How to make a DIY advent calendar

Create your own advent calendar and countdown to Christmas

Christmas is a magical time of year, especially for children eagerly awaiting Santa’s arrival. While presents often take centre stage on Christmas Day, a DIY advent calendar lets you spread that excitement across every day of December. Choosing to create your own advent calendar is not only fun and meaningful, but it can also become a cherished family tradition.

This project shows you how to make a homemade advent calendar by upcycling cardboard toilet paper rolls. It’s affordable, creative, and perfect for crafting with kids. If you’ve ever wanted to make your own advent calendar by upcycling items around the home, this is a great place to start.

Why make your own advent calendar?

There are plenty of reasons to build your own advent calendar rather than buying one from the shop. Crafting together helps children develop creativity, fine motor skills, and problem-solving abilities, all while enjoying quality screen-free time.

A homemade advent calendar also allows you to personalise every detail – from colours and patterns to what goes inside. Whether you’re looking for homemade advent calendar ideas or thoughtful homemade advent calendar gift ideas, a DIY approach gives you total freedom.

What you will need

Bostik PVA white Glu
Bostik All purpose Glu
Bostik Blu Glu stick
Bostik pattern sheet (67.52 KB)
Cardboard rolls
White fabric
Wrapping paper
Yarn, string or ribbon
Broad red ribbon
A pair of children’s scissors

Difficulty

Average time

40 mins

Cost

Print version!

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the base

Cut the fabric into a rectangular piece that is wide enough to cover the entire tube and at least double the length.

Apply the PVA white Glu in a line along the length of the tube and press the fabric over it to stick. Wrap the fabric around the rest of the tube and use more PVA white Glu to stick the other end. The fabric should extend equally on both sides of the tube. Repeat for the remaining tubes.

Did you know?

PVA white Glu is washable, solvent-free, and dries clear – perfect for children’s craft projects.

Step 2: Add a festive layer

Cut wrapping paper to fit the width and length of each tube. Use PVA white Glu to stick the paper over the fabric-covered tube, leaving fabric visible at both ends. The fabric will extend out from under the wrapping paper on both sides. Repeat for the remaining tubes.

Tacky's tip

Mix and match patterns for a fun, playful look - this is a great chance to reuse leftover wrapping paper and make your homemade advent calendar completely unique!

Step 3: Tie a bow

Cut short pieces of yarn or string and tie bows at both ends of each tube, creating a sweet “toffee” shape. Alternate red and green yarn for a classic Christmas feel.

Tacky's tip

Red and green are traditional Christmas colours. To make your DIY advent calendar apt for the season, mix and match the colours of the wrapping paper and the yarn - use a green yarn with red paper and a red yarn with green paper.

Step 4: Add the dates

Cut out numbers from the advent calendar pattern sheet. Use the Blu Glu stick to attach one number to the centre of each tube.

Did you know?

Blu Glu stick is ideal for paper crafts – it goes on blue and dries clear, making it easy for kids to use confidently.

Step 5: Assemble your homemade advent calendar

Arrange the tubes in sequence. Draw a line of glue with the All purpose Glu at the bottom of the first tube and press to the top of the second tube for 5 minutes to dry. Repeat this process for the remaining tubes.

Apply All purpose Glu at both ends of a red ribbon and attach to the 1st box to create a loop. Use this loop to hang your calendar on a wall or door. This step really brings your homemade advent calendar together.

Step 6: Fill it up!

Now for the fun part. Fill each tube with small surprises such as sweets, stickers, hair accessories, jewellery, or bath treats. These small touches make the countdown exciting every single day.

Tacky's tip

For puzzle-loving kids, add a few jigsaw pieces to each tube so the full picture is complete by Christmas Day.

Let's sum up!

Learning how to make your own advent calendar is about more than crafting – it’s about creating moments together. Whether you’re crafting for children, gifting to someone special, or simply enjoying festive creativity, this project shows just how easy it is to make an advent calendar that’s meaningful and fun.

With the right materials and a little imagination, you can confidently say, “I made my own advent calendar” – and enjoy every step of the countdown to Christmas.

Bostik offers a wide range of stationery and craft adhesives to support every project, from simple festive makes to more detailed DIY ideas. For more inspiration, explore creative projects and festive crafts using #CraftWithBostik.