Adent Calendar Instruction

An Advent calendar that is truly unmatched.

Advent Calendar Instruction

The Advent calendar is a special themed calendar that helps children eagerly count the days until Christmas. Whether used religiously or not, the calendar has special doors or windows that reveal a special treat, poem, or picture. This particular hanging calendar is made of matchboxes—so the contents inside slide open to the delight of every child who waits with great anticipation for December 25 to arrive. Children can create their very own advent calendar with these following advent calendar instructions. This year, Advent begins on November 27, so let’s get started now, shall we?

What you need:

  • 24 empty matchboxes
  • Stickers with Christmas/winter themes
  • Stickers with numbers
  • All-purpose glue
  • Paper (either solid colors, gift wrap, foils, or whatever you wish)
  • 2.5” metal ring (available in arts & crafts stores)
  • Scissors
  • Christmas decorations (like the wired pine branch shown in picture)
  • 24 brads (multiple varieties and themes available in arts & crafts stores)
  • Ribbon 80” x 2.5”

Instructions for Making Adent Calendar

Instructions:

Take the matchboxes apart. The outside will be decorated, the inside will be used as a drawer.

Start to glue your paper around the boxes. (I used two-sided foil—5 7/8 x 5 7/8 sheets—available in the origami paper section of your arts & crafts store)

Cut overlapping edges away. Glue the seam in the back.

Use the numbered stickers (1 – 24) and glue them onto the boxes.

Take the inside box and make a small hole on the side to attach the brads. Put the boxes back together.

photo 15

Decorate the boxes by your own choice with the stickers.

Take the metal ring and wrap it with the wired decoration of your choice— pine, or ribbon, or decorative cord, or just leave as is.

Wrap the ribbon on one end around the ring and either glue or tack it together.

Place your decorated boxes on the ribbon—about 4 inches below the ring—and line the rest next to each other, underneath.

Leave a tail of about 4-5 inches from the bottom.

Now that you have your matchboxes in place, glue the back of the boxes and some on the bottom side so that it affixes to next box underneath.

Use the rest of the ribbon to make a bow.

Stabilize the bow in the center with wire (or wired deco pine) and attach it to the metal ring.

Now fill the boxes with some goodies and your advent calendar is ready to hang. DONE!

 

Hanging your Adent Calendar  Advent5