An Advent Ladder

I've wanted to make an advent calendar every year since Imani was little.

 

 

I finally made one. 

 

 

Imani is almost twelve.

 

 

Don't judge me -- I just struggled with how to make one, what to put inside etc. etc.

 

 

I mean, they have a ton of advent calendars at Target and TJ Maxx and I've come close to purchasing one on several occasions. 

 

But I didn't want to fill the calendar with a bunch of presents . . . I think Christmas focuses too much on material objects already.

 

 

And I didn't want to fill it with candy.

 

 

We still have Halloween Candy left over . . . and NOT because nobody's eating it . . but because Imani is the fastest trick or treater I've ever seen.

 

I suppose I could fill it with toiletries from Rite Aid, since the Coupon Cowboy has quite a collection in my basement, but I didn't think that would be very fun for Imani.

 

 

Oh and I'm cheap "frugal."  I didn't want to spend $30 on an Advent calendar.

 

 

So I did some research online and found a lot of really great ideas of what to put inside the advent calendar so it wouldn't be all about gifts.  There are many great sites that list advent "activities" in lieu of gifts.

 

 

And remember that jewelry I found at Hub's Place?  It made its way into my advent calendar too.  I'll share more on that (along with the activities) later.

 

In the meantime, do you like my calendar?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I knew I wanted to incorporate my ladder.  We have two ladders in our house that I use simply for decorating.  I love them. If I could put a ladder in every room and not have people think I was crazy, I would do it.  I once wrote about ways to decorate with ladders here.   Now we could add the advent calendar to that list!

 

Anyway, this advent calendar was pretty simple to make, and it only cost me $2.

I found little white boxes in the wedding section of the dollar store.  You get 12 in a package for $1, so I picked up two.

 

Then I nicely asked Jason if he'd write all of the numbers on the boxes . . . since I've told you a million times I'm really sloppy and he's a perfectionist.

 

I had to nag him a bunch but he finally granted my wish . . . he's never failed me.

 

Then, I filled the boxes with the activities and tied each box to my ladder with red and white baker's twine that I had left over from my Christmas cards.

 

That's it.  I'm hoping those little boxes hold up for many years so we can carry this tradition well into Noah's childhood without having to re-create the calendar.

 

What about you? Do you have an advent calendar? Did you make it and if so, how?  What do you put in it? I'd love to hear.