#Christmas countdowns to make how to#
#Christmas countdowns to make plus#

I didn't want to try to recreate the wacky creative exuberance that is GISH, but I was inspired by its mix of activities that are just fun and ones that do good in the world. For the past three years, I've participated in GISH, a wildly entertaining international scavengar hunt (you can see my team's submissions on our Facebook page). I usually make a present garland Christmas countdown advent calendar for my girls, and while they still love that, I felt like focusing on activities and experiences and creating memories rather than accumulating things. This is much better than getting home and realizing something you purchased doesn't fit.DIY Christmas Countdown Calendar that's all about Activities and Experiences and Memories If you are shopping for things to put inside your gift boxes, bring a sample gift box with you to use for verifying whether a gift will fit or not. A photo or image you want to share for each day.A fun activity idea or a simple recipe (ex.A poem, quote or bible verse for each day.Bulk candy either individually wrapped or you can wrap it yourself in homemade parchment or wax paper envelopes.Stickers, temporary tattoos, small craft supplies, small party favor type gifts, inexpensive jewelry, flat Christmas erasers, etc.If you are going to vary the gifts, start small and work your way up to something more exciting. Include something extra special in the last box. Include something meaningful if possible, such as a loving message or a bible verse. You may already know exactly what you want to put inside your Christmas countdown calendar gift boxes. If you do this right, each box should open by simply pulling the ends of the ribbon and gently lifting the flap. Then tie the ribbon in a bow, without tying a knot first. Once the gifts are inserted, pull both ends of the ribbon or craft cord through the single hole in the flap. Once your Christmas countdown calendar is completed, all that's left is to put gifts inside and tie the boxes closed. I cut out each of the letters for the word DECEMBER and mounted it to squares of sparkly paper. Once all the gift boxes are in place, you can decorate the rest of the countdown calendar however you like. You can also use things like glitter, stickers, markers, bows or old Christmas card images to decorate your countdown project. You may want to spell out December like I did, or perhaps you have your own clever title to put on your Christmas countdown calendar.

I get mine from the dollar store and they work just fine. In my experience, they are easy, mess-free and strong enough for these projects. I used mounting squares to adhere my boxes to the base. You don't want the boxes to fall off the board when you put gifts inside. I used a large piece of red poster board. Poster paper or gift wrap both work well to cover the base and make it look beautiful. Use something that is strong enough to hold all your boxes with the gifts inside. Craft board or card board are both good choices for the base. Make as many as you'll need for your project, I chose to make 24.

You'll need 24 assembled gift boxes, complete with ribbon or closures of some kind (see above section for a link to the templates and instructions for the attachable gift boxes). Supplies for Making Your Christmas Countdown Calendar: To Make Your Own Christmas Countdown Calendar.

#Christmas countdowns to make plus#

I have to say, I was pleased with this countdown calendar adventure and the calendar itself was a fun addition to our Christmas decorations.īelow, I share how you can use the advent calendar templates provided to make your own Christmas countdown calendar, plus tips and ideas for including gifts, treats and/or loving messages for each day. The countdown calendar project featured on this page, is one I made using these advent calendar templates with a fun variety of Christmas patterned paper.Įach gift box had a very small surprise for both of my children, plus a special daily homemade Christmas message that I felt good about.įor treats, I shopped in the bulk department of my local grocery store and was able to get something different (and individually wrapped) for every single day! It cost me less than $10 for two kids, although it took me about 20 minutes to put all those tiny treats in bags and label them with their bulk bin #.

#Christmas countdowns to make how to#

How to Make Your Own Christmas Countdown Calendar.