28 2023 Advent calendars to make yourself easily: our Christmas DIYs to prepare for the holidays: Femme Actuelle Le MAG

Christmas is around the corner and with it requires organization around the end of year celebrations. In less than 80 days, you will have to prepare a New Year’s Eve meal, wrap the gifts and decorate the tree. But the anticipation begins well in advance, with the development of the Advent calendar. Even more so when you decide to make it at home, in DIY version for a low price and a 100% customizable calendar! Discover our 24 Advent calendar tutorials and ideas in our slideshowbut also 4 easy DIYs in the rest of this article.

How to make an easy homemade advent calendar?

It is now part of our daily life in December, impossible to do without it, we have named it: the advent calendar! For young and old alike, it brings balm to the heart in this cold and dark month, and allows you to prepare little by little for the end of the month festivities. If there are many references to buy, you can also turn to empty advent calendars, which you will fill with treats or small attentions for the members of your household. In wood or fabric, they are more durable and can be reused from one year to the next. You can also opt for homemade items made from paper or cardboard, which you can buy commercially or recycled. Very trendy, kraft calendars can be decorated to your liking and filled with what you want.

What support for my advent calendar?

Recover an MDF board from your previous DIY, or use cardboard, which you can reinforce if necessary with papier-mâché, recycled polystyrene or other glued cardboard. If you are preparing the calendar with children, this is a good time to teach them how to make natural (and safe) glue by heating (over low heat in a saucepan) 1 part flour to 3 parts water . Once the glue has thickened, turn off the heat, let it cool for a few minutes then use it to glue colored paper napkins, newspaper or tissue paper.

How to make a cardboard advent calendar, easy and inexpensive (or even free)?

Despite these pretty and attractive possibilities, do you prefer to make your calendar from A to Z? No worries, it’s not complicated and this afternoon tutorial can even become a good way to save your money in preparation for the end of year holidays.

Really cheap creative idea? A gingerbread house style advent calendar. To make it, you will need a cardboard box, white markers (or white acrylic paint and a fine brush), 24 bags (these can be kraft bags from which you collect your fruits, vegetables and dried fruits in bulk).

Cut out your cardboard to form a house, cut out the 2 small top flaps in the shape of a triangle. Cut the large flaps completely, it will serve as a roof. Draw tiles on them, on the rest of the house draw doors, windows and other decorative elements.

Customize the 24 bags, without forgetting to write the opening date. Then fill the bags with sweet words, chocolate, small gifts.

DIY: the Advent calendar made from a toilet paper roll, our tutorial

Always so simple and not harsh on the wallet: the recycled Advent calendar with toilet paper rolls. The idea here (as in this article) is to collect 24 rolls of toilet paper or 12 rolls of absorbent paper that you cut in 2; to slip in the surprises.
You will first need to create a shape to store the rolls, a tree or a house, from a shoebox, a delivery box or a small basket. Then, cover (or paint) the rolls to make them pretty, and on the front of the roll, close with crepe paper or tissue paper, adding a number for the date. If your calendar is stable, you don’t have to close the back.

What surprise or gift should you put in your DIY advent calendar?

How to decorate a DIY advent calendar? Which gift to choose for each of the 24 boxes?

For children, focus on figurines or toys that can go together. For example, buy a set of coordinating figurines, and add them as the days go by, to create a desire to complete the collection. Intersperse if necessary with accessories, treats or “vouchers” for a hug, a movie session, etc.

For adults, as for children, the gift does not need to be expensive as long as it is personalized and thought for the person receiving it. It can be a small gift but thought out with precision and love, which will then please the person who opens the box. A date, a “voucher” for an evening for two or a restaurant, so many ideas to slip into a homemade advent calendar. You can also theme the calendar according to the person’s interests, by putting golf balls and tees, eye shadows and nail polish, tickets for craft beers and the cupcakes that go with them or even create an Advent calendar of comics, mangas, books or DVDs (which you can buy online and used to save money).

You have all the keys in hand, now it’s up to you!

Read also :

⋙ 4 creative ideas for making your own advent calendar

⋙ Sephora, Yves Rocher… Top 30 beauty and makeup Advent calendars for 2023

⋙ Wreath, calendar, tree: 3 DIY ideas for adults to make for Christmas