DIY Christmas tree advent calendar (+ the loveliest filling for any age)

Christmas is coming and that means lots and lots of crafting opportunities. After all a DIY Christmas is the best kind, right? To kick off the festive season, I’ve got my annual diy advent calendar – probably my favourite Christmas project to make and Anya’s favourite to receive – I think she likes it more than Christmas day itself!

One of my favourite diy advent calendars to make was my mini forest one. I loved seeing all those mini trees and that sea of green. That inspired me to make this diy Christmas tree advent calendar but with a completely different look and an unusual but lovely idea for the filling.

What’s the filling for my diy Christmas tree advent calendar?

This year I think I’m actually more excited about the filling than the design because I decided to do something a little different. In the past I’ve filled my advent calendars with treats or little gifts and I’ve also made diy activity advent calendars.

While Richard and I were chatting recently about filling her calendar, we came up with the idea to get in touch with Anya’s closest friends, family and a few teachers and ask them to send one or two sentences about Anya – this could be something they like about her, a word of advice that could help her, a quality of hers that they admire or even something they’ve learned from her. The comments coming in have been so uplifting and full of so much love and wisdom – I can’t wait for Anya to start seeing them from December 1st.

I especially love this idea for an advent calendar because it’s perfect for any age and any relationship. You can make one for your hubby, your kids, your grandma or even your neighbour. It’s a lovey gesture to show someone how loved they are by so many and it’s a calendar they will remember long after the turkey has been eaten and many new years have passed.

Once Anya has opened her calendar, I’m going to get her to stick all of her little notes in to a notebook and keep them as a memory she can look back on.

DIY Christmas tree advent calendar

Materials:
mini brush trees*
24 mini cork bottles*
pliers
number stickers

Type up your comments/quotes and cut in to little squares. Scroll each little square and pop in a bottle. Remove the bases from the brush trees – they come off very easily with a couple of twists.  Then gently insert the tree in to the top of the cork lid of each bottle. If the brush stem is too long, cut with pliers. This is exactly why I chose cork bottles – the brush trees sit so well on top of them.  Add your number stickers and your mini tree advent calendar is ready.

*I’ve linked to the brush trees and cork bottles I used but if you’re not in the UK, there are plenty of both these available in a range of sizes on amazon and ebay in the US and worldwide.

You can easily turn this DIY Christmas tree advent calendar in to an activity calendar but also a gift/treat one. To do that you just need to buy bigger cork bottles and bigger trees and do the same.  And if you want to hide the gifts, fill the bottles with fake snow to cover up the treat.

I’m really excited with my fillings and can’t wait for Anya to read them. Maybe somebody reading might even make one of these for me next year… a girl can wish right?

Do you enjoy making your own advent calendar? Let me know in the comments below.

P.S. I have loads more advent calendar ideas so if you fancy something cute, this diy santa advent calendar might inspire you.  And if you prefer a minimal idea then here’s a minimal diy activity advent calendar that you might enjoy making.