Calendars like this are quite easy to make and they can be done with almost any container, not only boxes…

MATERIALS

• box (best with flip lid) – it can be anything: suitcase style box, old book shaped trinket box, cake tin, tea tin, bucket, basket, flower pot, some paper mache container or even recycled box covered with magazines like those decoupage boxes I made while ago
• pages from old books or maps (I used our old London A-Z) for wrapping
• ribbons, threads, laces, string for wrapping
• plain sticky tape
• double sided tape
• buttons, beads, tissue paper, felt or anything else you can find for decoration
• chocolate teddy / reindeer / Santa as a decoration – optional
• miniature DIY candies made out of small sweets: Tic Tacs, Skittles, Chupa Chups Shootz etc. and tissue paper  for decoration – optional
• fork pompoms
• 24 things to put inside the packages
• 1 – 24 number stickers or plain sticky dots and numbers written on them – I stuck them on the back of each package making sure small numbers were on the top

secret storage – book shaped trinket (TK Maxx / HomeSense) & bookmark made out of ribbon

ribbon & newspaper letters attached with Mod Podge, sprinkled with glitter

old book box filled with 24 packages

suitcase style box (Tiger store)

miniature sweets made out of small candies and some sparkly tissue paper

recycled London A-Z, thread, DIY miniature candies

recycled A-Z, thread, double sided sticky tape to attach the candies

Ways to fill children advent calendar

It can be anything really as long as it has 24 pieces, or multiply of 24 if you want to share one set for 2 or 3 calendars.

• puzzle pieces – hard: Bizzare Bookstore (1000 pieces), easy: Disney Frozen (100 pieces) or super easy: wooden animals (26 pieces)
• Lego pieces (Lego Minecraft, Lego City, Lego Friends etc.) – bucket of pick & mix bricks from Lego store, minifigures or boxed set shared into 24 portions
• any other construction set
• marble run
• stationery (pens, erasers, washi tapes, stamps etc.) or quality crayons + some pencils, putty eraser and a drawing pad (we like Caran D’Ache Pablo &  Helix Maped Colour Peps because of the softness)
• craft supplies (pom poms, googly eyes, stencils etc.)
• mini craft sets (beads & cord to make bracelet, pompom & googly eyes to make creature etc.)
• small toys (cars, animals, monsters etc.)
• semi precious gemstones, tumblestones, fossils, minerals & crystals (if you child is into collecting them)
• beauty items (hair clips, hair bands, lip balms etc.)
• wooden beads, seed beads, buttons, embellishments (if you child is into sewing or jewellery making)
• cute socks & underwear
• any play set (wooden train tracks, farm set, doll house accessories, cooking set, doctor set + some real bandages & plasters, play food for shopping, play dough & tools etc.) that will easily break into pieces
• games – original Scrabble, pink Scrabble or Bananagrams (make 24 words out of them)
• stickers
• balloons
• mini sweets & chocolates: coins, snowmen etc.

recycled book / map, thread, seed breads and feather charm

recycled map, yarn, buttons and leftover crochet granny square motives

recycled book and fork pom poms

recycled A-Z, lace, DIY felt flowers and ladybug buttons

recycled A-Z, lace, sewing thread, jingle bells

NOTES

More countdown calendars.

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