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Welcome to the 6th day of the 5th annual 12 Days of Holiday Ideas event, hosted by Shirley of Intelligent Domestications and Erlene of My Pinterventures Between Nov. 11th and December 6th there will be hundreds of new ideas shared by over 55 Co-host bloggers!
Go here to see our kick-off collection of Holiday ideas as well as all of this year’s talented participating DIY and Foodie Blogs. Download this years November and December calendars with all of the topics and dates so you can make plans to watch for ideas! Today we are featuring Advent Calendars! Today I will be sharing how to make a cute and simple advent calendar out of gift boxes! Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post to see my friends’ DIY advent calendars.
We are hosting a BIG GIVEAWAY from our Sponsors this year! Be sure to scroll all the way down for more information and to enter to win!
Easy and Sweet DIY Gift Box Advent Calendar
I have been giving my daughters advent calendar gifts for several years now. In years past, I simple put the advent gifts in gift boxes with a label on it numbering which advent day it is.
Christmas Advent Calendar BoxesThis year I decided to try something new!
Advent Calendar Supplies
Kraft Paper Brown Gift Tags
Red and White Twine
Numbers Stickers 
Christmas Stickers
Scissors
Clear Wrapping Tape
Advent Calendar Gift Box Instructions
I decided to put 12 days in my advent calendar. You can add more or less according to your preference. I figure 12 days is a good number — it’s a good number of gifts!
To put the advent calendar together I started with putting the boxes together. (The ones I ordered came folded.) The boxes I used are composed of one piece that includes a lid.
I added stickers to 12 gift tags for 12 days leading up to Christmas (ending on Christmas Eve). I added a decorative Christmas sticker to each label. I also added a Christmas sticker on the top of each box as an additional decorative element.
To secure each tag, I tied on a little bit of twine and secured it within the box with a piece of tape.
I then stacked the boxes on my living room’s coffee table. I was sure to stack the boxes so that the advent days the furthest away from Christmas are on the top, since they will be opened first.
I actually will be making more boxes soon since I have two daughters. I like to give them their own advent boxes.
Advent Calendar Filler Ideas
I like to fill my daughters’ advent calendar boxes with little things that they enjoy. I also try to stick to items that aren’t too expensive, too. You could fill the boxes of an DIY gift box advent calendar with:
Candy
Small Toys
Mini Sewing Set
A Length of Cord and Beads (to make a bracelet)
Rubber Stamp and Ink Pad
Lip Balm or Lip Gloss
Movie or Event Tickets
Small Container of Play Slime
Multi-Tool or Mini Tool Set (if age appropriate)
Small School Supplies (erasers, pencil sharpeners, stickers, etc.)
Inexpensive Jewelry
Nail Polish
Arts and Crafts Items
Christmas Ornaments
Socks
Mittens or Gloves
Seeds (to plant in the springtime)
A Scarf
Mini Drawing Pad or Art Canvas
Mini puzzles or puzzle books
Gift Card
Activity Cards (promising a day working on a jigsaw puzzle together, going to the movies or ice skating, etc.)
Treasure Map or clues on where to find larger gifts – I normally give my daughters each a pair of Christmas PJS on Christmas Eve. (PJS won’t fit in these small advent boxes.)
Hair Elastics or Scrunchies
Mini stuffed animals/action figures/figurines
Mini cars or trucks
Book Mark and Matching Book (you can include a clue as to where to find the book)
A Deck of Cards or a Card Game Like UNO
Bath Bombs or Bath Salts
Photographs (prints), a memory card of photos or Polaroids
A Sweet Note or Poem
Mini Journal
Mini pens, pencils or highlighters
Novelty Pins (e,g., one daughter loves Beatles pins and both like pins about novels/books)
Earbuds
Keychain
Cash
Be sure to check out all of my friends’ DIY Advent Calendar ideas!
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Cabot Cheese winner will receive a gift basket of Cabot products valued at $75!
Burlap Fabric winner will receive a prize pack of products valued at $50!
Zulay Kitchens winner will receive one Milk Frother and a Lemon Squeezer valued at $21
It’s Home To You winner will receive one wooden Santa sign valued at $65
Giveaway begins Nov. 8, 2019 and ends Dec. 6, 2019. Winners will be notified by December 13, 2019. Sponsors will ship each prize to the winner. There will be a total of six winners, one for each prize. Drawing is by random selection using the Rafflecopter widget.
Must be 18 to win. Open to U.S. residents only.
The boxes and tags look so pretty together and look great stacked together.
I love the Christmas tags you created. They look amazing on anything. I am going to pin this to make for my gift packages. Thanks for sharing the tutorial and all the items I need to get.
This turned out so cute, Lauren! I love the tags, you really made them look nice and festive! I love all of the ideas of what to fill the boxes with… I struggle with that sometimes!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
I like your advent calendar gift boxes, especially because they are white. I wrap all our gifts in white craft paper so this ties into my decor nicely. Wow, lucky are the recipients of your advent calendar goodies because the boxes are large enough to hold many surprises.
Cute boxes and such a great list of items for fillers!