Handmade Advent calendar ideas: stylish ways to decorate
In December, there’s the Advent calendar that lets you count the days until Christmas.
You open one box or paper bag each day and enjoy the countdown to Christmas.
You can buy ready-made ones, but many people might prefer to make their own if they’re going to the trouble, right?
In this article, we’ll show you how to make Advent calendars using a variety of materials, as well as how to display them.
Using supplies from 100-yen shops, you can easily create one by hand—so give it a try!
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How-to Ideas (1–10)
Advent calendar of Santa outfits made with origami
Speaking of Christmas presents, Santa is an essential figure.
His bright red outfit leaves a memorable impression, as if it lights up Christmas itself.
This is an advent calendar that incorporates Santa’s outfit design.
Make little bags from red origami paper, draw lines with a black pen to create the belt, and use white stickers to represent the buttons.
The vivid red look is festive, so it blends in naturally as a decoration on the Christmas tree—that’s a key point.
You could make every date a Santa, but if you make only Christmas Day a Santa, it might heighten the anticipation for the big day even more.
Origami bag Advent calendar
For those who love origami or are good at it, here’s a recommended way to make an Advent calendar.
First, create small containers out of origami.
There are many folding methods, but if you’re putting things inside, it’s best to make three-dimensional ones.
Then place the little gifts inside, use string, and hang them on the wall! Since origami is known worldwide as part of Japanese culture, this is also a great idea when you want to give an Advent calendar to people overseas.
It’s a meeting point of Western and Japanese cultures.
Advent calendar made from milk cartons
It’s an advent calendar where you open rooms made from milk cartons one by one.
Cut the milk cartons to the same width, arrange them into the shape of the design you want to make, and glue them together.
After placing candy or small toys in each room, attach a lid to each one.
The key is to use a sturdy material like cardstock for the back to keep the shape from collapsing, and a light material like origami paper for the front so it’s easy to tear open and take out the contents.
The classic, stable option is to make it in the shape of a Christmas tree, but incorporating other Christmas motifs could be fun too.
Paper cup advent calendar
This is a simple advent calendar that counts down to Christmas using paper cups filled with treats.
Fill each cup with sweets, attach a lid and a number, and arrange them in a triangular tower like a Christmas tree.
Paper cups actually hold more than you might expect, so you can pack in enough treats to delight children—that’s another plus.
Let the excitement of Christmas drawing near and the joy of the treats help overcome the slight sadness of the tree’s shape changing as days go by.
It could also be fun to lean into the Christmas tree theme by wrapping the cups with green construction paper.
No-sew felt stocking-shaped advent calendar
When it comes to Christmas, stockings are the classic thing to hold presents, right? This advent calendar uses felt stockings as little containers, strung up like a garland to create the calendar.
Felt stockings are easy to make and you can choose any size you like.
Unlike store-bought advent calendar boxes that can be too small, these can hold larger items, so it’s especially recommended if you want the freedom to pick any kind of gift! Since you make it just by cutting and gluing, it’s an advent calendar that’s easy to try even if you’re not good at sewing.