{"id":6425,"date":"2021-11-09T18:24:28","date_gmt":"2021-11-09T19:24:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.smartdcamp.com\/?p=6425"},"modified":"2025-04-16T14:40:54","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T14:40:54","slug":"use-a-muffin-tin-to-create-a-frugal-christmas-advent-calendar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.smartdcamp.com\/index.php\/2021\/11\/09\/use-a-muffin-tin-to-create-a-frugal-christmas-advent-calendar\/","title":{"rendered":"Use a Muffin Tin to Create a Frugal Christmas Advent Calendar"},"content":{"rendered":"
This DIY advent calendar is the perfect holiday craft.<\/em><\/p>\n Excited to make Christmas crafts<\/a>?🎄<\/strong><\/p>\n Although Advent calendars<\/a> have been around for what seems like forever<\/em>, they’ve really exploded as a holiday tradition in recent years. They’re such a fun way to build excitement while counting down the days until Christmas, especially for families with children.<\/p>\n One drawback to popular store-bought Advent calendars is that they can be pretty pricey, especially if you have multiple children in your family. Thankfully, you can make your own DIY Advent calendar and totally customize it for your family’s budget and interests!<\/p>\n It’s so easy to re-purpose a mini muffin tin<\/a> into a cute homemade Advent calendar for counting down the days until Christmas! It’s super easy to put together, and it can also be a fun kids’ craft activity<\/a> too.<\/p>\n Then, when they’re not looking, you can fill each space with a small piece of candy, chocolate, sticker, written note, or handmade token to redeem for holiday-themed family activities. Your child can then reveal a new surprise on each day leading up to Christmas!<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t 1<\/span><\/p>\n Cut twenty-four 2.25 inch circles out of holiday scrapbook paper. I used my Cricut cutting machine<\/a> to do this task quickly, but you could also trace and cut.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n 2<\/span><\/p>\n Fill each spot with candy, a chocolate coin, or a written message. The round metal tags<\/a> I had fit perfectly inside so I used those to make little tokens with written messages.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n 3<\/span><\/p>\n Cover each hole with a circle. I secured them with Glue Dots<\/a>, but you can use magnetic strips<\/a> or a glue gun<\/a> if desired.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n 4<\/span><\/p>\n Apply\u00a0numbered stickers on top of each circle, or write them by hand. Note: I glued a round metal tag to each circle then added a number in order to see it clearer.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n 5<\/span><\/p>\n Add some optional sticker embellishments, if desired. All of the ones pictured in this DIY were purchased at Michaels craft store<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n 6<\/span><\/p>\n Open one by one each day in December leading up to Christmas!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Using a mini muffin pan<\/a> is so perfect since there are exactly 24 spots! You could also use two standard-sized muffin pans<\/a> if you wanted to fill each space with bigger surprises or multiple treats.<\/p>\n I also love that you can totally customize this for your kids, your family, or even your pet! To make this DIY project even more budget-friendly, you could fill it with things that you may already have on hand, like leftover Halloween candy.<\/p>\n Rather than putting tiny surprises inside, you could opt to fill your Advent calendar with ideas for holiday-themed family activities or acts of kindness<\/a> to spread holiday cheer.<\/p>\n Need ideas? Head on over here<\/a> to print our FREE Christmas Bucket List<\/a> for lots of fun, frugal, and family-friendly activities. Be sure to check out our FREE Random Acts of Kindness printable<\/a> too, for ways to spread a little Christmas cheer beyond the walls of your home. 🎄Enjoy!<\/p>\n Looking for more Advent calendars? Head here!<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This DIY advent calendar is the perfect holiday craft. Excited to make Christmas crafts?🎄 Although Advent calendars have been around … <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nMuffin Tin DIY Advent Calendar<\/h2>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>Print
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\nSupplies Needed<\/h4>\n
\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tmini muffin tin (for 24 muffins)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tholiday-themed scrapbooking paper\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tscissors\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsmall number stickers and desired embellishments\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tround metal tags to write messages on (or use paper)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tglue dots or magnetic strips\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsmall miniature candies, chocolate coins, etc.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nDirections<\/h4>\n
\n<\/p>\n
I love how this DIY Muffin Tin Advent calendar turned out!<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n
\n