Advent calendars and Christmas countdowns

 Few things are more fun for kids during December than counting down to Christmas in one way or another.  They are fun for adults too (speaking for myself here)!  When our kids were young, we had several of the paper Advent calendars with little doors that open for each day.  Sometimes we bought the type with a chocolate candy behind each door.  In her teens, one of my daughters made a handmade Advent calendar with a scene painted on watercolor paper, following instructions in a Tasha Tudor craft book.  It came out so cute!  I wish I had a picture.

Quite a few years ago I made Advent countdowns (as pictured above) for each of my grown kids and their families.  I found old frames at the thrift store and repainted them using crackle medium, then followed countdown instructions from Gooseberry Patch Christmas Book 6 to make the projects.  You can read all about it here: Gooseberry Patch Advent Countdown.

Naturally, with my love for advent calendars and countdowns, I had to make a Pinterest board just for them.  Here's the link:Advent Calendars and Christmas Countdowns.

If you're thinking you might like to make an advent calendar this year, it's time to start.  So here are a few inspiring ideas!

Here's a Christmas countdown I had pinned and blogged about previously: A Fun and Different Advent Countdown  What a neat idea!

Photo by  workmanfamily.typepad.com

 You can read all about how it's done at workmanfamily.typepad.com.

 Here's a look at just a few of my other favorite ideas:

This  Toolbox Advent Calendar by Sassy Style looks like so much fun to decorate and fill.

Photo by Sassy Style

 You start with one of those small plastic toolboxes with many drawers!

Then there's a Wooden Chalkboard Countdown to Christmas by Brittany at Pretty Handy Girl.

This looks relatively simple, but it's a pretty and fun way to count down the days.

Photo by Pretty Handy Girl

Or how about this sweet Easy No-Sew Burlap Advent Calendar made with printed burlap ribbon?

Photo by Finding Home Online

 It can actually made with any wired ribbon.  By Finding Home Online.

Last, but far from least is this adorable Advent Calendar Kit featured on I Heart Naptime.

Photo from I Heart Naptime

It's so cute -- all packaged in a sweet little red paper suitcase. Unique and lovely.

Hope you have enjoyed this look at my countdown board.  Head  on over to Pinterest to find some of the other neat countdown ideas I've pinned!