100 Ideas for Handmade Advent Calendars

For as long as I can remember I've had Advent Calendars for the lead up to Christmas in December.

The earliest ones I remember were a hanging card with a Christmas picture on and 24 little card 'doors' to open. Behind each door was a different Christmas picture.

When I was a little older, I remember the Chocolate Advent Calendars starting - so this time behind the door was a small chocolate instead of a picture.

When I was about 11 years old I made my first advent calendar out of matchboxes. I painted all the matchboxes red - inside and out and stuck them all flat onto a strong piece of card covered in Christmas wrapping paper and wrote a number on each box.  I also glued a small bead to each matchbox drawer to open them with. Inside each box was a small piece of tinsel to provide a little 'cushion' for the small chocolates my parents then used to fill the boxes with!

I made a similar calendar for my daughters years ago, which they still use now!

The boxes were given to me by a friend - they were left over favour boxes from her wedding, and already had the gold bows attached, so I just added the numbers.

Inside each box I stuck a picture cut from old Christmas cards or wrapping paper.

The boxes then get filled with a chocolate each day (the chocolates have to be kept hidden in the fridge until early each morning up here in the tropics otherwise they will melt!)

I also made an upcycled clothes advent calendar one year, with fabric ornaments to hang on a button each day!

There are so many creative ideas out there for Handmade Advent Calendars, I thought it would be nice to gather them together as part of my Christmas Shouldn't Cost the Earth Series this year. So here is my round up of 

100 Handmade Advent Calendar Ideas 

grouped together according to what they are made from.

Food and Drink

1. Baby Food Advent Calendar from Mellywood's Mansion

2. Cookie Advent Calendar from This Heart of Mine

3. Beer Advent Calendar Ideas from Beer of Tomorrow

4. Super Simple Beer Advent from Norbert W. on Flickr

5. Gingerbread Advent Calendar from Butcher Baker Baby

6. Wine Lover's Advent Calendar from May Days

7. Chocolate Money Advent Calendar from She Knits Shizknits

Card / Paper / Origami

8. One Sheet Advent Pocket Book from Crafty Journal

9. Super Simple Card Heart Advent Calendar from Caseperlatesta

10. Card Pocket Advent Calendar from Creative Endeavours

11. Envelope Advent Calendar from One Day At A Time

12. Paper Santa's Beard Advent Countdown from La Classe de la Maestra Valentina

13. Paper Cloud and Raindrop Advent Calendar from Johanna Rundel

14. Snowflake Christmas Countdown from Eighteen25

15. Origami Pocket Advent Calendar from Homemade Gifts Made Easy

16. Igloo Village Advent Calendar from Meeha Meeha

17.Paper Fortune Cookie Countdown from Happy go Lucky

18. Paper Mountain Advent Calendar from Kollabora

19. Punchbox Advent Calendar from Studio DIY

20. Toilet Paper Roll Christmas Calendar from Morning Creativity

21. Matchbox Advent Calendar from Craftlog

22. Origami Envelope Advent Calendar from Activity Village

23. Christmas Advent Jar from Just a Girl Blog

24. Advent Bag Countdown from Moment to Moment

25. Advent Calendar Tree from Maya Made

26. Easy Art Advent Calendar from Se7en

27. Punch Board Advent Calendar from You are my Fave

28. Easy Christmas Tree Advent Calendar from Pink Stripey Socks

29. DIY Envelope Advent Calendar from A Few Things From My Life

30. Toilet Paper Tube Advent Calendar from Maya Made

Fabric

31. Fabric Pockets Advent Calendar from Gypsy Road

32. Felt Pocket Advent Calendar from Free Styl Creating by Villy

33. Fabric Christmas Countdown Chain from Capturing Joy with Kristen Duke

34. Felt Christmas Elves with bags Advent Calendar from Raumdinge

35. Pocket Advent Pillow from Home.Made

36. Felt Glitter Pocket Advent Calendar from OMHG

37. Denim Advent Calendar from How Does She?

38. Upcycled Jeans Quilted Advent Calendar from The Sewing Directory

39. Upcycled Denim Pocket Advent Calendar

40. DIY Fabric Advent Calendar from StyleNovice (Youtube tutorial)

41. Quilted Advent Calendar from Sew Mama Sew

42. Jeans Advent from Meine Bunte Wunderwelt

43. Advent Calendar Quilt from Ahh...Quilting

44. Little Felt Pocket Advent Calendar from Tell, Love and Party

45. Sewn Pocket Advent Calendar from Frugal and Thriving

46. Frankinsense Advent Calendar from Miss Gioia

47. Snowing Presents Advent Calendar from Pickles

48. Christmas Wish Advent Calendar from Homemakery

Clothespins

49. Ribbon and Clothespin Advent from Domesticity and Doctrine

50.Experiences Advent Calendar from My Handcrafted Home

51. Baby Sock Advent Calendar from Jedi Craft Girl

52. Clothespin Wreath Advent Calendar from Homemade Gifts Made Easy

53. Clothespin Advent Calendar From Kiwi Crate

54. Paper Sack and Clothespin Advent Calendar from Simple + Kierste

55. Simple Advent Calendar from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom

56. Clothespin Wreath Advent Calendar from Jewels at Home

57. Clothes Peg Advent Calendar from Visual Heart

Muffin Tins

58. Cupcake Pan Advent Calendar from Organized Christmas

59. Muffin Tin Advent Calendar from Domestic Imperfection

60. Magnetic Advent Calendar from Somewhat Simple

61. How to make a Muffin Tin Advent Calendar from BBC Good Food

62. Advent Calendar from Muffin Tin from Scrapping by Design (Youtube tutorial)

63. Make your own Muffin Tin Advent Calendar with free Printable from Club Chica Circle

64. Cookie Sheet Advent calendar from Peek-A-Boo

Other materials

65. Christmas Book Advent from A Worthy Read

66. Bark Advent Calendar from Meeha Meeha

67. Bottle Cap Advent Calendar from Mellywood's Mansion

68. Lollipop Advent Calendar from Mellywood's Mansion

69. Map Wrapped Advent Calendar for Globetrotters from Let's Be Creative

70. Yoghurt Pot Advent Calendar from Marie Claire Maison

71. Embroidery Hoop Pocket Advent Calendar from The Crafty Crow

72. Glass Jar lantern Advent Calendar from Grosseltern and Enkel

73. Bon Bon Advent Wreath from Oh Happy Day

74. Advent Calendar from Take Out Boxes from DIY Studio

75. DIY Lego Advent from Frugal Fun for Boys

76. Packages Tied up Advent Calendars from Silly Old Suitcase

77. Gumball Capsule Snowman Advent Calendar from Whimsy Love

78. Mini Pinata Advent Calendar from Gingerbread Snowflakes

79. Manzanita Advent Tree from Centsasional Girl

80. Advent Ornaments from Kojo Designs

81. Baby Jar Advent Tree from Peek-a-Boo

82. Twine Star Advent Calendar from Buzz Mills

83.  Lego Tree Advent Calendar from Willowday

84. Pez Advent Calendar from Katherine Marie

85. Advent Clock Calendar from Michele Made Me

86. Recycled Tin Advent Calendar from Skip to My Lou

87. Craft Stick Tree Advent Calendar from Crafty Nest

88. Condiment Cup Advent Calendar from Filth Wizardry

89. Christmas Ornament Advent Calendar from Life as a Thrifter

90. Bottle Cap Advent Calendar Tree from Belle and Burger

Printable Advent Calendars

91. Angel Cone and Snowflake Advent Calendar from Wesens Art

92. Santa Christmas Countdown Freebie from Inviting Printables

93. Printable Town and Houses Advent Calendar from Mr Printables

94. Printable Cone Advent Calendar from ZU

95. Printable Pyramid Advent Calendar from Minieco

96. Printable Santa Clock Advent Calendar from Krokotak

97. Printable Socking Advent Calendar from Skip to My Lou

98. Santa and Reindeers Printable Advent Calendar from Decoideas

99. Santa Claus Printable Advent Calendar from Kathy's Cottage

100. DIY PDF Advent Calendar from Mibo

I hope you found some inspiration from this big list of Advent Calendar ideas.

For more Christmas crafting inspiration, do take a look at our group Pinterest Board

Christmas Shouldn't Cost the Earth

Every day more ideas are being added for Christmas Crafts, Cooking and Gift ideas. If you would like to contribute to this board the please ask! The more the merrier!