DIY Christmas Advent Calendar with Cricut

‘Tis the season to get CRAAAFTYYYY. Today I shall teach you how to make a DIY Christmas advent calendar with a Cricut cutter!

My sister and I are just two crafty queens. DIY betches.

So this year we decided to be SO fun and create advent calendars for each other. We set a budget and got to building. I still haven’t seen the one she made me yet but here is mine! LET’S CRAFT! (I added a little gift guide at the bottom as well.)

Also, don’t forget to check out my winter wallpapers for this szn.

Side note, I am affiliated with Amazon associates program so I make a lil mullaaahh off my links because I am a savvy businesswoman. Ok?

If you want an easier version, I have another DIY Hanging Advent Calendar post that is muchhhhh easier!

Materials to Build Your Bad Ass DIY Christmas Advent Calendar That Will Make Everyone Jealous: 

• Boxes – HERE on Amazon if you are too lazy to go into Michaels.
• Paper/card stock – I used paper from this pad Peachy Everygreen Pad, Holiday Pad and one last glitter one I can’t find online. But Michaels has a PLETHORA of glitter paper. Or check out the Scrapbooking paper on Amazon. Gold Paper, Winter wonderland, Martha Stewart Winter Pad.
• Spray adhesive – HERE
• Fake snow – HERE and HERE
• Modge podge – but any glue will do. HERE
• Hot glue/ Hot glue gun. HERE
• Christmas decor- I used leeeetle trees and reindeer. TREES, TREES, and REINDEER, and REINDEER. But get whatever you want to make your village!
• Christmas lights- HERE or HERE.
• Foam board– I got mine from Michaels. 1/4-1/2 inch is fine. Go thicker if you have heavy gifts.
• Cricut Explore– HERE– I know a lot of people don’t have this machine, but if you are a TRUE crafter I highly suggest it. You could also just use an Exacto knife and cut out the shapes. This is the Cricut machine I have
• House graphics- Download the ones I made HERE.

I pretty much got everything from Michaels (Gotta use that coup) and Amazon. I also had a lot of the stuff already.

How To Build Your Bad Ass DIY Christmas Advent Calendar That Will Make Everyone Jealous: 

1. Arrangement

First, start arranging your boxes in the stacked arrangement you want. I messed with this for a while before I got the look I wanted. I started with a 5×5 stacked version. Then I did more of a 3D look. I didn’t want just one “front”. So mess with it until you get the lewk you want.

2. Graphics

You can use whatever house graphics you want but I attached the ones I used HERE Download them and upload them to your circuit interface. Make sure the house part, not the roof, is the same inches as your box. Mine were all 4 inches or 3 inches.

3. Cricut cat

Next, cricut cut your houses! I also cut out rectangles in white card stock to glue to the backsides of the houses so you can’t see through the window cutouts. (When you string the lights, it will look like the windows are lit up.)

4. Spray Gluing

If you cut out the white card stock, spray glue that to the back of the house cutout.

5. Glue the houses

Next, glue the house to the opening on the box. I had the boxes on their side, so it opens like a door. Continue to do this until all houses are done.

6. Glue time

Using a paint brush, paint the tops of the boxes with modge podge and dip, or sprinkle, the tops with fake snow. Let dry fully.

7. A lil Break

Now would be a good time for you to go get a snack and watch an episode of Real Housewives while your boxes dry.

8. Arranging

Once the boxes are dry, start figuring out how you want them stacked. I rearranged and moved things around a few times so the houses with the same paper weren’t next to each other. Then, grab your hot glue and start gluing it all together. I started with the middle, gluing those boxes to the foam board and then working my way around from there. Sometimes I would glue the three boxes together before gluing it to the foam board.

9. Touch-ups

Once I had all the boxes glued onto the board, I would also add a little glue to touching boxes on the sides and corners.

10. Decorating

Now the fun part. Decorating! Start hot gluing all the trees and decor to your heart’s desire. Add in more snow if necessary.

11. Next, numbers!

I used my Cricut to cut out numbers 1-25 and then glued them on to each house.

12. Lights!

Lastly, the final step is stringing the lights. Lay the lights around the backsides of the houses. Make sure they don’t interfere with the opening of the houses. If you bought lights that plugin, leave a little extra so it can reach a plug! (Side note: after I wrote this blog I ended up switching out my lights for remote controlled fairy lights. So, if you see two different versions throughout the post, that’s why.)

13. DONE!!!!!

All you have to do is fill it with leeeetle gifts.

Gift Guide

Don’t know what to put inside your advent? I am here to help. For starters, go to your local Bevmo, Total Wine & More or liquor store. Buy as many little bottles of alcohol that your heart desires. Ok, your advent is done. JK, here are a few more ideas:

• Face masks – These might need to be folded in half to fit in the bags
• Bath bombs – These Bath Bombs are Christmas themed!
• Lipstick or Chapstick
• Eyeshadow – A lot of brands do single eyeshadows
• Mario Badescu Face Spray
• Beauty Blender– Get that on brand stuff, ya know.
• Candy – Pick their fav candy or Christmas themed!
• Ornaments – find something special!
• Soap – make sure it fits
• Essential Oils – Not an MLM I swear lol
• Hair scrunchies – they are making a comeback!
• Headbands or Hair scarves
• Travel size things – like dry shampoo, beach hair texture spray, etc
• Mini Jams or Nutella! – I got mine from World Market
• Nail polish– My sister has a gel nail kit, so I got her specific gel ones
• Tea or Coffee– I linked my fav tea but I love the packaging of this tea
• Tea infuser – I love the Manatee, Sloth, Unicorn, Elephant
• Jewelry – I did a little dainty necklace for the 24th. I liked these
• Astrology Coin Necklaces, Snowflake Necklaces or Snowflake
• Earrings and this Rose Quartz Bracelet
• Eos Lip balm – It’s the perfect shape
• PopSockets – Llama, Glitter, Marble
• Gift cards to somewhere special – This would be a good one for the 25th

And now you have created the most LITTTTTTT advent calendar in history. All thanks to me. You’re welcome. I hope you liked my DIY Advent Calendar. Check out my DIYs and wallpapers as well! I have Summer Wallpapers, Space Wallpapers and Astrology Wallpapers. I have a ton more, check out my Pinterest! If you have any more DIY or other fun ideas feel free to comment below with your suggestions!

Have a rocking Christmas. Or whatever you celebrate.