Advent Calendar

It’s officially December so folks can pull out their advent calendars to start counting down the days!  

Advent calendars have gained mainstream popularity, but the chocolate ones are my favorite of course, second to the beauty advent calendars!

(See: https://www.oprahmag.com/beauty/skin-makeup/g23880518/beauty-advent-calendars/)  

Here is a simple paper advent calendar made with scraps found in my “Christmas décor box”.  There are a lot of other uses for all the extra cardboard from packages I’ve received year round, so consider this mantra for other fun cardboard projects:  reduce, reuse, recycle!  

Products Used:

Scrapbook paper 12”x12” sheet in festive print

Smaller scrapbook paper 6”x6” in festive print

Cardboard (used the top flap of a box)

Scrap of fabric

Christmas tree ornament hooks

Twisty ties 

Tinsel décor

Sharpie

Wrap the cardboard with the scrapbook paper.  

This gives you practice for the presents you’ll be wrapping this holiday season!  

Using scissors, cut the ornament hooks in half to get you to the 24^th.  

I didn’t know the advent calendars are to take you through the 24^th, not the 25^th, (oops!) so make a note of that as you do your advent calendar. 

Write out, in nice handwriting, numbers which will then be taped to the cardboard.  Again, please note that the traditional advent calendar goes to the 24th. 

 

Make a small wreath that will fit over the numbers you’ve made to frame it in a nice outlay circling each date as the month goes on.  The twisty ties coupled with the tinsel helped to keep the circle intact and the festive fabric was added later for a more festive look.  

Make your advent calendar as festive and decorative as you’d like.  I used a bow from gift wrapping along with a scrapbook paper piece to frame a top border.  Tape the numbers in a straight line being mindful of spaces between the squares and to how many rows you will need for the size of your board.

Stick the ornament hooks just above the numbers and place the wreath for December 1^st (or whenever you are finished

     Happy Holidays!