Dollar Tree Craft: 12 Days of Christmas Gift Calendar

We’re creating a festive Christmas countdown calendar with a little help from Dollar Tree! #sponsored

Christmas is quickly approaching and as each day passes, our children grow more and more giddy with the excitement of the season.  After all, anticipation is half the fun of holiday gift giving and receiving!

Advent calenders are always fun to open to help countdown the days until December 25th, but what about tacking on some magical memories after the big day?  A 12 Days of Christmas Gift Calendar is a special way to keep the Christmas spirit going straight through to the end of your holiday break!

Now, you can certainly use a 12 Days of Christmas Gift Calendar to count down the days until Christmas.  Traditionally, though, the Twelve Days of Christmas begin on Christmas Day and ends on the eve of January 5th.  Dating back to early Christianity, the Twelve Days of Christmas count down the period from Christ’s birth (Christmas Day) to the Epiphany (January 6,) which is celebrated as the day the Magi (more popularly know as the Three Wise Men) visited Christ at his manger.

Whether you choose to use your 12 Days of Christmas Gift Calendar before or after the holiday, it’s always a joy for children or loved ones to discover what is hidden in each day!

The only initial prep you need before heading out to your local Dollar Tree is to decide who you are creating the calendar for and what you wish to fill it with.  For my calendar, I opted to make it for my sons and selected small gifts and candies to place in the boxes.   If you wanted to make it for a spouse or significant other, you might opt for personal care items, fun office supplies and other treats.  Little love notes or quotes would also make great fillers for the boxes.

Materials:

4 packages of Embossed Jewelry Boxes 3-Count (available in various colors, I used the red ones)
1 20 x 30″ White Foam Poster Board
1 package of Foil Pattern Holiday Bows (available in various colors, I used gold)
1 package of Foil Decorative Tape
1 roll of Double Sided Tape
1 package of Holiday Shapes Glitter Stickers
1 package of Foil Die-Cut Letters and Numbers (available in various colors, I used green) 
Scissors
Items for filling boxes (candy, toys, erasers, gum, and so on – enough for 12 boxes) 

Total Project Cost: 

I spent $11 for all of the materials to create the 12 Days of Christmas Gift Calendar.  If you already have scissors, stickers, poster board or tape and so on deduct $1 each for supplies accordingly to determine your cost.  Also worth noting, the cost will be even lower if you look at it long-term… this calendar will be reusable.  If stored properly, this craft will weather many seasons and provide enjoyment for many years to come.

I spent an additional $10 on items to fill the boxes and could have spent less if I used all candies, but I wanted to add some toy surprises along with fun items like erasers, gum and a holiday card game.

STEP 1:  Determine how you would like to display your boxes on the foam board.  I had an idea to form a Christmas tree shape and the boxes fit quite nicely into a pattern.  You could create a square shape, scatter the boxes around the board or create whatever pattern or shape you wish – the only limit here is your imagination!

STEP 2:  Once you have the pattern you wish to have, remove the lids from the boxes to secure the boxes to the foam board.  You will need to leave a gap between the boxes to ensure that the lids can be removed easily.  I used the foil tape to create a “buffer” line between the boxes.  As I laid each line down, I used the boxes as guides for placement.

STEP 3: Using double-sided tape, secure the bottom of the box to the foam board in your desired pattern.  If you desire more permanency, you could glue the boxes down with craft or hot glue.

Next, place lid tops onto boxes.

STEP 4:  Using foil die-cut numbers, randomly place the numbers 1 through 12 on the top of the boxes and secure with double sided tape (or glue.)  Use stickers to embellish numbers – these are the “ornaments” of your tree.

STEP 5:  Add a foil bow to the top of your Christmas tree box pattern as the “Star.”

If desired, use die-cut foil letters to write “Twelve Days of Christmas,” “Christmas Countdown,” “Christmas Calendar” or any other appropriate saying around the box pattern on your foam board.

STEP 6:  Remove lids.  Fill boxes with candies, toys or other trinkets.  Secure lids back in place.  Prop foam board against a wall or secure to the wall using push pins, wall hangers or picture hanging hardware.  If preferred, lay box on a flat surface like a kitchen table or coffee table as a festive decoration (this is also a great place to keep it for smaller children to easily access.) 

Each day, have your child (or other loved ones) open the corresponding numbered box until all of the boxes are emptied.  When you are finished with the calendar, store in a cool, dry spot for the next year! If you’d like to protect the calendar from dust and damage, wrap it with saran wrap, wrap with a white linen sheet or place in a white plastic bag.

Do you have a special way of counting down the days before or after Christmas Day?  What shape would you create for your 12 Days of Christmas Calendar?