Kids will be thrilled! A collection of DIY Christmas advent calendar ideas
How about turning the countdown to Christmas into an even more exciting time? If you make your own Advent calendar, the joy of opening each day becomes something special.
Here, we’ll introduce a variety of DIY Advent calendars you can create with 100-yen shop items: box-style and gift-bag types, space-saving board styles, and house-shaped versions made with origami.
These ideas use everyday materials like plastic cups, paper bags, and coffee filters, so they’re perfect for making together with your kids.
Choosing the sweets or messages to tuck inside will also become one of your cherished Christmas memories!
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Kids will be thrilled! Handmade ideas for Christmas advent calendars (21–30)
Decorate like a tree using masking tape
Since it’s a countdown to Christmas, a Christmas tree shape is probably the easiest to recognize.
Representing a Christmas tree on a flat surface also helps the bags and numbers stand out clearly.
Use masking tape to create tiered “branches” like a tree, and tape the bags onto them.
It’s best to place the date for Christmas Day in the most eye-catching spot.
Another feature of masking tape is that it’s less likely to leave marks when removed, so it could be fun to try something bold like sticking it directly on the wall.
Easy Advent Calendar with 100-Yen Store Materials
This is an Advent calendar with small paper bags lined up for each date you’ll count down.
Each bag is tied with a ribbon-like string, and untying the string to check what’s inside builds excitement for Christmas.
Once you’ve filled the small paper bags, arrange them snugly in a box and close it with a lid to finish.
Add a window to the lid so the bags inside are visible.
Since both the bags and the box are made from kraft paper, it’s important to create a festive Christmas feel with the numbers drawn on the bags and decorations on the box and lid, so the overall look doesn’t end up too plain.
Advent calendar with cardboard pull-out drawers
Let’s make a drawer-style advent calendar using a cork board and paper boxes! Use the cork board as the base and attach the paper boxes onto it as the outer parts of the drawers.
Make the inner drawer pieces from thick cardstock, and use push pins as the handles.
To prevent injuries from the sharp points of the push pins, bend the tips after inserting them and cover them with tape.
Once the drawers are finished, decorate them as you like and add date stickers to complete it! You can arrange the paper boxes in any shape you like—such as a tree or a house.
Tree-shaped using a paper core
This is an easy Advent calendar made by cutting toilet paper rolls into uniform widths and arranging them in the shape of a tree.
Because the rolls are round and sturdy, they’re perfect for holding small treats inside.
Wrap the cut rolls with tissue paper, write numbers on them, and leave them easy to tear open with a finger.
Simply arranging the rolls won’t quite create a tree-like feel, so be intentional with the tissue paper colors and surrounding decorations to really bring out the Christmas atmosphere.
Using bite-sized sweets
Here’s a handmade advent calendar idea where opening the cover like a book reveals a box of treats! Make the base by attaching construction paper to thick cardstock, then score it to fold into a book-like shape.
Fold origami boxes and attach as many as the number of days to the base.
Put sweets inside and make lids from origami as well.
Finish by adding numbers to the lids, and you’re done! If you cut standard-size origami into quarters, the boxes will fit Tyrol chocolates perfectly.
Using thicker origami helps keep the boxes from getting crushed, so it’s more reliable.
Advent calendar
This is a tree-decorating style advent calendar that builds excitement as you wait for Christmas.
The countdown numbers are printed on house-shaped pouches, and each pouch is filled with a little treat, like candy.
You can hang them on a large tree, but it’s also great to make a simple tree by cutting cardboard into a tree shape and attaching yarn—then the countdown becomes the main feature on display.
The only fixed rule is that you get something in sync with the countdown, so the freedom to create it however you like is part of the charm.
Advent calendar of tissue boxes
This is a simple Advent calendar made from an empty tissue box.
By using a pre-existing box, you don’t have to build one from scratch, and the result is sturdier—that’s the key point.
Use the tissue box as the base, place cut pieces of toilet paper rolls inside, and cover those spots with large calligraphy paper sheets labeled with numbers.
To build excitement for Christmas, it’s important to focus on the design: draw the numbers in a Christmas-inspired style, wrap the whole thing in Christmas-themed wrapping paper, and so on.