The Birthday Advent calendar combines two of the most loved things in the world. Opening secret doors and punching through tissue paper.
It's a universal scenario. You're at home minding your own business practicing ways to stand in photos that will make your arm skin look tighter, when you get the "So when are you coming over for birthday cake" call.
The um, what-the-what-say-again???
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG. Their birthday is TODAY???
And in that very moment you look at every single thing around your kitchen that might make a suitable birthday present for a 6 year old. Like a package of spaghetti. Only a package of spaghetti seems like a stupid present for a 6 year old girl so you consider adding a can opener to it.
When you realize you have to actually go out and buy a present your mind goes blank; you have NO idea what to get this kid and why can't she just play with a potato like you used to.
Then out of the blue like a birthday arrow shooting straight through your brain it hits you. You're going to make a Birthday Advent calendar because that'll be fast and easy and she'll love it.
You would be right on one count.
Making a Birthday Advent calendar isn't the fastest present idea in the world but it's one that can be used over again.
Keep the idea in your back pocket just in case someone's birthday sneaks up on you even though you're normally very prepared for this sort of thing and even kind of think she might have liked the spaghetti.
DIY Advent Calendar (with punch throughs)
What You Need
- 30 small (literally small) presents
- 2 pieces of foam core board (one for calendar, one to make stand for back)
- 1 roll of washi tape
- 1 or 2 packages of sparkly letters (make sure there's enough of all the letters you need)
- 3 or 4 packages of sparkly numbers (make sure there are enough numbers for all you need)
- hot glue gun
- hole punch
- X-Acto knife
- Coloured string or very thin ribbon.
- Tissue paper (1 sheet)
- Foam stickers for Name Tag at top and to cover doors. (I used cork stickers)
- 30 "dixie" type cups
Stick your sparkly numbers on all 30 foam stickers for the calendar doors.
Spell out recipient's name on larger foam sticker for top of calendar.
Using a measuring tape, mark out the centre of where your holes will go. You'll need 6 rows with 5 holes each.
Using something slightly smaller than the mouth of your dixie cup trace the 30 circles onto your board.
Carefully cut out the circles using an X-acto knife. (this is a pain and by hole 14 you'll hate it)
When the holes are all cut place a piece of washi tape from the centre of the hole to the edge (either the edge of the board or the edge of the hole to the left as you can see in the photos above).
Punch a hole in the middle right edge of each door.
Loop string or ribbon through the hole and secure it with hot glue on the back side of the door.
Run washi tape along the back of the doors the same way you did on the front of the doors BUT do this with the door open. If you do it with the doors closed the tape will be too tight and you won't be able to open the doors. (unlike the front of the door, make sure you run the washi tape along the whole back of the door so it covers up where you glued your string)
This is what the back will look like.
Run a bead of hot glue around the edge of the first row of doors on the back of the board.
Carefully lay your tissue paper down and press it onto the glue.
Repeat this for all the rows of doors, pressing on the tissue paper as you go.
Flip the board over and stick all of the foam stickers with numbers onto the fronts of the doors.
Add the name to the top of the board.
Add washi tape anywhere the board looks unfinished (like around the edges). And then add a bit more just for fun.
Fill your cups with your 30 tiny presents.
Hot glue the edge of your cups and stick them to the back of the board pressing hard so you know the glue seeps through the tissue paper, right to the foam core. Sometimes this is HARD if you have things that want to spill out. Like googley eyes. You'll figure it out.
Cut your last piece of foam core board into 2 rectangles. Then cut each piece again until one side is slanted like you see in this photo ... and glue both to the back of the board. This will make it stand up on its own.
If something is just tooooo big to fit in the little cup, just cut the back out of the cup and wrap it in tissue paper like you can see I've done. It just gives you a little bit more room for something larger like a miniature Frozen flashlight.
You can make the calendar entirely out of stuff from the Dollar Store (provided you have a half decent Dollar Store around like I do) or a craft store where you're sure to find the stuff, it'll just cost you a bit more money.
I made this Birthday Advent calendar for $35 including all the materials to make the calendar and the presents for inside each compartment.
A few months later I made a baseball themed one which I also have detailed instructions for.
For the next 30 days the recipient can wake up every morning, open the secret door, punch through the pink tissue paper and find a present.
You're done! And it only took you 14 days. Just kidding, I did this in a day but only because I had to. Doing it over a couple of nights would be ideal.
Actually finding a child that appreciates a ¾'s full package of spaghetti would be ideal - but this is a good backup.
Wisconsin Gal
Wow, WAY too putzy for me. I might consider doing it with, say 5 windows hiding 5 treats, and wouldn't mention the word advent. Then I'd hope no one would know I'd wimped out on the labor and supplies.
Darla
Love this idea!!! Now if I can just figure out enough things to put behind the doors...
Kelly
Perfect timing! I'm planning on doing a wedding advent calendar for a friend and this is perfect! Huzzah!
Wendy
This may be your best DIY yet!
christine
No,No,No. While we do celebrate "pre-birth week" which ends with "the day you came out of your mothers vagina" NOBODY is getting a labour intensive 30 cup filled gift.No way I have time to do that and make all the unicorn head bands and tails,flower wall,multi-colored layer cake,find every unicorn figurine in Value Village in three cities etc, for my grand daughters up-coming party.Some people go too far!
Jan in Waterdown
Please please tell me you don't really celebrate a day with THAT title!? Nothing says "Happy Birthday" like mentioning your mother's vagina . . . lol . . .
Val
What about a 7-cup one instead?
Mary W
I can think of several uses for this - for grownups. What a fun gift for someone in the hospital. Coming up with appropriate small presents will be a fun game to play at a party. Maybe even one large hole in the lid of a square box for a boy to receive a basketball. (Shape disguised.) Money for my little coin collector. Man o man, a wedding gift for the honeymoon could contain - well I guess that depends on the couple you give it to. Even a housewarming gift filled with super glue, tacks, scotch tape, stamps, etc. The doors wouldn't be numbered but have a clue to the problem that the contents could solve. I LOVE THIS IDEA. Maybe you work best under stress? Genius!
monique
Absolutely darling..:)
Judy Jackson
I'm the world's absolute worst gift giver... srsly, absolute worst... BUT, I CAN DO THIS!!!!! Thank you thank you thank you for this idea 8o)
Catt in Kentucky
Brilliant...unique and so fun....dreaming of an adult version with lipsticks, necklaces and French macrons.
christine
uh,hello? Diamonds?
Cindy
Wow Karen! This is really cool. I'm very serious about presents. My family knows...don't F with my presents. I would totally love receiving this gift. (Not to sound completely self absorbed I also love finding the prefect present for my loved ones too.)
What are some of the other gifts you found? For me I'd love punching some tissue to find those little bottles of liquor.
Liz
Love it! Going to make this for my grandaughter - thanks for being so creative!
Thandi
That's it. I'm making myself one of these suckers for Birthday Month this year. I'll put extra special things in the last seven cups which will correspond to Birthday Week. I've lived on my own, far away from friends and family, on more than one occasion. So I have learned to make a big fuss of my own Birthday. I buy presents for myself every year and then I wrap them and squeal with surprise and delight when I open them (my husband thinks this is very weird, while my mom sends me pictures of awesome things I can buy myself in the days leading up to Birthday Month). This project is perfect. There shall be nailpolish! And small cookie cutters! And little jars of edible glitter! And earrings in the shape of birds! I'm getting overexcited now. I may need a nap. Or some spaghetti.
Karen
You could always make an extra big board with extra big cups (like maybe paint cans) that could accommodate purses and sweaters and shoes! ~ karen
Thandi
Be still my beating heart...
Maura
Wow, what kid would not LOVE this?!!!! Fun,fun,fun idea!
Gillian
Love it! Only problem is the one I'd make it for doesn't have a birthday until October!
I wonder if a 13 year old boy would enjoy it....
Biggest issue....who's gonna make me one?!? My birthday was only a few weeks ago so, it's not too late! LoL.
Jackie
You could probably find a few things for a 13 year old boy that would fit but most of the 13 year old boys I know would prefer to have money in each one - or maybe just some of them.
Centi
Love the calendar... but the rag dolls are the creepiest things I have seen in my life.
Melissa L.
Those are Raggedy Ann dolls! Now I feel sad that you didn't have one growing up. Her buddy is Raggedy Andy. You used to be able to buy them commercially made, but homemade were best. :)
Ardith
Holy glue gun, Batwoman! Pow, you nailed it. Awesome birthday gift, check. Bonus Auntie points, check, check.
Kathleen
That looks like it could be a lot of fun. So who's volunteering to make me one?
Bobbles
Wow! What a great, creative idea!
Meg
This is so novel and delightful and fun!!!! This is AWESOME. you are so rad!!
Jani
This is really a nice gift that you made!! Looks awesome.
Karen
Thanks Jani! Don't forget, I put the post up so you can make one too! Maybe for me. ;) ~ karen!
Thri
You should make a video so that this is more clear . . (I did not understand a lot of stuff ?)