DealDash Advent Adventures: Countdown to Christmas
Opening an advent calendar is one of my favorite holiday traditions. Does your family want to start a new tradition this year?
Advent calendars are a delightful way to build anticipation for Christmas. While traditional ones often feature chocolates, a customized calendar filled with unique surprises can make each day extra special. Whether you prefer a full 24-day countdown or a shorter version like 7 or 12 days, these creative ideas will make the holiday season magical for your family. Read on for some ideas on making your own advent calendar to share with your family, from DealDash.
Making a DIY advent calendar adds a personal touch that your family will love. Use small gift bags, envelopes, mini boxes, or fabric pouches, and label each with a number. You can display them in a basket, on a string, or as part of your holiday décor. This past weekend my daughter and I created an advent calendar by using a large box and covering it with wrapping paper and taping in a few shelves to hold the daily boxes.
Daily Surprise Ideas
1. Fun Family Activities
Add a dose of quality time to your countdown with engaging activities. Here are a few suggestions to get you thinking.
- Write letters to Santa or create holiday wish lists together
- Decorate the Christmas tree or make a new ornament as a family
- Host a Christmas movie marathon with popcorn and cozy blankets
- Go on a holiday light scavenger hunt around the neighborhood
- Spend an evening baking cookies and decorating them with festive designs
2. Sweet Treats and Small Gifts
Treat your loved ones to little surprises that bring joy. No fair using the leftover Halloween candy that no one wanted!
- Mini chocolates, candy canes, or festive sweets
- Small toys like puzzles, stickers, or holiday-themed trinkets
- Personalized notes sharing a compliment, a fun memory, or a joke to brighten their day
3. Holiday Crafts
Inspire creativity with simple and festive DIY projects. This suggestions aren’t so much presents as a gift of your presence.
- Make salt dough ornaments or paper snowflakes to decorate your home
- Create a family Christmas card or handmade gift tags for presents
- Build a gingerbread house together and display your masterpiece
- Design a festive centerpiece for the holiday table
Customizing Your Countdown
Advent calendars can be as long or short as you want. A full 24 days is traditional, but you can choose 10, 12, or any number of days that works for your family’s schedule. The beauty of a customized calendar is its flexibility. Mix and match activities, treats, and kindness ideas to make it uniquely yours.
DealDash Has Gifts and Small Surprises
If you’re looking for a few small gifts and surprises to add to your advent calendar, a great place to begin your search is DealDash. Most of the surprises that you will add are typically small in size. Jewelry, perfume, and sunglasses are just the right size. However, if there is a larger item that you think is perfect for your family, then you can simply stick a piece of paper with a number into the drawer or envelope, and stick the wrapped surprise nearby with the same number on it. So if you want to make a camping bundle from DealDash as the final gift, don’t feel constrained by size.
Thanks for Reading
An advent calendar filled with thoughtful surprises transforms the countdown to Christmas into a season of joy and surprise. From family activities to sweet treats and small gifts, these ideas are sure to create cherished memories. How will you build your advent adventure this year? Thanks so much for reading, and happy bidding everyone!
This sponsored DealDash blog article was written by Dawn E, a mother of 3 who loves DealDash. Dawn was compensated for writing this article. Check out Dawn and her cats on Instagram! This blog is written by real DealDash customers. The opinions and advice shared here represent our customers’ views and not those of the company.
