Easy DIY Advent Calendar

It was just two short days before our monthly calendar read my favorite holiday month, December, and I stayed up late into the night, beyond the sleepy heads of the rest of my family falling into bed, to whip up this Advent calendar before I had to catch a flight out of town. I knew I couldn't leave without having this ready for my kids to enjoy... and I can't wait to walk back into the coziness of the Christmas season in our home in just a few more days and enjoy the rest of our Advent Calendar activities together.

It all came together in just one short night, and after hanging in the window I closed the curtains over it to keep it hidden until December 1st!

My inspiration came from Funkytime and I just made it a little bit easier... no hot glue or cutting of felt for this tired mama, stencils and a sharpie worked wonderfully and quickly under the wire!

Just cut out squares of burlap, use your numbered stencil and a sharpie (or just write with a sharpie if you've got some skills) to write your countdown days and wrap up your toys or goodies... or in our case, our daily family activity.

This is such a fun ritual that our family looks forward to every year, and this is probably one of the easiest Advent Calendars that I've put together, though I still love our Pottery Barn inspired chalkboard-paint infused project from last year and the sweet little paper bag calendar from 2010.

This feels so us right now... in keeping with a simple and cozy Christmas, with activities bringing the family together and crafted from materials that I mostly had around the house.

A crafty little Christmas it will be!


PS. I made my own printed calendar activities, but forgot to save the full template to share with you (it was late), so I found another great blogger with free printables for 100 activities for your own Advent calendar! Just click HERE.