3 Simple, No-Sew Advent Calendars

Advent calendars make the waiting and the countdown to Christmas so much more fun, especially the kind of advents that allow you to tuck a little surprise or sweet inside.

Here are three simple, no-sew advent ideas for counting down, with tiny gifts, the days to the Christmas holiday.

Photo from Joelle Liedtke

Paper Cone Advent

Joelle Liedtke was inspired by Lisa Tilse of the the red thread blog to make this paper cone advent. Here's Lisa's advent tutorial.

Instead of hanging them on branches in a vase as Lisa suggested, Joelle hung hers from branches she attached across a drapery rod. How pretty!

"My little ones are already asking when they will go up again," Joelle says. "I think they are looking forward to the Hershey's kisses I put inside the cones..."

Mini Envelope Advent Tree

Ez and Marichelle of the shop Nice Package put together this super-simple advent calendar wall art display, using mini envelopes, colored dot stickers, and a delicate paper doily from their shop. Make a Christmas tree shape or any other holiday shape.

Instead of putting treats inside each envelope, the duo suggests tucking a note inside with a clue where to find each day's small advent gift. Fun!

Chinese Take-Out Boxes Advent

Sarah of Sermon on the Mount of Laundry made her family's advent calendar out of miniature Chinese food take-out boxes from her local craft store. She decorated the fronts with a number (counting down from 25) and the backs with number of days left.

Each day, Sarah's kids take turns opening one box to reveal its small gifts — candy, small toys, chapstick — and then they flip it around and hang it back up to show the number of days left until Christmas. So simple and festive!

Does your family make or use an advent calendar? Tell us about it.

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