countdown calendar

So much build up for this little tutorial! I've had you saving your toilet paper tubes for an Advent calendar. Many of you already guessed. Counting down the days to Christmas, or the Winter Solstice, is such a fun way to build the excitement of the holiday season. For young children, whose concept of time is so different from ours, this is a very visual way for them to understand the passage of the days leading up to a celebration. For Chanukah, a garland of 8 tubes filled with gelt and little gifts is a wonderful extension to the magical Festival of Lights.

Saving up a lot of tubes on short notice might not have worked work out for all of you. If you'd like to make a calendar anyway, you can easily fabricate a t.p. tube from a brown paper bag or craft paper. Cut out a rectangle that measures 4 1/2 x 6 inches . Form a tube by overlapping the width ends and stapling them. It will not be as sturdy, but will work just the same.

Tutorial for an advent calendar

Materials:


8-24 tubes, depending on your celebration
mod p0dge or white glue for fabric
glue stick for paper
1-2 yards of twine or ribbon
rubber stamps with numerals
decorative elements: fabric, scrapbook paper, ribbons, glitter, stickers, etc.
scissors: regular and fancy edged
hole puncher
tape

Make:

1. Cut four one-inch slits around the bottom of a tube. Cut an equal distance from each one.
2. You will have four sides to fold over, one after the other. Tape down after final fold. Scotch tape works, but duct tape (in clear) is the strongest. I will be going over all of my Scotch tape with duct tape!


3. Prepare all of your tubes this way.


4. Decorate each tube to your heart's content. We opted for simple. Our choice was a combination of aesthetic and the reality of decorating 24 tubes. We glued our strips of vintage and modern fabric to the center of each tube.


5. Flare out the top with little snips. Make up your own teqhniques and see what you like. My children love this part.

6. Arrange your decorated tubes in the order that you will hang them. We like to create a pattern.
7. Stamp your numbers on the front (the seam of the paper or fabric is the back side). You can also print out your numbers from the computer, use stickers, or write them on with a sharpie... you choose.
8. Punch holes on the top right and left side of each tube.
9. String your countdown calendar into a lovely garland. We used this luxurious baker's string. So far it's the only thing we've bought for our holidays!


Start with the last number first. Hang in a place of honor.


We will fill ours with treats and a new tradition. This year we will slip a "Time Ticket" into each tube, with some awareness of whose turn it will be to open on each night. I'm making a little chart that I will keep handy for everyone. What is a Time Ticket? A little coupon for special one-0n 0ne time with a parent, a sibling, or partner. Our time and love is our greatest gift. By giving in "present" form, we are showing how much we value it. I'm even going to have the children surprise one another with a few tickets to eachother. Haven't photographed those yet, but they should be sweet.
Each coundtdown calendar has the potential to be as unique as the family that creates it. I'd love to see yours if you make one!