I thoroughly enjoyed making our own DIY Advent Calendar in the run up to Christmas last year, to watch Liv’s reaction as she revealed a new Itty Bitty character each day was magical. It was so easy to make and much more fun (albeit, less tasty) than opening a chocolate advent calendar. In this post, we will show you how to make your own Christmas Advent Calendar using stocking filler toys.
On a recent trip to IKEA, these cute, festive Advent Calendar bags (£7.50) inspired me. It hopped into my basket ready for me to make another personal toy advent Calendar this year. As you can see from the Sim’s Life Instagram feed, the smiles are definitely worth adding your own magic touch to a daily calendar.
Creating A Homemade Advent Calendar For Christmas
What are great Advent Calendar contents ideas?
The great thing about starting from scratch with a fillable Advent Calendar is the fact you can fill it with anything! Whether you want to make a toy advent calendar, advent calendar for adults, alcohol advent calendar.
Possibly even a simple home made chocolate advent calendar, the options are limitless and allows you get creative!
What to include in a DIY Advent Calendar
The recently launched range of Disney Princess Itty Bittys, available from Hallmark will be included in the bags, I have a feeling someone will appreciate the super cute and soft Princess’s being added to her collection!
That is what I love about Itty Bittys, the range is ever expanding and there is so much scope with the characters that can be included in the collection. The cute soft plush toys are the perfect size for a daily Advent Calendar treat!
Filling an Advent Calendar
Clearly there are 24 Advent bags to fill and there needs to be a new surprise every day. The size of the actual bags dictates what I gifts I can actually use but fortunately I have a lovely selection of gifts that I was keeping for this activity.
The BlogOn Christmas conference goodie bags contained so many fantastic gifts that are perfect for adding to the advent calendar including Trolls Top Trump Cards, Hatchimals Colleggtibles and a Shopkins blind bag.
However I’ve found stores like Home Bargains have a fabulous selection of small fun items that can easily be included in a home made Advent calendar.
I am as excited to make the calendar this year as I am to see Mini Me’s reaction. She is now at ‘that’ age so it’s great to retain some of the Christmas sparkle and keep the magic alive… especially for me! 😉
How cute are these awesome Star Wars Tsum Tsum’s soft plush toys? I know these will be a hit as surprisingly Mini Me is quite the fan of Star Wars and will fit perfectly into the bags! I shall have to watch out though as I expect these to be smuggled into school… or attempted to anyway! You can pick up your own collection of Tsum Tsum’s.
Brainstorm also very kindly sent a Magno Z and Stickbot to include in the Advent bags from IKEA. They are super colourful and a wonderful inclusion into our Advent Calendar.
Final thoughts on making your own DIY advent calendar
The advent calendar has a long and varied history, with many different interpretations and purposes. It is a cherished tradition for many families, and continues to be popular today.
I hope you have enjoyed learning about this festive tradition, and that you will consider starting your own advent calendar countdown this year!
Will you be making your own Advent Calendar this year?
Other Christmas posts you may enjoy:
A Round Up Of Christmas Gift Ideas
What a cute idea! Thanks so much for linking up at the Unlimited Link Party 90. Shared.
Ahhh this is a fab idea… I remember you doing it last year too! 🙂 I really want those Princess Itty Bittys, they are just adorable. We have the Mickey and Minnie Christmas ones at the moment. They are really cute too.
What a lovely idea, I think my daughter would love something like this. I am not organised enough to plan it this year but maybe next year I will. Those little bags look fab and the princess Itty Bitts are very cute x
A homemade advent calendar sounds great and maybe one day I’ll try make one. I must admit I’ve bought BattleKid an alternative advent calendar already for this year.
They are super exciting to make – you can fill wit whatever and it’s just a lovely treat x
Oh I love This! I’ve been on pintrest looking up ideas on DIY advent calendars for my little one so I can fill them with things he enjoys rather than the standard. I love what you’re filling yours with.
Jordanne || Thelifeofaglasgowgirl.co.uk
Thank you so much, so do I! 🙂 I know Mini Me will love each day’s gift and they last… unlike chocolate!
Ahh what a great idea!! We did this one year with the Ikea bags, it’s easy to fill them with lots of little things the kids like even if just sweets and chocolate on some days.
The IKEA bags are AMAZING! I would never have thought about looking there, so super glad I happened upon them 🙂 Sweets are always a winner!
I love all the creative calendar ideas floating around the internet this time of year. My boys both have a calendar which is a cross stitch sampler with 24 little hoops sewn on to it, so every year I just need to tie on 24 little gifts.
There are so many different ways to do an advent but I do love the opening of a bag each day, we did it last year and Mini Me was so excited each day 🙂 I love the cross stitch sampler idea x
What a cool idea, thank you for sharing X. #pocolo
Thank you x
The bags are so cute and it makes life a lot easier PoColo
The bags certainly do make it all easier – it’s just the job of filling them now 😉 x
Great idea to make your own! We have a nice wooden calendar for Erin that I think we’ll be doing this with next year
Ohhhh I love wooden calendars too! There really is so much out there to make Christmas even more special!xx
I love this idea. I have debated doing it this year but I didn’t in the end. I love those bags from IKEA so cute #pocolo
You still have time! 🙂 Who knew IKEA was the place for awesome Christmas goodies! The wrapping paper was gorgeous too 🙂 x
What a fabulous idea 🙂
Katie xoxo
Thanks!
After looking at the choices out there for my nearly 4 year old girl i decided I will make her her own this year her brother is getting a Lego Star Wars one just like every year but hers will be filled with blind bags (from the BlogOn Goodie bags i knew they would come in handy) and other little presents! I love those IKEA bags might have to do a trip to our nearest soon! I do have a wooden advent calendar but the boxes are too small for the stuff i already collected for her! Thanks for joining into our #GiftGuideLinkUp
The BlogOn bags were filled with lots of fantastic items to include in an advent calendar, I have been storing them away just for this moment! The IKEA bags were a fab find, I would never have thought to shop there for them!x
We normally have a chocolate calendar for the kids and then one that can be filled with anything which is generally for us parents. Thanks for linking up to the #GiftGuideLinkUp
I quite like the idea of an adult advent calendar 😉 I need to try that one! For now I am super excited to fill Mini Me’s advent and watch her reactions when she opens each daily gift 🙂 xx
I love this idea and had no idea that IKEA sold such wonderful little bags. I’m local to the IKEA in Birmingham so I think I might have to pop down and get some of my own for my little one this year! Great idea x
I never know either – IKEA have some amazing Christmas related goodies in at the moment, well worth a trip down there… don’t forget to stock up on candles 😉 xx