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Make a Matchbox Advent Calendar

Advent Calendars are used to count down the days in December leading up to Christmas. This matchbox version is easy to make if you have the materials, and can be re-used year after year.

Materials: Christmas fabric or paper, cardboard, 25 matchboxes, foil or other decorated paper to wrap the matchboxes, string to hang the finished calendar, ‘presents’ to put in each matchbox.

1. Plan out the size of your calendar: you will need enough room to lay out a grid of five matchboxes in five rows, with enough space in between to slide open each box. Add space for a border of about 2 inches (5 centimeters) around each side. The easiest way to do this is to arrange the matchboxes on the cardboard, and then mark the size directly onto the cardboard.
2. Cut the cardboard in the finished size of the calendar. Cut out the fabric or Christmas paper to be 1 inch larger.
3. Glue the fabric to the cardboard and wrap it over the edges over so that none of the cardboard shows.
4. Wrap and glue the decorated paper or foil around each of the matchboxes. Make sure you can still slide open each match box. You can use number stickers or markers and stencils to number each box.
5. Glue the boxes onto the calendar in 5 rows of 5.
6. Fill each box with candy, coins, or notes.
7. Open one box on each day before Christmas, beginning on December 1!

Click here for two easy ways to make an Advent Calendar with a paper chain or with wrapped candy.

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