If you’d like to make an Advent—or simply a countdown—calendar, here’s our super-simple DIY calendar we made a few years ago. (Disclosure: Some of these photos were taken at night, and all of them were taken in 2011, when I was still learning—so they’re not the best.)
![A ridiculously easy advent calendar](https://www.theartofsimple.net/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/advent-04.jpg)
I already had a large frame I snagged from the Habitat ReStore. It was glassless—perfect.
Then I taped rows of ribbon along the back.
![Tape ribbon to the back of an empty frame. Instant advent calendar.](https://www.theartofsimple.net/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Advent-calendar-9.jpg)
I bought plain bookmarks from Joann’s. Sets of 20 were $2.50, so I had to buy two. Still inexpensive.
![For your advent calendar messages, use blank bookmarks from a craft store like Michael's.](https://www.theartofsimple.net/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Advent-calendar-3.jpg)
I was planning on using number stickers to label the tags 1 through 25, but then I bumped into this scrapbook paper. Couldn’t be more perfect.
![Numbered scrapbook paper at a craft store makes for easy advent calendar numbering.](https://www.theartofsimple.net/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Advent-calendar-2.jpg)
I cut out the numbers and glued them on upside down, near the bottom.
![The scrapbook numbers glued to the bookmarks.](https://www.theartofsimple.net/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Advent-calendar-4.jpg)
Then I folded them in half.
![Simple advent calendar messages.](https://www.theartofsimple.net/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Advent-calendar-8.jpg)
I had a few more sheets of scrapbook paper, which I cut into strips and gluestick-ed on clothespins. They’re the miniature versions, also from Joann’s.
![advent](https://www.theartofsimple.net/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/advent-05.jpg)
I wanted an activity-oriented advent calendar, but I didn’t want to write anything permanent.There’s no telling what we’ll be doing when from year to year.
So, I write our activities on Sticky Notes. It could look more festive, but if I waited to make everything perfect, it would never happen. My kids don’t care, and I’m fine with it.
![Inside the advent calendar](https://www.theartofsimple.net/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/advent-02.jpg)
This way, we move around activities, change them from year to year, and even switch them up as the month rolls on. A fresh coat of snow today? Let’s bump up “make a snowman” to today and push back “bake cookies.” Here are a few activity ideas.
Then, we flip the card inside out and hang the little picture.
![An easy, no-frills Advent calendar, on The Art of Simple](https://www.theartofsimple.net/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/an-easy-no-frills-advent-calendar.jpg)