The origin of the advent calendar started in Germany in the 19th century. Different methods of counting down the days to the celebration of Christmas were used, such as drawing a chalk line to mark off the days. Later, lighting a candle every night or putting up small religious pictures marked each day until Christmas.
There is nothing as special as a home-made advent calendar – and the best thing about them is that you can choose exactly what will go in them each day, personalizing them to suit your family.
Some home-made advent calendars are flat, others offer you a bit more flexibility and allow you put in a little gift or edible treat. The beauty is that every day marks a personal touch for your family members. MOLLY MAID, the experts in residential cleaning, have a few ideas below to get you thinking:
1. DIY Envelope / Bulletin board
- Use a large piece of cardboard and cut it into the shape of a tree or triangle.
- Attach 24 coloured envelopes and fill with notes saying what you love about each other.
- Alternatively, these could be affixed to a bulletin board.
2. Muffin or Cupcake Tin
- Using a 24-count muffin tin, fill each muffin cup with a small present.
- Write the numbers 1 to 24 on pieces of coloured construction paper and cover up the opening of the individual tin cups.
3. Mason Jar
- Fill a Mason jar with 24 clues as to where a special gift has been hidden in the house.
At MOLLY MAID, we believe it's never too late to start a tradition like this for your family – one that will become a real treasure in the years to come.
For more great ideas of how to fill your advent calendar, come back and visit our blog on November 21st.
