Easy, Fast and Beautiful Advent Calendar

Time flies, and it’s only a little more than a month until Christmas. If you need a last-minute advent calendar which is easy to make, looks great and doesn’t cost a fortune, go on reading:

Step 1: What You Need

The basis for each calendar is a simple 12×12 sheet of scrapbooking paper glued to a 12×12 piece of sturdy cardboard. As I love to repurpose stuff, I use old covers of vinyl records ;)

You further need:
paper glue
scissors, cutter knife, cutting mat
a 3/4 inch circle punch or stamps/stickers with numbers
thin ribbon
hole punch, for example the Crop-a-Dile
24 printed stories/recipes/quotes
if you like, my file with premade numbers

Step 2: Add Numbers

I used a 3/4 inch circle punch to create numbers which match the colors of my paper. If you like, you can use the numbers-in-circles design (download in step 2), print and punch (3 color schemes on one sheet).

Alternatively, use stickers or number stamps, whatever you like.

Step 3: Punch Holes

Beneath the numbers, I used my crop-a-dile to punch small holes through the calendar. If you don’t have a crop-a-dile, you can use an eyelet tool or a hole punch out of daddy’s toolbox. Punch two extra holes in the upper left and right corner, so the calendar can be hung to the wall.

Step 4: Attach the Gifts

As you can see, I chose to stamp the numbers directly on the dots of this beautiful paper.
I chose 24 short stories, poems, recipes etc. and printed them on high quality paper. I folded and/or rolled the sheets, tied them to a pretty ribbon and threaded the ribbons through the calendars’ holes. A square knot on the back – that’s it. I used a small IKEA Allen wrench to push the ribbons through the holes. If you give the calendar to a couple, you can use two different ribbon colors for them to take turns in opening the gifts.

Step 5: Embellish

The calendar will look great, anyway, but you can add embellishments which appear underneath the gifts. Here I chose to attach a snowflake which I tinted with alcohol inks.

Step 6: Give It to Someone You Love!

Some ideas what to add as gifts:

Poems, recipes, jokes, seasonal short stories, vouchers, a list of "what I love about you", quotations, song lyrics, web links...

Please share your ideas!

Comments

[saigaz21]

I suck at crafts

[xli1]

interesting and useful, cool gadgets.

[sunshiine]

Very nice Instructable!  Just thought I would suggest entering it in the office contest.  I think it might qualify!  

Sunshiine


https://www.instructables.com/id/Weekly-Make-It-Challenge-Office-Supplies/

[anke-art]

Thanks for the info - it didn't occur to me that I'm using office supplies in this project, but I guess you could say so. I'll try my luck :D

[sunshiine]

I think it will qualify but I am not sure. It is worth a try and the more entries the better the prize and the more winners! I wish you the best!
Sunshiine

[Penolopy Bulnick]

That's really cute! I've never seen an advent calendar with little gifts on it before :)

[anke-art]

Thanks :)

In Germany it's very common to have an advent calendar with small gifts. I guess it's comparable to the American "stockings hanging from the mantelpiece" tradition. If you do a Google image search on the German term "Adventskalender", you'll see hundreds of gorgeous ideas ;)

Cheers
Anke

[klixtopher]

I like the idea of the poems, stories, recipes etc. Great work!

[scoochmaroo]

Lovely!