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Making and Using an Advent Calendar

Description: Creative ideas for creating an advent calendar your family can enjoy.

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Advent calendars are popular, but unless you have a special one that holds more than the thinnest, smallest containers, the daily surprises are extremely limited in scope. There are several different approaches with much the same concept.

Depending on the age of the child (or children) involved, money can be used as a prize. By the time kids reach a certain age, of course, the costs can rise to an unacceptable level—if you intend to keep their interest. The number of children in a family can help decide what you can afford, too. At a dollar per day, the children end up with an acceptable amount by the last gift, but there isn’t much excitement or entertainment involved.

Another approach to the fun of counting down the days is to make, or buy, small mittens or small fancy bags tied with bows. Any attractive container can be used. The containers are filled and hung on the Christmas tree, or piled in a Christmas bowl (any seasonal container can be used). The child, then, is allowed to pick one gift a day until Christmas. With more than one child, it is wiser to allow each his/her own bowl to pick from. That way the fair distribution can be assured. This is especially important if there are duplicate gifts, insuring that each child gets an equal gift, or understands that what he didn’t get one day, he’ll find on another attempt.

A calendar can still be used to cross out the days. Making a personal calendar for each child is simple enough. Draw squares for each day, and number them. Glitter, pasted pictures, or drawings can be used for decoration. Children enjoy doing their own artwork, and it makes the “calendar” something to be saved throughout the years.

The best way to prepare for the advent is to start buying early in the year, picking up things on sale, or when you come across something special. Money and candy can be added to the gifts to fill in any missing days.

Children enjoy doing things with their parents, even older kids (despite their dramatic groans.) A good way to start preparing for the next holiday season is to have the family work together to make the gift containers. There are kits available for many different types of ornaments, or tiny mitten and stockings patterns can be created at home. Plan for seams (they can be sewn or glued,) and for the room needed if they’re turned inside out. Felt is cheap, and it has the advantage of not needing to be turned. Permanent markers, glitter glue, sequins—virtually anything can be used for decoration. If there is more than one child, and the gifts need to be separated, use special color choices for each individual.

Tiny “packages” also make great gift holders, Christmas wrap and glue can be used to make them, while a bright ribbon can both keep them closed and be used as a hanger if you choose to put them on the tree. Small colorful bags can hang from hooks on a wood calendar, or be piled in a decorated box. Every idea that’s used seems to bring alone a new idea. Creativity works that way, and even those who insist that they haven’t an ounce of creative talent in their bodies find themselves coming up with new ideas.

Never limit your holiday spirit. Having a special box tucked away, filling it with cute gifts all year, is a wonderful way to keep the spirit of giving in your heart. It wouldn’t hurt to create one or more extra calendars, one for each of your children to present to a charity for another child. It’ll help teach them the spirit of Christmas at an early age.

Christmas isn’t the only holiday when this idea can be used. Any gift-giving holiday can be anticipated by a calendar of the approaching days. One week, two weeks, any number of days can be chosen.