Advent Calendar

It's no secret I love advent calendars.   see  here  here  here
I'm still looking for the perfect paper one with pretty elegant pictures behind the flaps.
We usually have a couple on the go each year.


The last few years we have been making ones that get thrown out at the end of the season.

It's fun to try a different type each year.
The crafty Crow is my go to inspiration. Hundreds of homemade advents to be found there!

I was pretty excited when I saw this one at Crafting Coconut

I knew I had all the things needed to make it.

And it was the perfect size to fit FOUR treats in each day.
Some of those pockets are just too tiny in some advents.

Sometimes we lose interest in our advent (the one with scriptures or activity ideas in) so this year I decided we would trial a

12 days of Christmas Advent.

This way I think our attention span will hold, we shall begin it just after school lets out, the kids won't have 24 days of lollies to begin their mornings (crazy kids oh my!) and for those who forget until the first of December to make one - this idea gives you till the 13th of December to have it done! Perfect solution.

We are actually having 2 advents this year. I'm super excited about a quilted one I've made too.
It turned out pretty good.


Here are the Instructions on how to make Bon Bon Advent:

Take 12 (or 24) toilet rolls.
(I spray mine with  Glen 20 for peace of mind, but I've noticed that Riot Art and Craft store sells cardboard rolls for those of you who might be yicked out by using toilet rolls in craft)

Cover each roll in Christmas colours scrapbooking paper.
I used rectangles of 13cm x15 cms. I used sticky tape to keep the paper attached.

Tuck the ends of the paper into the tube.

Join two tubes together by putting tape inside each tube and over to the other. Repeat on both ends. If your worried about it being heavy when filled with treats perhaps use hot glue gun to keep rolls together also.

Keep going until all 12 are joined together.

Attach numbers on each roll.

Take your treats and wrap in a bon bon/candy wrapper way. I used white kitchen baking paper. Secure with string.

Slide one into each of the 12 tubes.

Enjoy!


We are going to start with number 12 on the first day (13th of December), so that way we know exactly how many days are left to Christmas!

I filled mine with plastic animals, little santa shaped chocolates, Gold coin chocolates, small lipglosses, candy canes, and some little Squinky toys in those plastic balls (that I stole out of their christmas gifts ;) they'll never notice a few missing ones!


It's only 15 days till the 1st of December. Time to get cracking!