Free Christmas countdown printable and Advent calendar. Print as is or add a title before you print.
How Many Days Until Christmas?
Advent Calendar
These cute Christmas calendar printables are available in three different designs.
How to create an Advent calendar?
You can use these printable Christmas countdowns to create an Advent calendar to count the days of Advent in anticipation of Christmas. If you want to make flaps, print the countdown on cardstock paper. Cut out flaps with a craft knife. Adhere the page to a blank page of cardstock. Open the flaps and write notes for each day. If you want to add a gift, you can turn it into a treasure hunt, and each day, write the clue to find that day’s gift.
How to make a personalized printable Christmas calendar for kids?
You can personalize this printable kids’ Christmas calendar with your own text. This can enable you to make your own customized countdown. Sit together with your child and ask them what they want to write each day. To add text, click on the “A” icon. Drag the text to the day on which you would like it to appear. Keep adding text until your child is happy with her creation. Download to your PC and then print.
Santa Beard Countdown
Free printable Santa beard countdown in 8 different designs. You can either mark each day with a pen or use cotton balls. Glue a cotton ball on each day to create a fun Christmas craft that is so easy to make. Simply print the Santa beard advent calendar and stick a cotton ball in each circle each day. The Santa cotton ball beard will make a great Christmas decoration when complete.
This Santa countdown is black and white and kids can color it.
Advent Calendar Stickers
You can use these advent calendar stickers in your journal or planner to countdown the days until Christmas. The templates above are not suitable to use as stickers. If you want to print stickers then please select the last template which will make perfect advent stickers. Either print on sticker paper or print on regular paper. Cut out each square. Adhere with paper glue if you didn’t use sticker or label paper.
What is a Christmas Countdown Calendar?
This type of holiday calendar counts down every day during the Advent season. The Advent season is the 4-week period before the birth of Christ. It’s the first day of the new Church calendar and is often celebrated with special activities every year. There are lots of different types of Christmas countdown or Advent calendars. Some have religious connections. Others are more about celebrating the fun times of the winter holidays.
How does a Christmas calendar work?
Many calendars come in the shape of a flat rectangular box or a wooden box with drawers. Each day, you will lift a flap up or open up a drawer to see what the day’s activity is. When you use one of these calendars, you will take one action every day leading up to Christmas for a total of 24 days. What you do each day really depends on your family preferences and the type of countdown calendar you get.
On day one, you will do the activity printed on the first square. Depending on the type you use, you may need to lift a flap or open a box to see what you’ll be doing.
Sometimes these activities will be things you can do as a family like baking cookies. Other times, there will be a special ornament to hang on your tree or a piece of chocolate for the person that opens the square.
If you choose a Christmas countdown calendar that is religious, it is often called an Advent calendar. Each day, you will read a scripture from the Bible and discuss it as a family.
Printable Countdown
We offer four different versions you can print for free. Each countdown has numbers only to count each day in December until Christmas day.
DIY Advent Calendar
If you have kids, tweens, teens, or someone crafty in your family, you might want to consider choosing a DIY kit with a crafting theme. There are all sorts available depending on who it’s for. Tweens may enjoy making fluffy slime. Or, you can choose one that allows the whole family to make ornaments.
Then, take turns hanging them on your tree. You can also get this wooden advent calendar and paint it together to create a unique Christmas calendar countdown.
Gloves or Mittens
For those who prefer DIY, a pretty and easy way to create your own Advent calendar is to use mittens or gloves. Hang them on string with clothespins. You can also do something similar with socks.
DIY Felt Countdown
This DIY Advent calendar is much easier to make than it looks. Cut out the shape of the tree from felt. If you have the time and patience make an extra layer and stitch them to join them after you have added the boxes. If not, one layer will do too. To create each box, cut out a small square and stitch it to the tree. Leave the top open. Cut the numbers out of felt or sticker paper. To create the star on the top, make two layers of yellow felt. Sew them together and then tuff it with cotton wool.
Before you adhere the star to the tree, attach a piece of ribbon under the star. At the other end of the ribbon adhere a little plastic star.
Of course, you don’t need to limit your family to only one Christmas countdown calendar. There’s no reason why the kids can’t have their own and the adults have a different one.
The most important thing to do is to let your family have fun with this. And, make a few new Christmas traditions this year as a family.
Advent Ideas
Creating an advent calendar or coming up with daily advent activities is a wonderful way to build anticipation and create joyous memories leading up to Christmas Day. Here are several ideas across different categories that can help you create a memorable advent experience, whether you’re crafting an advent calendar or planning activities:
1. DIY Advent Calendars
- Homemade Treats Calendar: Fill 24 small boxes or envelopes with homemade cookies, chocolates, or candies. Decorate each one festively.
- Book Calendar: Wrap 24 holiday-themed books. Unwrap and read one as a family each night.
- Reusable Advent Calendar: Create a calendar using fabric pockets or small drawers that can be filled with different surprises each year.
2. Acts of Kindness
- Write Thank You Cards: Spend a day writing thank you cards to friends, family, or community helpers.
- Donate Toys or Clothes: Choose gently used items to donate to those in need.
- Visit a Nursing Home: Spend time with residents, read stories, or sing carols.
- Random Acts of Kindness: Do something nice for someone unexpectedly.
3. Christmas Crafts and DIY
- Ornament Making: Dedicate days to making different types of ornaments for the tree.
- Homemade Wreath: Gather materials for everyone to make their own wreath.
- Gingerbread House Day: Build and decorate gingerbread houses.
- Christmas Cards Crafting: Make personalized Christmas cards to send out.
4. Family Activities
- Christmas Movie Night: Watch a classic Christmas movie with popcorn and hot chocolate.
- Holiday Light Tour: Drive around to see Christmas lights in your area.
- Bake Together: Choose a new cookie or cake recipe to bake.
- Carol Singing: Spend an evening singing carols, either at home or around the neighborhood.
- Elf on the Shelf: Adopt an Elf on the Shelf and check out our free Elf on the Shelf kit for 24 days.
5. Educational Activities
- Learn About Christmas Around the World: Each day, learn about Christmas traditions in different countries.
- Story Time: Read a Christmas story or a chapter from a Christmas-themed book.
- Science Experiments: Try winter-themed science experiments, like making snowflakes or studying the properties of ice.
6. Personal Growth
- Gratitude Jar: Each day, write down something you’re grateful for and put it in a gratitude jar.
- Meditation and Mindfulness: Dedicate time to meditate or practice mindfulness focusing on the themes of peace and goodwill.
- Set Goals for the New Year: Reflect on the past year and set personal goals for the upcoming year.
7. Outdoor Adventures
- Nature Walk: Take a walk in a local park and collect natural items to use in crafts.
- Snow Day: If you live in a snowy area, plan a day for building a snowman or having a snowball fight.
- Winter Picnic: Bundle up and have a picnic in your backyard or a local park.
These ideas can be customized to suit your interests and the ages of those participating.
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I especially like the suggestion to work with the child to make their own customized calendar! My grandkids are blase about most store-bought items but allowing them to put their own spin on a Christmas-countdown calendar was a hit!
Jay,
I am glad to hear that you and your grandkids liked the countdown calendar. It’s great that you do these things together with them!