Low-Prep DIY Christmas Coloring Advent Calendar

Nov 3

This is a super easy advent calendar you can put together super fast. Plus, it’s interactive, which makes it fun for kids (and adults).

Low prep DIY Christmas countdown advent calendar with numbered mini Christmas coloring pages clipped to a Christmas ribbon hanging on a door — Interactive DIY Advent Calendary made with free Christmas Countdown download

How it works:

This countdown to Christmas is meant to be printed and hung on a ribbon or garland of some sort.
One side of each paper shows the countdown number, the other side is a miniature Christmas picture to color.
Each day, remove the paper with the highest number from the garland, color it, and hang it back into position on the advent ribbon with the picture showing instead of the countdown number.
The idea is that the highest number showing on the advent ribbon is the number of days until Christmas.

Image shows pieces used to make a mini Christmas coloring advent calendar including: mini coloring page printables, Christmas ribbon with white mini clothespins, numbered advent countdown images

Materials needed:

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Christmas garland/ribbon (about 6 feet long)
clothespins (preferably in white or another Christmas color)—large paper clips will work too
Advent Calendar Printouts (download instructions at the end of this post)
Christmas cardstock (optional)
Christmas Countdown stickers (optional)—you can purchase our digital set in our shop

Steps for Assembly:

Decide where to hang your DIY advent calendar. (A vertical ribbon tied to a wreath hanger, or over-the-door hook, is a quick and easy option.)
Print and cut apart the advent calendar coloring sheets. There are three different printouts, each with 6 unique images to color. You will need to print one page twice in order to have 24 mini coloring pages to make up the full countdown to Christmas. (See the note in the Tips section about different printing options.)
Label the back of each countdown mini-coloring sheet with a number 1-24 (if counting down 24 days).
Use a clothespin (or large paper clips) to attach each labeled mini-coloring sheet to the Christmas ribbon/garland with the numbers face out. We recommend positioning them going from highest number to lowest. If hanging vertically, the lowest number would be at the top of the ribbon.
(optional) Attach a Merry Christmas sign at the top to represent Christmas Day.

Tips:

Christmas ribbon advent calendar mini coloring pages hanging on white door — Free download Christmas coloring Advent Calendar

Printing on thick card stock makes the mini-coloring pictures more durable and it ensures the picture doesn’t show through while it is hanging with the number side out.
Printing on Christmas card stock where one side is white and the other side has a Christmas design will add to the festiveness of the advent calendar.
To number the countdown, you can either hand write the numbers onto the backs of the mini-coloring papers, or you can use our digital Christmas Countdown printout to label them. Our Christmas Countdown can be printed on sticker paper for easy use, or simply print them on regular printer paper and attach them with an adhesive of your choice. You can also order countdown stickers online, such as these advent calendar stickers. Just be sure to use flat stickers, not 3D ones.
If your kids will be coloring the papers, they can take turns coloring the advent picture of the day, or you can print extra so each child can color a mini Christmas picture each day.

To download the free Advent Calendar printouts:

Our hand-drawn digital Advent Calendar is available free of charge in our free Resource Library along with all our other free printables. Subscribers to our Budding Artists newsletter gain immediate access to the free Resource Library. Remember, the password to the library can be found in the latest newsletter.

If you are not yet a subscriber, but would like to access the Advent Calendar printable, scroll to the bottom of the page and use the subscribe box to join our newsletter and gain immediate access. We promise not to sell your email address and we won’t spam your inbox either. We only send emails when new activities or products are available here on our site. We hope you’ll become a part of The Budding Artists and enjoy the fun goodies inside the Resource Library.

Christmas Countdown Advent Calendar Numbers

Get this digital Christmas Countdown Calendar Number pack in our store. You can download the numbers and print on a paper of your choice: regular printer paper, thick printer paper, Christmas card stock, or sticker paper. Then cut out and attach.

Purchase Christmas Countdown Numbers