12 free printable DIY advent calendars

It’s nearly December and I can’t believe that I actually managed to make my own advent calendar in good time this time (if you haven’t seen my Ikea hack advent calendar do go and check it out). If you like the idea of a homemade advent calendar but haven’t got round to sorting yours yet, or don’t think your craft skills are quite up to the challenge of making one completely from scratch, I’ve pulled together my favourite DIY advent calendars that come complete with free printable and/or templates to help make life a little easier. Some of these are more straightforward than others (check out numbers 9 and 10 if super-easy is what you’re after), but all of them would make a great little craft project for this weekend…

1. This contemporary forest advent calendar by Earnest Home is put together using cones that are so simple to make yet look really effective grouped together. Just print the numbers onto Avery printer labels and voila!

2. For fans of vintage style, Ella Claire’s printable advent cards and envelopes will fit the bill with gorgeous typography. The cards just need printing and cutting out, the envelopes are deceptively simple to assemble.

3. I love the simple black and white illustrations on these hand-drawn advent calendar boxes by Pure Sweet Joy. Download the illustrated templates and then all you have to do is cut out and assemble the boxes.

4. Ok, so this is one of the more fiddly in this round up, but I reckon the fun of this Christmas bulb advent calendar by The House That Lars Built outweighs the extra effort. The template for the bulbs and for the numbered flags is included in the tutorial.

5. How adorable is this little paper house advent calendar by Life is a Party? Includes a template for the houses, and a printable download for the numbers.

6. All you need is the template, some card and a printer to make these little pockets for Curbly’s snowy mountain advent calendar. Hang them up, or skip that step and just pop them in a little box.

7. I obviously have a thing for little houses – the striking blue and copper colour way of Rosehip Cards’ winter village advent calendar is something a bit different. Al the templates are free to download and it can be made in an evening.

8. These cute Santa advent boxes by Hello, Wonderful are printable so all you have to do is print, cut and put them together. Oh and don’t forget the red pompom and decorative washi tape for extra decoration.

9. It doesn’t get easier than elliefunday’s printable advent calendar with numbers on the front and fun activities on the back of each card.

10. If you swap the wooden base for something simpler (blobs of plasticine or a planter filled with sand maybe), then the DIY forest advent calendar by Hello Happy Studio is a total cinch to make. Print out the downloadable trees, cut out, write an activity on the back and stick to a cocktail stick.

11. I love a toilet roll craft, so these gorgeous advent santas by Pysselbolaget totally appeal. Print the templates, glue to the toilet roll and finish with a hat.

12. It’s the simplicity of Willowday’s winter wonderland advent calendar that is its strength. The pyramid box template is provided – you just need to print, assemble and number them.