DIY Advent Calendar

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Hey Alicia here!
Ever since last Christmas I’ve been looking forward to this Christmas. This will be my little family’s first Christmas without traveling to visit our extended family. Not that I haven’t loved spending Christmas with them, I’m just looking forward to starting our own traditions. So with December approaching quickly I knew it was time to seriously start thinking of how we would be celebrating this holiday season!

Adrian was so excited about the chain it was hard to get a good picture!

One thing I knew I wanted for us was an advent calendar. Growing up, we always had the chocolate calendars from Trader Joe’s (here's a Cadbury version that's bound to be delicious)! We also had a cute hanging one my mom had made where everyday we got to stick a new ornament on the tree (similar to this one on Etsy). Occasionally, we would make the paper chains where everyday a link would be removed. When all the links are gone it’s Christmas!

These latter two calendars from my childhood inspired today’s craft. It’s easy for little hands to do, a craft that would be fun to make with your family, and reusable for years to come. A felt “paper” chain!

DIY Advent Calendar

Materials:

• 8x12 Felt sheets in your desired colors
• Glue gun
• Velcro
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Sewing machine (optional)
• Additional embellishments (optional)
  
  

Directions:

1. Measure and cut 1¼” strips across the width of the felt. You’ll need 24 strips.
2. Glue or sew a ½” piece of Velcro to the ends of your strip. Velcro should be on both sides of the strip so it can be closed into a ring.
3. Decorate your strips or leave them blank. Link your strips together to form a chain. Starting December 1st take one off everyday until Christmas (the last one being removed Christmas Eve).
   
   

I think this would be something so fun for your kids especially if they got to help decorate the strips.
Here’s some examples of how I decorated mine:

Tips:

• I hot glued most of my decorations on, but sewing them can make this last even longer and adds an extra element to the decor that I think looks very nice!
• I cut out all my own decorations. This took a long time and I wished I had pre-made decorations like these or these. Or that I had glitter glue or puff paints to decorate with.
  
• With the extra ends of felt you can make an envelope to put the “used” strips in. Cut a slit in the bottom and the chain can even hang from the envelope! Hang it on your wall using Command Strips.
  
• I only did one layer of felt for a strip but doubling them would make the strip sturdier and keep it’s shape better.
  

Let me know if you try this out! I had a lot of fun making it! And I think my son will have fun counting down the days until Christmas with his chain.

Merry Christmas! And Happy Thanksgiving!

The Advent Calendar hanging from the envelope made to hold the extra pieces.