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Christmas time is my favorite Holiday of all time! The lights, the decoration, the smells, the baking, the Magic of Santa, and most importantly the birth of a newborn baby.
For the first time as a family this year, we are participating in an Advent Calendar. As Christmas nears, I thought an Advent calendar would be a great way to count down Christmas with my 5-year-old.
“The word advent, from Latin, means the coming. For centuries, Advent has been a time of spiritual reflection as well as cheer and anticipation. Even as the Christmas season has become more secular-with advertisers urging holiday gift-givers to buy and buy some more-Advent still brings joy and the observance of ancient customs. Christian families find quiet moments lighting candles in the Advent wreath, and children use Advent calendars to count the days until Christmas.”
While looking for one for our family to try this holiday season, I found so many options for counting down to Christmas day; I’ve included DIY advent calendar crafts, advent calendars for kids, and adult advent calendar ideas for your enjoyment and across all different price points.
I’m excited to share with you my top picks for Advent Calendars 2021. These are the ones that excited me the most, and I hope you like them as much as I did!
DIY Advent Calendar Crafts
1. Paper Chain Christmas Countdown Craft
Source: The Country Chic Cottage via Pinterest: @countrychiccott
One of the Advent Calendars I came across on Pinterest was this Paper Chain Christmas Countdown Craft. It’s a great craft you can make with your children is a paper chain to count down to the holiday. It’s cheap and straightforward and requires no toys or candy for this fun craft that you can do together with your children.
Here’s How to Do It:
With this fun paper chain, you can use your imagination and any kind or color of paper you would like. Simply make 24 links and tape or staple them together each day, then take a link away to give your children a visual of how many days remain until Christmas day!
If you’re new to making paper chains find your crafting supplies at Hobby Lobby or any other crafting store to make this festive craft. Not sure how to get started? Check out this article with step-by-step instructions on how to make paper chain craft from WikiHow.com.
Paper chains can be used to decorate your Christmas Trees and your home for the Holidays. Paper chains are very versatile and can be used to decorate your home for any holiday or special occasion.
For even more crafting fun for kids for Advent or any time of the year, be sure to check out GreenKidCrafts.com.
2. Wooden Drawers Countdown Craft
The next idea I came across was to purchase a set of wooden drawers much like the one below. You can paint it and decorate it for Christmas however you like. You can also reuse these drawers for years to come.
I especially liked the idea of using this advent because you can customize it to your liking. It can be reused for years to come, giving Mother Earth a gift as well by having one less item in the trash! You can find more eco-momma parenting tips here!
Below are two quality sets of Wooden drawers with the links for your convenience. You can fill these drawers with small surprises to open each day to mark the days till Christmas day. Need some creative ideas for filling your DIY Wooden Drawers Advent Calendar? Head on over to ApartmentTherapy.com for 108 Creative Ways to Fill Up Your Advent Calendar for inspiration.
3. DIY Books Advent Calendar
Source: Dreaming of Christmas
This is a fun DIY idea for the holidays! Simply choose 24 books that your child can unwrap each night and have a new bedtime story to read each night up to Christmas Eve.
Let’s face it; this is also a gift to you too if you get tired of reading the same bedtime stories night after night!
Advent Calendars for Kids
No time for DIY Advent Calendars? Below are our top picks for pre-made advent calendars you can purchase quickly online.
5. Melissa and Doug Advent Calendar
I particularly enjoy the brand “Melissa and Doug” for toys and puzzles for my children, so of course, this had to be on the top of my list of calendars. This cute Christmas tree is perfect for a family, and it is candy-free if that is a concern for you and your family.
My family personally doesn’t have any allergies, but they get enough candy from Halloween to Christmas. Here are some other candy-free options for your family as well. Here are some super cute advent calendars where each day you open up to a toy.
6. My Advent Calendar Coloring Book
I was drawn to this color book calendar (pun intended!) because my little girl absolutely loves to draw and color. With this fun coloring book, she can color her way down to Christmas each day. This year, we’ll definitely be trying out this one!
7. Doll Wardrobe Advent Calendar
This unique “doll wardrobe” advent calendar is sure to be a hit with any doll lover! Each day you open the door to find a stylish new outfit for your little one’s doll to wear.
8. Toy Vehicle Advent Calendar
This toy vehicle advent calendar is perfect for your little (aspiring) driver in your home. It has 24 unique pieces and is the perfect size for little hands, ages 6 and up! Their imagination will drive on for hours of creative playtime, possibly giving mom a break…we can hope, right!?! If you haven’t already check out this trending post: Why Mommy Needs a Time Out for 5 solid ideas for practicing self-care as a busy mom.
9. Gift Boxes Advent Calendar from KESOTO
Here are some other fun ways to count down the holiday. These fun little cardboard gift boxes KESOTO DIY Christmas Advent Calendar 2021, 24 Cardboard Treasure Boxes with 1-24 Number Stickers Christmas Countdown Calendar for Xmas Holiday Decor are so cute and you can use them for so many different things, not just for Advent.
There are so many ideas for using these boxes like for wrapping gifts for under the Christmas tree, or “accidentally” leaving them out for your children to find — especially if you have a sneaky little elf in your home during the Holidays! The ideas are as never-ending as your creativity and imagination allow. Not to mention they are easy to assemble and you can fill them up with your own surprises.
I’m definitely getting these cute little boxes to use for some Christmas fun.
10. Wooden Drawer Advent Calendar from Sunny Holiday.
The fun thing about these drawers is that you can fill them with any small item. You can use candy, toys, jewelry and the list of items can be endless.
Much like the wooden drawers I featured at the beginning of this article, you can also get a wooden drawer already decorated if decorating is your thing.
This Advent Calendar is from SunnyHoliday. I found it on Amazon of course, as an avid Amazon shopper myself! I felt this calendar was perfect when it came to size and price point. This Advent Calendar had the best reviews compared to similar items. I always encourage reading the reviews, and if there are customer photos added to the review, even better.
11. Hersey’s Kisses Advent Calendar
Here is a similar version of the Advent calendar that I was introduced to a few years ago. I had no idea this was even a thing to do because my family never used an advent calendar when I was a kid and was never aware of advent calendars for most of my early adulthood. Each day you open to a piece of savory chocolate Hershey Kisses!
12. 2021 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar
For your builder and Star Wars fan this is the perfect calendar and it is the #1 best seller at amazon at the moment for kids aged 6 and up.
Experience the magic of the 2021 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar Building Kit! This year’s advent calendar features 7 characters from The Mandalorian Season 2, including The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda in festive outfits, plus 11 vehicles, and additional accessories. Best of all, the characters and mini builds can be used with other LEGO Star Wars sets. With a total of 335 pieces, there are plenty of new toys to enjoy every day leading up to Christmas!
Adult Advent Calendar Ideas
Are you looking for a grown-up Advent Calendar? Below are the top ideas to try this holiday season for some fun adult advent calendars.
13. Friends: The Official Advent Calendar (2021 Edition) Calendar
This is the perfect gift for a family member or friend and is currently a #1 release at Amazon. What a great way to tell them “I’ll be there” by giving them a nostalgic Advent Calendar this season.
14. 2021 Hershey Chocolate Advent Calendar
This Gift Set includes 3 different Hershey Chocolate Advent Calendars with Reese’s, Kisses, and Hershey’s Miniatures inside. This Bundle of 3 calendars is perfect for when you have more than one family member who wants to participate and have their own chocolate surprise to open every day.
15. Godiva Chocolatier Holiday Gourmet Chocolate Advent Calendar 2021
Reveal a new piece of chocolate every day with the Godiva Chocolatier Advent Calendar. This 24-count gourmet Godiva chocolate advent calendar features wrapped milk and dark chocolate squares as well as an exciting assortment of fun holiday pieces—a jolly Santa, festive Snowman, and wintry Penguin. With this delicious assortment, you’ll enjoy this countdown to Christmas in decadent style.
Enjoy Your Advent Calendar Countdown and Happy Holidays!
We hope you enjoyed this post! We have compiled an excellent list of 15 fantastic Advent calendars that everyone should consider buying. They are all beautifully created, and each of them will be sure to add a bit of holiday cheer to your days this year!
There are so many ideas and options out there, from crafting to already manufactured calendars, one-time use, reusable, toy-filled, candy-filled, and candy-free options. I hope this article helped narrow down your search for the perfect Advent Calendar this year.
If you have a brand you would like us to feature next year, be sure to comment below!
Happy Holidays,
Tiffany