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The short answer: the easiest DIY advent calendar is 24 small kraft bags clipped to twine with mini clothespins. It takes one evening and costs less than most store bought calendars. If you want something that lasts, a box tree, a muffin tin or a reusable wooden house all come out year after year.
Below are 20 DIY advent calendar ideas: quick builds, calendars that look store bought, ideas for kids and ideas for adults. At the end you will find filler ideas so you never run out of things to put inside.
Easy DIY advent calendars you can make in one evening
These are the quickest builds. Each one uses supplies you can grab in one trip, and most cost less than a store bought calendar.
1. Kraft bag garland on twine
SaveFill 24 small kraft paper bags, fold the tops over and clip them along a length of jute twine with mini clothespins. Hang it across the mantel or a window. It is the most pinned DIY advent calendar for a reason: it is cheap, quick and looks lovely.
Tip: Stamp or write the numbers before you fill the bags so the ink can dry flat. See the mini kraft paper bags on Amazon.
2. Matchbox drawer advent
SaveGlue 24 small matchbox style boxes together into a block and wrap each drawer front in patterned paper. Tiny treats, notes or charms fit inside. It sits on a shelf and takes up almost no space.
Tip: Use a hot glue gun and build the stack in rows of four.
3. Cardboard tube advent wall
SaveSave 24 cardboard tubes, wrap them in paper, fill them and cover each end with tissue paper. Stack them in a honeycomb shape on a tray or glue them inside a box frame. Kids love punching through the paper each morning.
Tip: Spray the inside of the frame white first so the stack looks crisp.
4. Envelope garland
SaveWrite a note, activity or small gift card for every day and tuck it into an envelope. String the envelopes along a ribbon on the stairs or a wall. It is flat, light and costs almost nothing.
Tip: Mix in a few red and green envelopes between kraft ones so the garland has rhythm.
5. Muslin bag branch
SaveFill small drawstring muslin bags and hang them from a bare branch standing in a tall vase. Add a few warm fairy lights through the branch. It looks like something from a home decor store.
Tip: Spray the branch white or leave it natural, both look good. See the drawstring muslin bags on Amazon.
6. Paper cone wall hanging
SaveRoll squares of patterned paper into cones, glue them and hang them on a dowel with string. Each cone holds a few sweets or a small toy. It turns a blank wall into a Christmas display.
Tip: Use thick scrapbook paper so the cones keep their shape.
DIY advent calendars that look store bought
Want something that looks expensive but is not? These take a little longer, but they come out every year.
7. Kraft box Christmas tree
SaveStack 24 small kraft boxes into a pyramid on a table so they form a Christmas tree shape. Tie each with twine and top the stack with a paper star. Open from the top down.
Tip: Glue a few boxes together at the base so the tree does not slide. See the small kraft treat boxes on Amazon.
8. Muffin tin advent
SavePut a treat in each cup of a muffin tin and cover each cup with a circle of paper and a magnet. It hangs on the fridge or leans on a shelf. Small hands can open it without tearing anything.
Tip: Two 12 cup tins side by side give you all 24 days.
9. Blanket ladder advent
SaveHang 24 small bags or stockings from the rungs of a blanket ladder and wind garland through the top. It works in a corner where a tree will not fit.
Tip: Use different heights of ribbon so the bags do not bunch together.
10. Wooden house to fill every year
SaveA reusable wooden advent house with little drawers is the one to buy if you never want to make another. You fill it yourself, so it works for kids, teens or adults.
Tip: Keep a small box of fillers ready so refilling takes ten minutes. See the fillable wooden advent calendar on Amazon.
11. Wrapped gift stack in a crate
SaveWrap 24 small gifts in matching paper and stack them in a wooden crate by the tree. The matching paper is what makes it look styled, not messy.
Tip: Pick one paper and one ribbon color and stick to them. See the kraft wrapping paper on Amazon.
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DIY advent calendars for kids
Kids care about the daily moment more than the treat. These keep the excitement high without 24 days of candy.
12. Christmas activity advent
SaveWrite one family activity on a card for each day, like making hot cocoa, a Christmas movie night or baking cookies, and put it in a numbered pocket. Kids get something to do, not just something to eat.
Tip: Plan the busy days first and give those the easy activities.
13. Book advent
SaveWrap 24 books, old favorites and a few new ones from the library or thrift store, and open one each night at bedtime. It is the advent calendar parents remember most.
Tip: Mix in library books so it costs very little.
14. Paper chain countdown
SaveThe classic: make a paper chain with 24 links and tear one off every morning. Write a joke or a kind task inside each link. It takes 20 minutes and kids can make it themselves.
Tip: Alternate red, green and white so the colors read from across the room.
15. Mini stocking garland
SaveClip 24 tiny felt stockings to a garland along the mantel or stairs. Each one holds a small surprise and the garland doubles as decor.
Tip: Felt stockings fold flat and last for years.
16. Advent activity jar
SaveWrite 24 ideas on wooden craft sticks and stand them in a jar. Each morning a child pulls one out. It is the cheapest calendar on this list and takes ten minutes.
Tip: Paint the stick ends red and green so it looks festive on the counter.
DIY advent calendars for adults
Advent calendars are not just for kids. These are thoughtful gifts for a partner, a friend or yourself.
17. Tea and cocoa advent
SaveTuck a different tea bag or hot cocoa packet into 24 small pockets or envelopes. Every evening gets a warm drink and five quiet minutes.
Tip: Add a few honey sticks and candy canes for stirring.
18. Date night envelopes
SaveWrite 24 small date ideas, from a cozy movie night to a walk to see the lights, and seal each in an envelope. It is one of the most searched advent calendar ideas for couples and boyfriends.
Tip: Add a few small items, like a candle or a coupon, so some envelopes have something to unwrap.
19. Self care drawers
SaveFill a small 24 drawer organizer with face masks, lip balm, mini candles and notes. It is a lovely gift for a friend who needs a slower December.
Tip: Write a short kind note for the last few days so it ends on a high.
20. Memory photo advent
SaveClip 24 printed photos of the year face down on twine with a small treat behind each. Flip one each day. It turns the countdown into a look back at the best moments.
Tip: Print the photos in black and white for a classy look. See the mini wooden clothespins on Amazon.
What you need for a DIY advent calendar
These are the supplies behind most of the calendars above. Pick the ones that match the idea you like.
- Mini kraft paper bags: the base for the most popular DIY advent calendar.
- Mini wooden clothespins: clip bags, envelopes and photos to twine.
- Natural jute twine: the long line everything hangs from.
- Small kraft treat boxes: stack into a Christmas tree or line up on a shelf.
- Drawstring muslin bags: soft little bags that hang from a branch.
- Kraft wrapping paper: matching paper makes 24 small gifts look styled.
- Battery fairy lights with a timer: weave through the garland so it glows every evening.
- Fillable wooden advent calendar: the one to buy if you want to refill it every year.
DIY advent calendar filler ideas
- Fillers for kids: stickers, mini erasers, hair clips, small puzzles, a new crayon each day, a joke or a coupon for a later bedtime.
- Fillers for adults: tea bags, cocoa packets, mini candles, lip balm, face masks, a favorite chocolate or a handwritten note.
- No candy fillers: activity cards, riddles, a family memory, a book at bedtime or a small ornament for the tree.
- Free fillers: a family movie night, a walk to see the lights, baking cookies, a phone call to a grandparent or a craft together.
- Plan the busy days: put the easy fillers on school concert and party days, and save the big ones for weekends and the last few days.
Keep reading
- Christmas Eve box ideas the whole family will love
- Easy Christmas crafts for kids
- Christmas gift wrapping ideas that look expensive
- Easy Elf on the Shelf ideas
Frequently asked questions
Twenty four small kraft paper bags clipped to jute twine with mini clothespins. You can make it in one evening and hang it on a mantel, window or staircase.
For kids: stickers, small toys, activity cards and a book at bedtime. For adults: tea, cocoa, mini candles, lip balm and handwritten notes. Free ideas like a movie night or baking cookies work for everyone.
Use envelopes on a ribbon, a paper chain or a jar of craft sticks with activities written on them. All three cost almost nothing and still feel special.
Start in the middle of November so it is filled and hung before December 1. Most builds on this list take one evening.
Pick one idea, make it this weekend, and enjoy opening it together every morning in December.