30+ DIY Advent Calendar Ideas to Countdown to Christmas
While a ready-made advent calendar is awesome (and I love ‘em all), sometimes you want something totally custom.
I asked our readers and Instagram followers—that’s you!—for a list of your favorite DIY Advent Calendar ideas. I received so many incredible ideas and I am so excited to share them with you.
Below you’ll find links for empty pocket advent calendars, as well as 30 ideas for creating your own Christmas Countdown at home. Happy DIY-ing! All links are affiliate links.
REusable Advent Calendars
The great thing about doing a DIY Christmas Countdown is that you can buy the calendar once and use it year after year. Plus these often make for beautiful decorations to add into the holiday mix! Click on a picture below for a link to the calendar.
If you like, you can also make your own advent calendar out of envelopes, paper bags, a shoe organizer or small boxes from a craft store.
Christmas Countdown ideas
Check out the following DIY advent calendars broken out by category: kids, teens and adults. But you may find some of them interchangeable—after all, we’re all kids at heart!
diy advent calendars for kids
The Christmas season is magical for kids. And when kids know each day holds a new surprise, a little goes a long way!
Christmas Books
Individually wrap Christmas or holiday-themed books to be opened each day. You can buy all new books or simply wrap the books you already own and add a fun new one into the mix each year.
Daily Activities
Include a note to be opened each day with plans for big and small fun. You might write out activities like baking cookies, decorating the tree, and driving around the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights. Or, if you need inspiration, try one of these printables from Etsy!
Acts of Service
Put the emphasis on the joy of giving by offering opportunities for your kids to deliver donuts and coffee to the fire department, say a kind word to a sibling, serve at a local charity, or ding-dong-ditch a treat to a neighbor. There are so many wonderful (and printable!) ideas available online.
Devotional
Include a portion of the Christmas story in each pocket of the calendar, with a small candy and a question to consider as a family. Read from the Children of God Storybook Bible or The Wonder of the Greatest Gift: An Interactive Family Celebration of Advent by Ann Voskamp. You can follow an Advent reading plan for that Bible (and print out cute cutouts for your calendar!) by downloading this PDF.
Play-Doh
Grab a Play-Doh set and a few accessories. Think: plastic knives, googly eyes, rolling pins, dollar-store garlic press and more. Fill some boxes with dough and others with tools and let your kids go to town!
Lego Christmas Village
Start a Christmas Village—Lego style! Divide the set out so that each day receives a few minutes’ worth of building materials and instructions. Repeat the same build next year or snag a new one for your collection.
Action Figures
Grab an assortment of action figures—Playmobil characters, super heroes or mini princess dolls—as well as wooden blocks or magnetic tiles. Alternate between offering a doll and a building supply so that your kid can create a world for their new characters. Bonus tip: if your kids are young, you can probably use some items you already own and they’ll be none the wiser!
A Get-Creative Kit
Gather a hodge-podge of supplies including: pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, pom poms, feathers, felt, washi tape and more. Add a few items to each pocket. Offer your kids glue sticks—or a glue gun—and let their imaginations run wild!
Rubber Ducks
Rubber ducks are all the rage this year. You can buy them in bulk for cheap and divide out the ones you think will excite each of your kids the most.
Jokes and More
And if you’re thinking, “How about a countdown that requires less time and money?” We’ve got you covered! Simply fill your calendar with printed jokes, riddles and fun facts.
DIY Christmas Countdown for teens
You can probably make most of the kid-themed ideas above work for teens too. Still, we rounded up a few options that speak to the hearts (and stomachs) of teens.
Soda
Rotate through their favorite fizzy drinks and maybe even a few they’ve never tried before. You could include Culture Pop (use TURNER10 for 10% off), a Jarrito or grab a bunch of mini cans in classic flavors!
Lottery Tickets
You might just be the coolest parent on the block if you fill an advent calendar full of scratch-off cards and potential cash! You could even throw in a few fake ones with a tangible prize just to keep your teens on their toes.
Special Snacks
Teens are always hungry. Ask me how I know. Load the pockets up with snacks they can take to school or work and that fit the bill as something you don’t always buy. Think: Joyride candy, a big bag of beef jerky or crazy flavored Takis.
Mini Everything
It doesn’t matter what it is as long as you grab the tiny version: mini tabasco sauce, world’s smallest corn hole, travel-sized face wash, or even little books!
Scent Sampler
Grab perfume or cologne in sample sizes from various brands so your son or daughter can find the smell they like best. (Kits like this are often available during the holidays.) Pro tip: Head to your local department store and ask the person behind the counter for samples—which are often free!
Fast Food
Teens aren’t just always hungry. They’re also always on the go. Give them 12 days of gift cards from local fast food joints. Just five bucks could cover a snack or a drink and a ten dollar card can pay for a whole meal! If you don’t feel like driving around town, you can easily snag gift cards for Starbucks, Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A and more online!
Collectibles
You know your kid best. Think about what they’re into and how you could help them start or add to a collection. You might fill the calendar with baseball cards, trendy keychains, comics, funko pops or squishmallows.
Earring Kit
Snag this clay earring set with everything your teen needs to make 24 unique earrings.
Treat Time
Teens love to be hands-on, so give them what they need to make a small daily treat. You could include ingredients for boba tea, brownie in a mug, trail mix or cookies!
Memes and More
Of course, teens appreciate nothing more than a good laugh. So feel free to take your DIY advent calendar digital and send your teen daily memes, GIFs and funny videos.
Diy Advent Calendars for adults
Adults deserve a little Christmas magic too! Try one of the themes below for your significant other, coworker, mom, dad, sibling or best friend.
Daily Activities
Plan 24 moments together—like drinking hot chocolate on the porch, playing games once the kids go to bed, eating dinner by the light of the Christmas tree or taking a stroll through your neighborhood for a little holiday spirit. Looking for a way to make this even more simple? Print cards out directly from an Etsy designer!
Beer
Grab this adorable Tipsy Tree and fill it with an assortment of your favorite beer.
Cocktail Sampler
Make a new cocktail flavor every day for 12 days of advent. And if you get this set of 20 unique bottles, you can mix and match for a whole new flavor combination!
Chocolate
Visit your local Target or grocery store for a unique selection of chocolate bars. Be sure to grab a few different brands and maybe even include a couple with quirky mix-ins!
Coffee
Nothing like a warm drink in the winter—and with this advent you can enjoy a new specialty flavor each day.
Intimacy
Write out prompts for daily connection. Feel free to be as nice or as naughty as you like! Or try this printable advent calendar with adults-only prompts accessible by QR code—and safe from curious little ones.
Around-the-World Candy
For this one, put together a collection of the most-intriguinging international candies on Amazon. Think: Swedish, Japanese, Germany, Great Britain, Canadian and so much more! You could also grab a ready-made collection like this one. Or go for a mix that includes both sweet and salty options.
Acts of Service
Show your love through action. Print out coupons to take over a dreaded chore for your loved one. You might wash the car, mow the lawn or unload the dishwasher. You could also grab them a coffee, volunteer to run carpool for the day or take over the bedtime routine at night. Print these editable coupons to make your advent extra sweet.
Spa-venture
This countdown is all about relaxation. Fill the calendar with face masks, mini lotions, bath bombs, lip balm and maybe even a massage ball.
Audiobooks and More
For the partner who always enjoys a new recommendation, make a list of the best new songs, podcasts and audiobooks for his or her listening pleasure. Each day include a suggestion + why you think they’ll love it. Such a thoughtful gift!
If you make one of these DIY Advent Calendars, share in the comments below.