Do you need easy Christmas advent calendar ideas? Here are 30 advent calendar & activity free printables! All of them can be downloaded and printed at home, to create a meaningful tradition as you countdown to Christmas!
Make-Your-Own Advent Calendar Template PDFs = Easy Holiday Fun
Since I had my sons, I’ve been a big fan of advent calendar activities. There’s something about the childlike excitement of counting down to Christmas. My boys are 6 years old now, and it’s become something of a favorite tradition, a little bit of nostalgia that we as modern parents can add to the mix of Christmas festivities.
However, we know the holiday season can be stressful – do we really need to add in something else to do? I know the feeling, sister! However, there’s a way to make it fun -AND easy.
While an advent calendar is a great way to create fun activities for the whole family as we await the big day, it’s even better when it’s a free printable template.
What Kinds of Advent Calendars Are There?
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If you are new to advent calendars, there are a few ways you can go at it.
1| For many, the simplest and easiest is the candy advent calendar.
For this one, you can simply purchase a calendar (or make one – this post has 30 beautiful DIY advent calendar ideas), and inside the little houses or doors or gift boxes or mini sacks, there is a piece of chocolate or a Christmas cookie or a small treat.
Some families take this up a few notches and put small toys or ornaments in their calendars to open all through the month of December.
2| Another easy advent calendar is simply a countdown calendar.
In a calendar like this, you just move a magnet or a wreath or whatever object you have through the dates, beginning with December 1 all the way to Christmas Day. You can do this with numbered tags or opened numbered mini Christmas cards as well.
3| Many families like to use a Christian or Bible-based calendar.
For this calendar, the family would read a portion of Scripture from the Bible each day that retells the Christmas Nativity story (this is one I have used with my sons since they were little). Some families choose to go through the names of Jesus, and others use the Jesse Tree – which tells the story of the Bible beginning with creation and ending with the birth of Jesus, all with symbolic ornaments you can hang on a Christmas tree.
(You can also incorporate some of these printable Christmas Bible studies – lots of family-friendly and kid-friendly options!)
4| Some families like to do an advent calendar with different Christmas activities every day.
Some of the activities can be as simple as watching Christmas movies or drinking hot cocoa – all the way to activities that take a little more planning, like driving around to see Christmas lights, baking cookies and making crafts. (This Christmas bucket list can help inspire you!)
5| A last type of advent calendar that many families opt to do it an Acts of Kindness countdown.
With this one, each of the activities has to do with service or doing a good deed for others or the communities. With this advent countdown, it encourages kids to be others-focused and not so self-absorbed during this season.
And since there are really no rules to this, you are totally free to do a combination of any of the above!
The Beauty of a Free Printable Calendar for Advent
I’m a huge fan of free printables. Many bloggers offer them as a kind courtesy to their readers. Even though I create my own free printables (be sure you get on my email list – I send a free printable out every month!) and sell them in my Etsy shop, I definitely download those PDF files from others who offer them! I encourage you to do the same!
In the list below, you’ll see all types of the above listed advent calendar. But as I mentioned, all of them are some type of a free printable advent calendar, which makes your life so much easier.
Some are free printable advent calendar houses, boxes or envelopes.
Some are a complete free printable advent calendar set: with numbers, tags, envelopes, as well as Christmas activities.
Some come with blank cards for you to customize to your own advent activity.
Others have advent Bible verses and activities, and others have simple Christmas activities that are, plain and simple, so much fun to do this time of year. And yes, you’ll find some with Acts of Kindness, too.
Scroll through, see which one fits your family best and create some new Christmas traditions to look forward to every year!
One caveat, though: this is supposed to make your life EASIER, and not put another burden on you during an already busy season! Choose what works best for you and your family (not necessarily the one that is cutest!) A printable advent activity should be an EASY way to celebrate the season, not create more stress.
You’ll see LOTS of ideas – just choose what will be the most meaningful for you and your kids, to represent the true meaning of Christmas!
30+ Free Printable Christmas Advent Calendars
From A Hundred Affections
This is a 22 page set that is the whole she-bang! You'll get 4 calendars, 72 activity cards including Bible readings, Acts of Kindness and Family Activities, as well as number cards and picture cards! The ultimate way to customize an advent calendar to your family's needs - in an adorable vintage rustic style!
From Skip to My Lou
This one is just so beautiful and colorful! You get the printable for the envelopes as well as the activity inserts!
From Amanda Wright
These are such adorable boxes that you can make and fill with your own inserts. Amanda also shows different ways you can display them.
From Just a Mamma
This post has so many beautiful ideas to make your own advent calendar. Not only do you get the numbered cards, but you can also download Christmas Scripture cards and Jesse Tree ornaments!
The Happy Housie
With this free printable download, you get the adorable advent cards as well as corresponding activities!
From Man with a Van Edinburgh
These printable houses are a fun way to make an advent community and fill with your own advent activities or treats!
Edventures with Kids
You can get these super-cute advent numbered tags for here, with a lot of freedom for how you want to use and display them!
From More Like Grace
I truly love this one. Not only do you get the beautiful numbers, but the activity tags are 'gifts for Jesus' - acts of kindness and God-centered activities you can do all month long.
From Just a Girl and Her Blog
This free printable advent calendar idea comes with the numbers as well as Bible verses to read all month long. She also gives simple instructions for how to DIY your own advent display!
From Red Bird Blue
If you want your kids to be reading the Christmas story from the Bible all December long, print out these beautiful advent cards!
From Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls
I can tell you this - for my sons, this might be the most fun advent calendar that exists. They are obsessed with Legos, and if your kids are too, I bet they would look forward to this every single day.
From Ella Clair Inspired
If you want an advent calendar that is classy and will fit in with your decor, these beautiful advent cards and envelopes are a no-fail choice.
From Winter and Sparrow
This is so beautiful for the Christmas season! With this idea, the printables were printed on transfer paper and ironed onto the burlap sacks! Genius! Activity cards are included as well.
From House of White
If you just want a simple free printable advent calendar idea list, this is super-easy to print and place in a calendar of your choosing!
From Comeback Momma
If you're looking for a no-fuss calendar that leans more towards the significance of the activity than actually creating a calendar, this one will encourage your kids to think of others all season long.
From a Well Purposed Woman
A Jesse Tree is another way to create a Christmas countdown. With this Christmas tradition, the ornaments retell the story of the Bible from creation up until Jesus' birth.
From Kay Christine
These are beautiful brushstroke number tags along with advent activities that you can print out.
From A Virtuous Woman
I just love the focus on Jesus for these tags. Each day highlights another name of Jesus with the corresponding Scripture.
from The Craft Patch
If your kids love gingerbread figures and/or stickers, this is a fantastic option! Print out the gingerbread village scene along with the stickers (a Silhouette Cutting machine is needed for this one!)
From Natasha Metzler
This is another beautiful calendar that focuses on Jesus. A simple one-page print-out that's elegant and meaningful.
From Happy Home Fairy
These are super-cute Scripture cards that can teach your kids all about the Christmas story through the entire holiday season. They are designed to also be cut and used with other advent calendars.
From The Ginger Home
These are beautiful and stylish watercolor tags that you can use to attach to an array of Christmas advent containers.
From Moms Who Save
If your kids love a little chocolate in their advent calendars, this is a great idea! The circles on this printable calendar are perfectly sized for a Hershey's Kiss!
From Place of My Taste
These watercolor advent cards are just gorgeous! This can stand alone as Christmas decor or it works perfectly for your own DIY advent calendar idea.
From Boxwood Avenue
These simple number tags are so classy and can be used with almost anything! They look especially beautiful on muslin or burlap bags.
From Frugal Coupon Living
These are super-cute to attach to your advent envelope or bag! You can print on sticker paper or on cardstock and glue!
From Delightful Order
These are super-festive number tags that you can use to create your own calendar. Display as a countdown or you can write your own fun activities on the back!
From Pure Sweet Joy
Y'all, these are HANDDRAWN designs on a free download box template. I just love this beautiful DIY advent calendar!
From Thirty Eighth Street
These are beautifully number advent cards with super-fun sayings on them to build up the anticipation to Christmas! These look amazing hung on a mini Christmas tree!
From Yellow Bliss Road
This amazing set comes with envelops, Scriptures, and activities. The whole set is right here!
From Paper Trail Design
This is such a fun advent activity and a great way to keep the focus on Jesus. With this activity, kids can move the silhouette of Mary and Joseph along the path until they reach Bethlehem where Jesus is born!
Downloadable Advent Calendar for the Win!
So many to choose from, right? The great thing is that they’re free, so you can change it up from year to year, if you’d like!
These calendars have so many ideas for a special Christmas holiday with your family, for special times all the days of December. If you choose to use any of these calendars, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment here, on Pinterest or tag me on Instagram @100affections!
Advent Calendar Too Much? How about a Christmas Bucket List?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of this, please. Don’t do ANYTHING that will add to your stress; that is NOT what Christmas is about.
If you feel like you’d still like to do some special activities with your family but don’t want to commit to an advent calendar, check out this Christmas Bucket List. Here are 30 activities (many are the same as the advent calendar) you can choose – no everyday- commitment needed. You also get a free printable with this list as well!
Another option without a daily commitment is a weekly Advent reading, using an advent wreath and candles. This keeps the focus on Christ and also provides a weekly meeting point to share the Christmas story together.
And if you’re looking for more Christmas inspiration, this post has ALL of my Christmas posts in one place: decor, DIY, crafts, recipes, gift guides, kid activities – and more! It’s the Ultimate Guide to All Things Christmas!
Thoughts? I’d love to hear them! Leave a comment below!
I would like to get the printable advent calendars
Hi Evelyn! If you’re already a subscriber, you can grab them in the free library. If not, head to this post, fill out the box at the very bottom, and you’ll be immediately redirected to the downloads! https://ahundredaffections.com/free-advent-calendar-numbers-printable-activity-cards/