How about making your own Advent Calendar this year instead of buying one of those store-bought varieties? Super easy to make and customize to fit your decor! The little tubes are large enough to hold a small candy and/or a rolled up piece of paper with either a scripture reading or seasonal activity prompt. The best thing about making your own Advent Calendar is that you’ll be able to fill and reuse year after year!
Supplies needed to make your own Advent Calendar:
- Small Paper Mache Boxes (24 boxes)
- Red and White Bakers Twine
- Acrylic Craft Paint (I used Turquoise and Christmas Red)
- EK Tools Metallic Paint Markers
- Quilling Tool with Wood Handle
Step 1. Use the Quilling Tool or another sharp object to punch holes in the center of all the lids.
Step 2. Paint the lids. I went with turquoise but you can use any color! How pretty would this look with glitter on the lids?!
Step 3. Use the paint pen to draw the letters on the side of the paper mache boxes. You’ll have to go over the paper mache a few times to get full coverage. Optional: use the red paint to draw “candy cane stripes” across the numbers.
Step 4. Use a needle to thread the baker’s twine through each of the lids, securing with a knot at the base before continuing on to the next lid. You might want to measure and mark the distance you want between each lid if you want to make these perfect. I just sorta kinda winged it and it came out just fine!
Step 5. Fill each container with either a small candy or toy. As I mentioned above, you could also include a rolled up piece of paper with either a scripture reading or a fun Christmas activity you all can do as a family. 
I hope you enjoy making your own Advent Calendar and that it brings your family happiness for many years to come!
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Vanessa is a self proclaimed sleep deprived mother of two adorable boys and when she has a little time to spare, she makes things and posts about them on her craft blog, Tried & True. If she’s not cooking, sewing, gluing or making, she would probably go crazy. Join her on her crafty adventure at Tried & True.
This is a wonderful idea and it will do just as good with old medicine bottles! Between my husband and I we throw away about a dozen a month and I know there are better things to do with them! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I linked to your great tutorial on my blog – thanks for sharing!
♥, doro von Hand zu Hand
Vanessa, this is really a creative idea to make such advent calendar. I liked this and of course, I will try this.
So cute!!