The Best Christmas Countdown You’ll Use Year After Year

We are heading into the holiday season and the countdown to Christmas will be here before you know it! In this blog post I want to share an easy project to make the best Christmas countdown you’ll use year after year. As far as DIY advent calendars go, this beautiful Christmas village is the perfect way for the whole family to count down to the big day. Display anywhere in your own home to enjoy this Christmas season. For example, place in the living room on the coffee table or mantel, under the Christmas tree or on the table or sideboard in the dining room.

A Fun Way To Celebrate Is With A Christmas Countdown Calendar

A Christmas advent calendar or a Christmas countdown calendar have always been a special family tradition for my girls and I. Every single year I gathered creative ideas for a small treat for each day for the girls . These included coupons for a special holiday activity, gift cards to a craft store like Hobby Lobby or the Dollar Store, small toys and more. 

Use the following list of little treats as inspiration for your own DIY Christmas countdown calendar. An easy way to package these for gifting is in small paper bags or small envelopes. A great project for these envelopes is in this post. 

From Our Store Twigs & Fluff

Santa’s Magic Key Printable Set

This festive Santa’s Magic Key Poem Printable Tag Set is a great addition for a fun Christmastime tradition. Perfect for handing out at church, at school, to friends and family and your neighbors. Six different Santa images are included.

Check it out In The Store

See This Christmas Countdown And Two More Projects!

Steps To Create The Best Christmas Countdown Village

I rescued a bunch of free wood and moved it from Texas to Tennessee because I had plans for “fifth sparrow-ing no more” all of it. I didn’t know what those plans were until now!

Use Scrap Wood For The Best Christmas Countdown Calendar

First Step

• Cut the 2 x 4’s to these lengths.
  • Four 3 inch
  • Ten 3.5 inch
  • Five 4 inch
  • Five 4.5 inch
  • One 12 inch

Second Step

• Sand each block to remove rough edges and round off any sharp edges (a judgmental puppy supervisor is optional but recommended)
• Paint each block on all sides with the Midnight Sky paint.

Third Step

• After paint dries cut out each building from the IOD transfer. Apply the transfers to each block, placing the long row of houses on the 12 inch block.
• Mix 2 parts magnolia paint and one part water together. Flick this on your blocks to create snow.

Fourth Step

• Apply a number to each block, I used scrapbook paper cut with a circle punch for this. Watch the video for more numbering ideas!
• Apply a clear coat in flat or satin to finish off your project.
• Attach a hinge clip to the back of each block for countdown treats.

Your Questions Answered About Christmas Countdown Calendars and Advent Calendars

What Is the History Behind the Tradition?

The idea of an advent calendar dates back to the 19th century, when German families would use chalk to mark their doors or walls with a tally mark to countdown to Christmas.

A German printer named Gerhard Lang designed cardboard Advent calendars around the turn of the century and later in the 1920s, came up with the idea of cutting out little doors to open each day. Behind each door, one would find a devotional picture or Bible verse.

In the United States, advent calendars didn’t become popular until 1954 when Newsweek published a photo of President Eisenhower’s grandchildren holding one.

British chocolatier Cadbury created the chocolate advent calendar in 1958. Behind its little doors a small piece of chocolate was found.

What Is A Christmas Countdown Calendar and How Does It Work?

Modern creative Christmas countdowns are treat-filled ways of marking off the days leading up to Christmas and Santa’s arrival. 

They typically start on December 1st and countdown to December 25th. There are alternatives available such as the twelve days of Christmas countdown calendars.

What Is An Advent Calendar and How Does It Work?

Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, meaning “arrival” or “coming.” Advent season is a four-week period intended as a time to remember the true reason for the season. It serves as a time of spiritual reflection and preparation of the arrival of Jesus Christ.

It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, which is anywhere from November 27 to December 3. Since December 25th falls on a different day of the week every year, the dates of advent shift.

Before You Fly Away To Create The Best Christmas Countdown Calendar Village

Pin any of the images to Pinterest so you can create the best Christmas countdown calendar village – hover over any picture to save the pin to your Pinterest account. So easy!

I’m Kristin, CEO aka Creative & Energetic Owner of The Fifth Sparrow No More. I’m so happy that you’re here! I want you to be able to find the beautiful in yourself and in your home. We will do that through learning what God says about us and decorating and DIYing in thrifty and purposeful ways.

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