If you’re looking for a fun and festive project to make the run-up to Christmas extra special, a DIY advent calendar is a wonderful place to start. For kids, opening a little surprise each morning is pure excitement — the countdown to Christmas becomes just as magical as the big day itself.
While stores are filled with ready-made calendars, creating your own adds something money can’t buy: a personal touch. You choose the treats, the colours, the surprises and the traditions your family will remember year after year. A DIY advent calendar doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated — just creative and made with love.
Decide What Kind of Advent Calendar You Want to Make
There are so many fun ways to create a personalised advent calendar, and you can tailor it to your time, budget and your child’s interests. And remember — the surprises don’t need to be new or expensive toys. A movie night, a special activity or even a second-hand treasure can be just as exciting.
Gift bags or boxes: Gather 24 small bags, boxes or envelopes that your child can open each day. Fill them with tiny gifts, treats or activity cards.
Hanging packages: Wrap small gifts and hang them on a string with numbered pegs. Colourful gift bags or mini boxes make it look extra festive as part of your Christmas decorations.
Wall display: Create a decorative display by attaching little pockets, envelopes or bags to a noticeboard. It doubles as a cute Christmas decoration and a daily countdown.
What to Put Inside an Advent Calendar
The joy of making an advent calendar yourself is that you can fill it with things your child actually loves — and match it to their age, interests and daily life.
Small gifts and treats
Toys: Tiny figures, small cars, puzzle pieces or a few LEGO bricks each day that gradually build into something bigger by Christmas Eve.
Candy: Chocolate, gummies, or any favourite sweet treat — always a hit in December.
Craft supplies: Stickers, crayons, beads or mini paint sets give kids a creative activity to enjoy throughout the month.
Activities
Instead of filling the calendar with small gifts, you can create an activity-based advent calendar, where each day comes with something fun to do together. Write each idea on a card and place it inside the bag or envelope for that date. Activities might include baking cookies, watching a Christmas movie, making ornaments, going on a winter walk or drinking hot chocolate while reading a festive story.
You can also turn the calendar into a nightly storytime tradition. Add short Christmas stories, or pick a festive book and read one chapter each night as you count down to Christmas Eve.
Experiences
Small experiences give kids something meaningful to look forward to — like visiting a Christmas market, writing a letter to Santa or decorating the Christmas tree. You can even make little “coupons” for time together: a family game night, building a snowman or a day at the ice rink. For many kids, these moments become the best gifts of all.
How to Put the Advent Calendar Together
Once you’ve chosen your calendar style and decided what to fill it with, it’s time to put everything together. Here’s what you’ll need for a simple, homemade DIY advent calendar:
Materials
• small gift bags, boxes or envelopes
• string and pegs (if you’re hanging the packages)
• number stickers or a pen to label each day
• ribbons, stickers, glitter or other decorations to make it festive
• small gifts, activity cards or treats to fill the calendar
How to Do It
Number the bags: Use stickers, tags or a pen to label the bags or boxes from 1 to 24.
Decorate: Add ribbons, glitter or Christmas stickers to make each package look festive. If your kids are old enough, let them help decorate — they’ll love being part of the process.
Fill the calendar: Place a small gift, treat or activity card inside each package. Try to mix things up so every morning feels like a new surprise.
Display the calendar: Hang the packages on a string with small pegs, or place them in a basket or tray. If you made a wall calendar, attach the bags or envelopes to a notice board and let it double as Christmas décor.
Advent Calendars for More Than One Child
If you have multiple children, you can either make one shared calendar or give each child their own. A shared calendar works especially well when it’s filled with family activities — like watching a Christmas movie together, decorating cookies or having a game night. If you want to include small gifts, choose something they can enjoy as a group, such as a board game, a craft kit or a toy they can play with together.
Some families prefer a weekend-style calendar instead of giving a gift every day. For example, the kids only open packages on Saturdays and Sundays, and those surprises can be slightly bigger. This is a great option if you want fewer gifts to prepare or if your kids have specific wishes leading up to Christmas.
Looking for more festive inspiration? Check out our guide to creative Christmas crafts and cosy festive activities.
