Christmas Advent Calendar

Kerry Hammond is here today on Crafty Thursday to show us how to make a personalized advent calendar -- just in time for the holidays. You'll want to get yours done before December starts, so we're giving you plenty of time. 

Every year I see those chocolate advent calendars in all the stores. I’ve purchased them before, but I’m just really not a chocolate person (I can hear all the “boos” now). I love the idea of a little treat each day during the month of December, but I am a firm believer that you need to choose the best treat for each individual person. I made this Alcoholic Advent Calendar as a gift for my husband, and I know he’s going to love it. Here’s what you’ll need.

Materials:
Box

24 Bottles of Alcohol (or any other treat)

Cardboard for Dividers

Wrapping Paper

Stickers

Scissors

Tape (Scotch and Package)

Ruler

Pencil

Sharpie

Box Cutter

Step One: Wrap Box Base & Space Bottles

The box I used was a boot box and it ended up being the perfect size and height for my advent calendar. Using your wrapping paper, wrap the bottom of the box, folding the edges of the paper over to the inside of the box. Situate your bottles inside the box to make sure you have enough space. If a few of your bottles are too tall, you can lean them sideways and cut a larger door to remove them. Just be careful because these take much more room and you have a lot of bottles to fit.

Step Two: Cardboard Spacers

Using your cardboard, cut spacers to separate your bottles. Tape them to the sides of the box, and each other, using package tape. I used the cardboard you get at the liquor store when you buy a case of wine, they’re perfect thickness. I bought 24 mini bottles of liquor, so they were more than happy to give them to me.

Step Three: Draw Grid on Box Lid

Using your ruler to measure the distances between bottles, draw a grid on the inside of your box lid that matches the size of each bottle’s pocket. I did this with my lid sitting right next to my box of bottles, but you have to remember that you’re drawing the spaces in mirror image. When it’s drawn, you have to be able to put your lid on and have the spaces line up. Mine weren’t evenly spaced, or an exact grid, so the measurements were important.

Step Four: Cut Doors in Lid

Using your box cutter, cut each door so that it will open, cutting inside your penciled grid so that there are spaces between each door. Make sure to only cut 3 sides, so the door hinges open. Use a piece of wood or cutting board to protect your counter or floor as you cut.

Step Five: Wrap Lid and Cut Doors from Paper

Wrap the box lid with wrapping paper, the same way you wrapped the base. Using your box cutter, cut through the wrapping paper along the 3 cutout sides of each door. Do a few at a time, and then use your scotch tape to tape the paper to each door so that when the door is opened, the paper and the door are attached. This will make it so that the paper doesn’t rip off.

Step Six: Day Stickers

I used Christmas stickers that were meant to be used on the back of Christmas card envelopes. Write the numbers 1-24 on your stickers and stick them to each door in the order you want the doors opened.

Starting on December 1st, enjoy your daily treat.

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