Advent Calendar 2011 + Free Printable

One of the beautiful German Christmas Traditions is to count down the days to Christmas with an Advent Calendar. It comes in all shapes and sizes and we also now see them in our shops in cardboard were a little chocolate will await you behind each numbered door. Last year I made one for my husband with envelopes that I printed, filled with sweet gifts and hanged them on a rope. This year I wanted to make something new for our daughter. I am thrilled to share this idea with you, and you can also download the printable numbers here .... it's not to late... you still have a few days before 1 Dec 2011!

Firstly, you can use the numbers on anything from paper bags to plastic holders (as I have used), I think they will look very nice on chinese take away boxes too!

You will need the 2 page print out of the numbers, a frame with a back board, prestic, decifix, 24 little gifts, 24 plastic holders, festive ribbon, double sided tape & tissue paper.

How to:

1. I have put decifix over the printed numbers and then cut it out to make it nice and shiny, but you can also skip the decifix if you want too.

2. I bought a pack of 20 Atchar plastic cups with reds lids (R15 a packet) and 4 bigger plastic holders with matching red lids for R2,30 each. Put a little piece of tissue paper in each cup and fill each cup with a little gift. We bought some duplo blocks & animals, and filled each cup with two block or a little animal, I varied them with some rice cakes and dried apple rings as our little one is to small for chocolate. Close the lids.

3. Stick the numbers to the lids with double sided tape.

4. Stick the cups onto the back board of the frame with prestic.

5. Finish with a festive ribbon.

6. Put it somewhere as part of your Christmas decorations and Voila!

Now I am off to make one for Hubby too!

Enjoy spoiling your loved ones and couting down the days! Lots of Love, Liezel x