Every morning leading up to Christmas can be fun with this charming advent calendar! The idea is simple and super affordable... make cute little toilet tissue roll containers (filled with treats, of course) and hang them from a clothespin calendar. The best part is deciding what to fill each container with... and with the huge selection of small treats and trinkets at your local Dollar Tree, you won’t be searching long for fun surprises. Every day doesn’t have to be a sweet surprise, either — fill a few days with ornaments to hang on the tree or slips of paper describing a fun activity for the day (maybe a craft project... hunt for the Bottle Cap Snowmen Ornaments or Homemade Snow Globes on this month’s Value Seekers Club page). Then again, a few days of chocolate for breakfast wouldn’t be so bad...
Shop at Dollar Tree — Here’s What You’ll Need:
- Foam Board
- Clothespins
- Markers
- Glitter Glue (optional)
- Small, Lightweight Surprises Such as Candy, Small Toys, Ornaments, etc.
- Tissue Paper
- Cardboard Tissue Paper Rolls (optional)
- Twine
Easy Step-by-Step Directions:
- Decorate your clothespins — we used glitter glue. You can use whatever matches your theme, or leave them plain if you prefer!
- Glue the clothespins to the foam board. Write the calendar dates above each clothespin.
- Wrap small surprises in tissue paper. We created little containers by cutting toilet tissue rolls in half then stuffing them with small toys, “coupons” for fun activities, and small wrapped candies. To finish them off, we twisted tissue paper around them to look like candy rolls.
- Hang up the calendar and hang the prizes from the clothespins.
- Enjoy your countdown to the big day!
Fun Tip:
- This doesn’t have to be just for Christmas... use your Countdown Calendar to help celebrate birthdays, recitals, or any big event!
