Happy December 1st! It is now socially acceptable to decorate for Christmas, play your favorite Christmas tunes, and and get hot chocolate wasted while watching Hallmark movies all weekend! Therefore, we can officially count down the days until Christmas. I have a super easy DIY Christmas Countdown Calendar that you can make in ten minutes with supplies that cost less than ten bucks! This advent calendar is a great way to make memories with your family while learning the true meaning of Christmas.
Here is what I used:
The gift tags, treat bags and clothespins were on sale at Michael’s and or Hobby Lobby for 50 percent off when I purchased them. Don’t forget you can download a digital coupon at both of these stores on your phone while you wait in line! Even though, I found the red and white twine at Walmart, I have seen it at Hobby Lobby and Michael’s too. You can also use jute or any kind of thin ribbon. As far as the hooks, you can use a staple gun as another option.
I knew that I had a large empty picture frame about 2 x 3 feet in size and a chalkboard as potential candidates for hanging. Look around and see what items that you have that could make a fun backdrop! What about an old ladder, vintage gate, bottle crate or cork board??? First, I placed the picture frame on the floor to get an idea of the layout. Next, I laid the treat bags on the floor to fit inside the frame. Four rows of six was the winner. Then, I laid the gift tags over the bags to make sure I liked how it looked. I loved it!
I used the mini 3m hooks with double sided adhesive on the inside of the picture frame to secure the twine. Simply, place the hooks facing the front of the frame so that the twine can be pulled back when you tie your knots.
Next, tie the twine onto the hooks. I used a double knot and left the twine about 2-3 inches long to hang freely. I liked the look of the red and white twine showing so I pulled the ends of the twine to the front of the frame, but you can tuck behind the bags if you prefer.
Lastly, use festive clothespins to clip the gift tags onto the front of the bag. If you can’t find these exact tags, you can get the plain Kraft paper kind. Similarly, you can add numerical and or holiday stickers to the cards. The best part is that you can personalize your DIY Christmas Countdown Calendar any way you like!
Just for fun, I placed candy canes inside the bags to denote family members birthdays! My family celebrates about 10 birthdays in December; someone at the Cuter Tudor is turning 40 this year! Inside the bag, place something as simple as handwritten notecards for older children. On one side, I include a scripture to celebrate the four advent themes which include hope, peace, love and joy. Then, on the backside of the card, I write a simple activity that the family can do together. I try to relate the activity to the theme, but the idea is basically to remember the reason that we celebrate Christmas. And y’all, Jesus is the reason for the season! For younger kids, you may include a small candy, but I don’t like to make this about the kids getting a gift. I want to focus on activities over material things, and giving over receiving.
I placed the DIY Christmas Countdown Calendar in our family room where my daughter and I spend a lot of time together. This can be hung on the wall or layered over something simple like a mirror or chalkboard. If you missed the Merry and Bright Holiday tour, you can check it out here.
If you love this idea as much as I do, pin it to your Pinterest board! Pinterest is my favorite place to find inspiration for the holidays from tablescapes and tree decorating to holiday crafts. I have a whole Christmas board with ideas if you want to come pin with me! You can see my Christmas board, here. Thank you for stopping by the Cuter Tudor to check out this easy DIY Christmas countdown calendar. Above all, I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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