A DIY advent calendar is one of the easiest ways to make the countdown to Christmas feel special. Instead of a cardboard calendar from the shop, you fill 24 little bags, boxes, or pockets yourself, so every day holds something you actually picked.
The best part is how little you need. Kraft paper, twine, a few pegs, a branch from the garden, or some fabric scraps go a long way, and lots of these ideas can be made in an afternoon. There are options for kids, couples, and anyone who loves a slow, cosy start to December.
Below you’ll find hanging calendars, filled boxes, and sewn and embroidered versions to keep for years.
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24 DIY Advent Calendar Ideas
Hanging Branch, Hanger and Peg Calendars
These are the easiest calendars to make, and they look lovely on a door or a bare wall. All you really need is something to hang from and a handful of paper bags or parcels.
1. Coat Hanger Advent Calendar With Paper Bags
An old wooden coat hanger makes a ready-made frame, so there’s nothing to build. Tie paper bags along a dowel or ribbon underneath and add little wooden tags for the numbers. It hangs neatly from a hook or door, which suits smaller homes where bench space is tight.
2. Hanging Branch Advent Calendar With Kraft Parcels
A bare branch tied up with twine and a sprig of fresh greenery turns any door into an advent calendar. Wrap each gift in kraft paper, add a strip of washi tape and a sticker, then hang them at different heights. It costs almost nothing and looks so pretty in a hallway or bedroom.
3. Wooden Peg Advent Calendar on a Painted Board
Painting a row of wooden pegs red and gluing them along a plain board gives a bold, Scandi look. Small white parcels tied with red string hang from each peg, so taking one down each morning is quick and easy. This one is a good pick if you want something tidy you can store flat and reuse every year.
4. Whitewashed Branch Advent Calendar With Paper Envelopes
A quick coat of white paint makes a garden branch look soft and wintry. Clip plain kraft envelopes on with mini pegs and add a few wooden heart, tree, and star ornaments to fill the gaps. It’s a calm, neutral option that suits a minimal home.
5. Wooden Ladder Advent Calendar With Hanging Gifts
A decorative wooden ladder gives you four or five rungs to hang gifts from, so it fits bigger presents than a single branch. Tie on kraft parcels with jute twine and use felt stars for the numbers. Lean it in a corner of the living room, and it doubles as Christmas decor all month.
6. Fairy Light Branch Advent Calendar With Paper Bags
Wrapping a string of fairy lights around a branch makes this calendar glow once the lights go down. Mix kraft envelopes with spotty paper bags so the pattern changes as you go along. It’s a sweet choice for a bedroom or a plain wall that needs a little extra warmth.
Advent Boxes and Paper Calendars
If you’d rather not hang anything on the walls, a filled box or a little paper village is the way to go. These are also great for gifting, since you can hand the whole thing over at once.
7. Cardboard Box Advent Calendar With Wrapped Gifts
A plain cardboard box filled with wrapped gifts is about as simple as it gets. Mix red and white striped paper with brown kraft, then tuck fairy lights and a few baubles in between. It makes a lovely surprise to hand over on the first of December, especially for a partner or a friend.
8. Gingerbread House Box Advent Calendar
Little folding gingerbread house boxes make a whole Christmas village once you hang them together. Thread them onto twine at different lengths and weave fairy lights through the middle. They hold sweets, jewellery or tiny trinkets, and the boxes fold flat to save for next year.
9. Kraft Paper Bag Advent Calendar in a Box
Swapping red for lilac ribbon gives a classic kraft bag calendar a softer, prettier feel. Fold the tops over, tie a bow, and add a printed number tag to each bag. Line them up in rows inside a box so they’re easy to find and look neat every time you lift the lid.
10. Toilet Roll House Advent Calendar
Saved toilet rolls stacked inside a shallow box make a clever little house with 24 doors. Cover each end with scrapbook paper, write the numbers on, and add a cardboard roof and chimney. It’s a great one to make with kids, and it uses things you’d usually throw away.
11. Star Gift Box Advent Calendar
Gold star paper on the outside of the box and red and kraft wrapping inside keeps this one festive without much effort. Use round number stickers in mixed styles so each parcel looks a little different. Wrapping gifts in different shapes, like tubes and bonbons, makes guessing half the fun.
12. Beer Bottle Advent Calendar Box
For the grown-ups, a box of 24 wrapped bottles is a fun twist on the usual chocolates. Use the cardboard divider from a bottle carton to keep everything standing up, and write a little note inside the lid. Swap the beer for cider, mini wines, or fancy sodas to suit whoever it’s for.
Sewn Fabric Advent Calendars
A fabric calendar takes a bit more time, but it comes out year after year. Many of these use simple pockets and straight seams, so they’re a great way to use up fabric scraps.
13. Canvas House Advent Calendar With Daily Pockets
A plain canvas hanging with rows of numbered pockets becomes a little house with a dark triangle roof on top. Tuck sprigs of greenery and small kraft parcels into the pockets for a natural look. It’s mostly straight lines and simple pockets, so it’s a good first sewing project.
14. Fabric Advent Calendar With Drawstring Bags
Small drawstring bags in red, white and grey fabrics hang from wooden buttons on a plain panel. Each bag gets its own little number patch, and the mix of knit prints and stripes gives it a cosy, homemade feel. Because the bags come off, you can fill them at the table and simply button them back on.
15. Felt Strip Advent Calendar With Patchwork Pockets
Two long felt strips covered in patchwork pockets fit into narrow spaces, like the gap beside a door. Write the numbers in a mix of digits and words for a sweet, old-fashioned touch. Hanging them from wire coat hangers makes them easy to put up and take down.
16. Fabric Christmas Tree Advent Calendar With Daily Pockets
A big tree shape cut from sage gingham and covered in floral patch pockets is a lovely way to use up quilting fabric. The pockets are deep enough for small treats, notes, or story cards. This one is made from a sewing pattern by @nina.loves.to.sew, so it’s a good pick if you’d like full instructions to follow.
17. Fabric Envelope and Stocking Advent Calendar
Mixing linen envelopes, mini stockings, and striped drawstring bags makes every day feel like a different little gift. Add kraft tags and a few small ornaments as you lay them out or string them along a line. A larger envelope with a letter from Santa inside makes a magical last day for little ones.
18. Felt Christmas Tree Advent Calendar With Patch Pockets
A green felt tree with check and gingham patch pockets has a classic country Christmas look. Felt doesn’t fray, so you can cut and stitch the pockets on without hemming. Sew your own version with felt sheets and a few fabric scraps, then add red hearts and stars for a few special days.
19. Mini Drawstring Bag Advent Calendar on Pegs
Tiny drawstring pouches in plaid, ticking stripe and plain calico look so charming pegged along a ribbon. Cross-stitch or glitter numbers on the front make each one feel special. They’re quick to sew in batches and can hang from a mantel, a shelf, or a curtain rod.
20. Circus Tent Fabric Advent Calendar
A red and white striped top gives this pocket calendar a playful circus tent shape that kids will love. Small wrapped gifts hang from hooks down the front, so it starts the month full and colourful. Sew your own version from canvas and striped fabric, then add a strip of tinsel along the top for fun.
Embroidered and Heirloom Calendars
These are the slow projects, the kind that become part of your family’s Christmas for years. Start early and stitch a little each night.
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21. Linen Pocket Advent Calendar With Lace Trims
Layering lace, ric rac, burlap and ribbon offcuts on linen pockets is a pretty way to use up your sewing stash. Stamp or print the numbers on small tags and stitch them on. Candy canes, crayons, and tiny treats peeking out of the pockets add to the charm.
22. Blue Embroidered Advent Calendar With Daily Pockets
Soft blue linen pockets with white stitched numbers and tiny embroidered pictures feel calm and a little different from the usual red. Small wooden toys and candy canes fit right inside. If you love hand embroidery, start this one early, so it’s ready by December.
23. Embroidered Linen Advent Calendar With Christmas Motifs
Each pocket on this linen hanging has its own small embroidered picture, like a robin, a gingerbread man, or a candle. It’s a slow project, but stitching one or two motifs a night makes it easy to fit in. This is a pattern by HumblebeeAtelier.
24. Embroidered Merry Christmas Pocket Advent Calendar
An embroidered greeting and stitched trees across the top turn a simple pocket calendar into a keepsake. Plain linen pockets with numbers stitched by hand keep the rest clean and simple. Sew your own version with linen and an iron-on embroidery transfer, then fill the pockets with little felt ornaments.
What to Put in a DIY Advent Calendar
The nicest advent calendars aren’t packed with plastic bits that end up in the bin. In Scandinavia, it’s common to fill them with small everyday things people will actually use, like a new pair of socks, a toothbrush or a favourite chocolate bar. Mix a few treats in with the useful things and every day still feels like a little surprise.
Everyday Useful Things
- A pair of warm or fun socks
- A new toothbrush
- Lip balm
- A mini hand cream
- Hair ties or a claw clip
- A nice pen or pencil
- A pair of earrings
Little Treats
- A favourite chocolate bar
- A small bag of sweets
- A tea bag or hot chocolate sachet
- A mini bottle of juice or a fizzy drink
- A homemade biscuit or fudge
- A candy cane
Cosy and Christmassy
- A tea light or mini candle
- A new ornament for the tree
- A Christmas cookie cutter
- A pack of gift tags for wrapping presents
- A small bath bomb
Things to Do Together
- A note for a Christmas movie night
- A card for baking day
- A short book or a puzzle
- A voucher for a walk to see the lights
- Seeds for a pot plant
- A handwritten note or a family photo
Bigger items like socks or a book work best for the weekends or the last day, and small treats can fill the gaps in between.
To Conclude
There’s a DIY advent calendar here for every style and skill level, from a simple branch and some kraft paper to an embroidered keepsake. Pick one that suits your space and the time you have, and start gathering your supplies now so you’re ready for the first of December.
Which of these DIY advent calendars would you make this year?
