Adding Cheer to Our Holidays with a Handmade Advent Calendar

The holiday season is well under way. I have already prepped our Christmas cards. I have finished buying or making gifts for my husband and children. My family is nearly taken care of and plans are in place to get gifts for my husbands family. I love this time of year! 

With so much being completed or planned out, my thoughts were caught on ways I might make the season a little more enjoyable. That is when I noticed all the advent calendar products that were coming out. They can be so much fun! However, at the same time, they are a little hard for a family of 6 to enjoy. They are restricted to just one theme. One item pulled for each day. And each one can range from $15-70 (if not more). At first, I had the thought of just getting the Minecraft figures one.

Aldi had them for $25. But they sold out before we could get there. Which led me to thinking about making my own!

I put together this video to walk you through the idea. Below that, I have photos to show how I pulled it off. 

I chose small things and wrapped them up so that the kids couldn't tell by the packaging what they are.

                       Each one has a number that corresponds with the day it is to be opened.

This is all kept on a master list so that I know who is supposed to open on which day, however, it is also being done in youngest to oldest order.

So I guess you could say my list is just my OCD kicking in. Each of the items I chose are things that someone in our family likes.

You can set up a budget and find things that fit within that budget. Be creative, make something! I'm including some Barbie items for the girls. Stickers are perfect, glow sticks (if your kids are like mine and enjoy playing in the dark). Possibilities are as endless as you choose to make them.

Let me know what you think in the comments below! I can't wait to hear what you make.