• Blog
  • About
  • Shop Our Instagram
  • Weekly Newsletter
  • Contact
  • HOUSE + HOME
    • All House + Home
    • Mudroom
    • Kitchen
    • Dining Room
    • Living Room
    • Bedroom
    • Kids Bedrooms
    • Family and Playroom
    • Office
    • Outdoor Living
    • Woodworking
  • LIFE + STYLE
    • All Life + Style
    • Entertaining
    • Holidays
  • FOOD + DRINK
    • All Food + Drink
    • Appetizers
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
  • Shop
    • Our Home
    • Window Shades
    • Paint Colors
    • Nick’s Workshop

Nick + Alicia

Lifestyle

November 14, 2019 | by Alicia

Make Your Own Christmas Advent Calendar

Count down the arrival of Christmas with this easy to make Christmas advent calendar. Fill each bag with a special treat, gift or note for your little one to open each day leading up to Christmas and you’re sure to create an unforgettable family tradition.

Advent calendars are one of my very favourite Christmas traditions. As a child, I can remember the excitement I felt every morning during the month of December as I raced into the kitchen to open that little square and devour the chocolate hidden inside. It was always so fun to count down the days until Christmas and feel the anticipation build as Christmas Eve crept closer and closer. Even now that I am grown, I still love a great advent calendar. In fact, I have a really sweet story to share.

Let’s go back all the way back to December 2013. I had been joking with Nick about buying a chocolate advent calendar and he kept teasing me that I was too old for one. Well, a few days into December, on the 6th to be exact, Nick surprised me with one. I think he actually said he bought it because they were all on sale since we were about a week into December already. I was totally ok with that, it meant I got my advent calendar and we got to eat six chocolates in a row. We took turns opening each little door to find the chocolate inside until it was my turn to open the last one. I found the number 6 and peeled back the cardboard flap but instead of chocolate, I found the most beautiful diamond ring. I looked up and Nick was on one knee asking me to marry him, and well the rest is history.

He did quite a bit of finagling to make it happen while keeping me in the dark, but he did and it was one of the best surprises ever!

So, of course, I’ve continued to make advent calendars one of our family’s Christmas traditions. We usually still buy Zoe a chocolate calendar but I also like to make our own as well. A few years ago, I shared this really easy Christmas advent calendar made from small canvas bags. I bought the bags from a craft store and stenciled the number on each one with paint and a little bit of glitter. Super easy! I ended up hanging them on the garland along our stair banister as a way to display them. I loved that not only was it a fun Christmas tradition but it also doubled as holiday decor. 

I think the best part of making our own advent calendar is being able to fill it with sweet little treats picked out especially for our girls. You can choose small gifts or your little one’s favourite treats or candies. Or add notes with special scriptures, inspiring quotes or holiday activities (I made these printable notecards a few years ago that you can print and add to the bags if you’d like). I usually like to do a mix of all of these things. When you tailor each one to your family and your kids it is even more meaningful. 

This year I felt it was time to give our advent calendar a fresh look and so I tied each bag with a pretty pink ribbon and added a few embellishments.


get the look


There are so many different ways you can enjoy your Christmas advent calendar…

  • Gather all of the bags in a small basket or box and let your kiddos search for the right bag to open each day
  • Incorporate them into a garland along the stairs or fireplace mantel (like we did here) 
  • Use them to decorate your Christmas tree

 

Making your own Christmas advent calendar is an easy tradition to start with your family, but it’s one that will stay with them forever. Do you make your own advent calendar or have a special way you count down the days until Christmas? If so tell us all about it in the comments below, we’d love to hear about it!

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...

  • Advent Calendar Tutorial
  • Christmas Decorating Ideas For Your Home
  • Advent Calendar Free Printable

Shop the Post

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

A place to find design inspiration, entertaining ideas and simple recipes. Take a few minutes to learn more about us, shop our favourite things and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER

I am so glad we added miniature trees to the girls I am so glad we added miniature trees to the girls' bedrooms this year. They absolutely loved having their very own tree to decorate with their collection of ornaments and handmade treasures.It was a simple and inexpensive way to add an extra dose of holiday magic to their rooms, after all, there is nothing better than witnessing Christmas through the eyes of a child. They truly find such beauty and magic in even the smallest of details. 🎄
This view looks a little bit different this year a This view looks a little bit different this year as we're in the middle of our kitchen renovation. See that little half-wall with the hats, well we've removed it so that we see right into the kitchen now and it's amazing! We've been making great progress, just yesterday our new sink, faucet, and counters were all installed. It's all of these little changes that are making such a big difference. We'll have a few more details to take care of after the holidays, but we're really looking forward to crossing the finish line and sharing it all with you!
I wish our dining looked this tidy at the moment! I wish our dining looked this tidy at the moment! It’s currently under a pile of toys and kitchen essentials. If you’ve been following along with our behind the scenes account, @nick.and.alicia.bts, you’ll know we’re making some big progress on the kitchen. Early next week our window and countertop will be installed, so Nick’s been busy removing our existing counters and sink. It’s so exciting to see it all come together and I’ll be happy to have running water again next week!
Most of our snow has melted, but I'm hopeful we wi Most of our snow has melted, but I'm hopeful we will have a white Christmas this year! I just think everything is a bit more magical when covered in a blanket of fresh snow. ❄⁣ ⁣ Are you team snow or no?
Earlier this week we shared our holiday home tour, Earlier this week we shared our holiday home tour, and now we’re giving you a closer look at the girls’ bedrooms, along with a few helpful tips for decorating kids’ spaces for the holiday season.Do you decorate your little ones’ bedrooms for Christmas?
This year I took my time while decorating our home This year I took my time while decorating our home for the holidays and focused on incorporating simple touches that bring us joy and evoke the spirit of Christmas. Our home feels cozy and inviting, and the girls are loving every minute of the holiday season. 🎅🏼Stop by our blog, nickandalicia.com, to see our holiday home tour, along with new tours added every day this week! Tap to see who joined us yesterday.
Sometimes all it takes is a bow to add a festive t Sometimes all it takes is a bow to add a festive touch for the holiday season! 💙

Join our Newsletter

Copyright ©2021 Nick + Alicia
  • Contact
  • POLICIES + DISCLOSURE