or a piece of chocolate. This year, honor that tradition by crafting an Advent calendar that resembles a quaint Scandinavian village. All you need is scrapbook paper and some basic craft supplies.

Giant Wall Calendar

The wire shelves in this home office are usually filled with books and plants, except at Christmastime when they get transformed into a giant Advent calendar made of numbered gift boxes, with a treat in each one. You can recreate this idea at home by clearing off a bookshelf or storage cube to make room for pretty Advent-style gifts.

From: HGTV Magazine

Rustic Holiday Surprise

Wood Advent houses like this one can be found online and in retail shops everywhere during the holiday season. We love that this pretty piece doubles as a cute Christmas countdown and farmhouse decor for your mantel, countertop or dining table. Little bits of unexpected greenery tucked into each drawer help to create a more beautiful mantle as the holiday approaches.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Merry Mittens

Add a sweet and colorful touch to any holiday mantel with a festive mitten advent calendar garland. Layla Palmer used a variety of toddler-sized mittens in traditional Christmas hues and printed out 24 numbers small enough to tuck into each mitten. To add extra holiday cheer, she added a sweet sentiment below each number.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make a Mitten Garland Advent Calendar

Wreath That Keeps on Giving

Transform a wire wreath form into a cute, interactive Advent calendar the kids will flock to.

GET THE HOW-TO: The Cheeriest Christmas Advent Calendar

Can It

Recycled tin cans create a one-of-a-kind Advent calendar in this example by blogger Cindy Hopper. Fill each date with a toy, candy or an idea for family fun.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make a Tin Can Advent Calendar

Repurposed Holidays

HGTV fan Cathe Holden reused vintage thread spools to create a one-of-a-kind holiday advent calendar in her home. On each spool she added a numbered wrap with a special note or a clue to a hidden gift. Cathe, a passionate crafter and designer, displayed her Christmas countdown on a vintage, modified spool holder. Cathe also suggests creating individual, numbered spool ornaments for the tree, or stringing the entire set together to create an advent calendar garland.

Paper Forest

Countdown the days until Christmas and create an interactive winter wonderland with this festive Advent calendar centerpiece. The best part? You don't need any special supplies to craft these cute paper trees.

GET THE HOW-TO: DIY Paper Christmas Tree Forest Advent Calendar

Sew Cute Patchwork Calendar

Break out the sewing machine and dig into your scrap fabric stash to make this sweet holiday keepsake your family can enjoy year after year.

No-Sew Bags

Nothing creates Christmas anticipation like counting down the days with an Advent calendar. Make large treat bags for each of the 24 days, then string them up together and start counting down.

Countdown for the Kids

This traditional, felt advent calendar is the perfect addition to a child's bedroom door over the holidays. By using simple and inexpensive materials, each child can have a calendar of their own. Try to create different holiday-inspired shapes to form the background — a classic Christmas tree, snowflake, mitten or Santa Claus hat.

Interactive Centerpiece

Dress up the dinner table with a sparkling and unique advent calendar centerpiece. Blogger Jessica Wilcox used a vintage chicken-wire cloche dome of gifts and printable Christmas tags to represent the 25-day countdown. Add small, wrapped presents, decorative ornaments and ribbons underneath the dome.

Ornamental Additions

This advent calendar idea is simple and perfect for last-minute crafters. Blogger Melaine Thompson stenciled 24 numbers onto manila shipping tags and added glittery adornments. Each day, as Christmas draws closer and closer, the kids take off an ornament and place it on the tree.

Special Delivery

HGTV fan Katie Watson came up with a fun and creative way for children to count down the 25 days of Christmas. Using simple square envelopes with string closures, she adorned each one with different holiday-inspired themes, patterns and colors. Inside each envelope Katie placed a coupon for each child that can be redeemed for something special at home, such as a cup of hot chocolate, a piece of Christmas candy or Mom reading a bedtime story. Strung up the banister with colorful foam balls, the advent banner is not only a fun family activity but an original piece of holiday decor, too.

22 Creative Christmas Countdowns You Can Make

Related To:

Shop This Look

Sweater Chic

Gift-Wrap Magic

Yard Takeover

Chalk It Up

Upcycled Chic

Takeout Goodies

Traditional Countdown

Frame Job

Scandinavian-Inspired Advent Village

Giant Wall Calendar

Rustic Holiday Surprise

Merry Mittens

Wreath That Keeps on Giving

Can It

Repurposed Holidays

Paper Forest

Sew Cute Patchwork Calendar

No-Sew Bags

Countdown for the Kids

Interactive Centerpiece

Ornamental Additions

Special Delivery

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