The grocery store used to have Christmas countdown calendars right by the checkouts and every year I would see them on my way to the register and toss one in my cart. You know, the kind with the little doors you open and there is a chocolate inside.

Well, the past two years, they haven’t had them next to the check outs, which means I don’t see them, haha, so they do not make it into my cart. Last year it took me about a week to realize we didn’t have one. Luckily, I was able to pick up something a bit different at Aldi that worked.

This year, it took me approximately 3 weeks to notice I had not purchase a Christmas countdown calendar. Oops. So, a few days ago, I looked up DIY ideas. I came up with one on my own, which I thought I would share, in case anyone is in a similar boat.

Supplies:

• cardstock/ poster board
• wrapping paper
• tape
• scissors
• numbers for the dates left until Christmas
• small paper squares to write the instructions on
• small gifts, treats, or whatever you choose

Instructions:

• Count the number of days left until Christmas
• Have that many small gifts or treats
• Write instructions on the small paper squares
• Make or cut out numbers for the dates left until Christmas
• Make or cut out something to use for the ‘doors’
• Assemble using tape to the cardstock/ poster board
• Wrap the small gifts or treats
• Put individual numbers on the wrapped gifts

To put some personality and choices in it, I wrote the instructions as “choose a number between 1 and 5” “choose a number between 1 and 4” etc, under the Santa doors. That way my kiddo can choose whatever number he wants and then he gets that corresponding gift that day. I will have to change the numbers on the gifts daily to accomodate the number of days left.

When I created this, we only had 5 days left until Christmas. I spent about $12 at a dollar type store for the supplies, including the gifts. Next time, I would probably put the tape underneath the numbers and daily instructions, but this worked in a time crunch.

Christmas countdowns seem to be fun whether they are made for kids or adults. In fact, I found some cool links to share, if you are interested in more of an online style of a Christmas countdown:

• https://www.xmasclock.com
• https://yourchristmascountdown.com
• https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/christmas

And, there’s even a super cool one where you can get an elf name!

• https://yourelfname.com

Maybe next year the Christmas countdown calendars will make their way back to their spot in front of the grocery store checkout lanes, but now I know that if I get myself in a pinch again, I can definitely make a last minute one myself.