You may think we’re crazy talking about Christmas in September, and yes that is entirely possible, but sometimes the key to having a great holiday on a budget is in the planning! We recently released our new advent calendars, and we think that they're a great way to make someone feel extra special this year without breaking the bank.

Originally started by German Lutherans in the 19th century, advent calendars have become a staple around the world counting down right up to Christmas Eve. In today's blog post, we thought it would be interesting to explore some of the ways to make your own advent calendar, at a price that suits you. For the keen-eyed among you, these advent calendars may look like a set of empty boxes in a (beautiful) outer box, but if you look further what it really is, is an opportunity. We thought we'd share with you some diy advent calendar ideas to help get your creative juices flowing and get you in the festive mood. One of the huge benefits of making your own advent calendar is that they're infinitely personalisable. Not only does this mean that you can tweak the contents to your budget and creative ability, but also tailor it to what your recipient would truly appreciate.

 

 

 

Here are a few ideas on ways to fill your very own advent calendar:

Face masks advent calendar

Yes, we are talking about pampering face masks, not the other ones. The perfect thing about these is that they normally come in packs which compact down to smaller sizes to fit in the smaller boxes of your calendar. You can combine this with other beauty products to complete a collection.

Who doesn’t love socks? 

We all wear them and most of us properly lose one sock in the pair and forever have a range of unmatched socks by the washing machine before giving up a month later and throwing them out. Replenishing the sock drawer via an advent calendar could be a great solution. The present we all need but hate buying for yourself. These sometimes are the best kind of gifts.

Miniature bottles of their favourite tipple

One for the adults alike. Adding a small bottle of alcohol into the doors is another great idea for your diy advent calendar. These small bottles are in abundance especially around Christmas time. These are great as a stocking filler but have you ever thought about putting them in an advent calendar? Some companies do alcohol-free versions as well so this is also a great alternative for people who cannot drink. This could be the perfect advent calendar to help spread the Christmas cheer this holiday. Why not mix and match with other drinks such as hot cocoa, tea or coffee. You can even combine it with chocolate or foodie bits to add variation.

Food Connoisseur

There are so many different things to do with this idea for your diy advent calendar. There’s always Christmas themed gift food around in November and December. Similar to this concept herbs and spices or hand written recipes are another great personable idea to add into your advent calendar. Combining ideas to complete a collection could also be an idea or even making food decoration for the Christmas tree. 

Chocolate or Candy

Carrying on with the food theme, why not take the chocolate advent calendar to the next level because let's be honest chocolate can be eaten every morning in December not just on Christmas morning.  You know the kind of chocolate your person will love, creating homemade chocolate is super easy to do. All you need to do is melt down some packs from the shops and order chocolate moulds and you’re away. The best way to keep these looking fresh is to wrap in paper bags or greaseproof paper, you could even finish off with some ribbon. 

Gingerbread, or Christmas cookies

If you love to bake then Christmas gingerbread is the way forward. Unfortunately, they will not stay fresh for 24 days so it probably can’t be the only thing in your advent calendar. To help extend the life of each biscuit just like the chocolate wrap in paper bags or greaseproof paper and load the biscuits in the first few days.  If you're not looking to bake then supermarkets do ready made packs that you can decorate yourself or leave as is. There are even packs to make your own gingerbread house which has been a great activity to do with the family.

Date Night/Scavenger hunt:

Whether you're a festive romantic, have little ones running around or just want to have a bit of fun during the Christmas countdown, turning these advent calendars into a date night box or 24 day scavenger hunt is a great way to get creative, spread some love and cheer this December with this advent. Opening their own diy advent calendar can be a great way to get together as a family, or spend time with your significant other this holiday.

Advent calendar ideas for kids

We can't forget to mention the kids who love the December countdown to Christmas day. Kids love this time of year from decorating the tree to opening up their advent calendar everyday. So why not make your own advent calendar for them. We have come up with some diy advent calendar ideas to help you make their advent extra special this year. The holidays can be very fun and exciting in many houses whilst they wait for Santa to arrive. The great thing about these diy advent calendars is you can make your own version so you can change it for older kids so they can enjoy it as well. Here are a few fun ideas to help you save money whilst being a huge hit with the family this Christmas season when the countdown is on.

  • Stationery items - stickers, gift tags, colouring paper or craft supplies
  • Small toys
  • Decorations to hang on the Christmas tree
  • Small gift - pom poms, tiny toys to go in a collection, puzzle pieces
  • Christmas activities - each door of the calendar has funny things to do to help keep the kids entertained in a fun way, this can be from doing a craft to games.

 

There are so many ideas you can do with the calendar which makes these so versatile. The diy advent calendars can be completely personalised this holiday season for all your loved ones. Why not have a go at creating your own, and make sure to tag us on socials so we can see your fun ideas with our advent calendars @tinyboxcompany.

 

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