Halloween is right around the corner in 2024, and if you’re like me, you want to get your house ready for all of the trick-or-treaters. As a lover of all things spooky and festive, I decided to take my Halloween decor to the next level this year by creating a homemade Halloween advent calendar for the entryway in my house.
Not only does this DIY decoration count down the days until Halloween, but it looks absolutely frightening dangling from my doorframe! As a professional advent calendar printing manufacturer, I will lead you to learn how to make a Halloween advent calendar filled with ghoulish delights.
How to Make a Halloween Advent Calendar
Break Out Your Hot Glue Gun
The first thing you need to know about how to make a Halloween advent calendar is that it doesn’t require any fancy supplies. As long as you have a hot glue gun, some fabric, and festive embellishments, you can easily DIY an advent calendar worthy of displaying front and center this Halloween season.
For my advent calendar, I picked up some black burlap fabric, creepy cloth, raffia ribbon, monster embellishments, and plastic spiders from the craft store. I also dug through my stash of Halloween decorations from previous years and found some old window clings, beads, bones, and other trinkets to glue onto the pockets.
Craft the Calendar Skeleton With Dowel Rods
The frame or “skeleton” of the Halloween advent calendar is made using two wooden dowel rods from the craft store. I cut one dowel rod into two 12-inch pieces to serve as the top and bottom of the frame. Then I cut another dowel into a 20-inch width to connect the top and bottom pieces into a large rectangle.
Hot glue is my best friend when it comes to securing the dowels into place. Simply add dabs of hot glue in each joint and hold tightly for 30 seconds while it sets. Easy peasy!
Sew DIY Fabric Pockets for Treats
Once my calendar frame was constructed, it was time to add the 31 fabric pockets. This was a simple sewing project using 3×3-inch squares cut out of creepy cloth and burlap fabric. Yes, a needle and thread is required!
I carefully used a basic running stitch to secure the edges of the fabric together on three sides, essentially making little goodie bags. Leave the top open so you can stuff each one with a Halloween treat!
Embellish for a Personalized Touch
This is where you can truly get creative with your homemade Halloween advent calendar! Go wild decorating each pocket however you’d like using anything from Halloween-themed ribbons, washi tape, stickers, monster eyes, beads…you name it!
I hot glued plastic spiders and bones to my pockets for that creepy abandoned house look. I also added some shimmery spider webs using splotches of glue and lots of glitter. Too festive!
Load Up the Calendar with Surprises
Now for the fun part—filling each pocket with something special. Halloween candy and chocolates are obvious treats, but you could also include:
- Pencils, stickers, temporary tattoos and other Halloween goodies
- Jokes, fun facts, or DIY craft cards
- Mini activity items like spooky Mad Libs or Halloween bingo cards
- Pieces to build a Halloween scene like Lego characters or toy monsters over time
Take a cue from traditional advent calendars and hide something bigger behind the “31” pocket as the grand Halloween finale! Maybe stuff it with a scary mask, costume accessories like fangs or claws, or a bag of candy corn.
Display Your Boo-tiful Creation
Once your DIY Halloween advent calendar is fully stuffed and decorated to your liking, it’s time to determine the display location. Tie some ribbon or string to the top dowel and hang proudly on a door or wall.
Not only does this make for some easy decor, but it serves as a creepy countdown for the kids (or the kids at heart)! I cannot wait to see my nephews’ eyes light up when they discover a new treat behind each numbered pocket leading up until Halloween night.
So grab your creepiest materials and let’s get crafting! Making a Halloween advent calendar at home is simple, budget-friendly, and sure to provide days of ghoulish delight. Just don’t be surprised if it disappears into the night once October 31st finally arrives…Muahaha!
FAQs About Building a Halloween Advent Calendar
Still have questions about how to put together your own DIY Halloween advent calendar? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
What’s the best glue to use when making an advent calendar?
I highly recommend using a hot glue gun to assemble your Halloween advent calendar. Hot glue sets up quickly and makes a nice strong bond between materials like fabric, wood, and plastic embellishments.
You could use a liquid craft glue, but be prepared to hold pieces together for much longer while waiting for it to dry. Hot glue is just faster and easier for DIY projects with many small components.
Where can I find materials to decorate my advent calendar?
Check the seasonal décor or craft aisles at stores like Michaels, Joann Fabric, Hobby Lobby, Target, and Walmart. I was able to find creepy cloth, plastic spiders, monster embellishments, Halloween ribbons, and other spooky trinkets to decorate my calendar pockets.
You can also use holiday wrapping paper, washi tape, stickers, or dig through old Halloween costume pieces and decorations hiding up in the attic too! Get creative with it.
What can I use to fill the daily pockets?
Candy favorites like mini chocolate bars or lollipops are classic advent surprises, but you could fill pockets with just about anything! Glow sticks, stickers, temporary tattoos, rubber ducks, Lego characters, and other tiny toys or treats work nicely.
You could even DIY the surprises by including activity cards for things like Halloween bingo, monster drawing prompts, or pumpkin carving tips. Write spooky jokes and riddles on strips of paper. The ideas are endless!
I hope these tips help you create a thrilling Halloween advent calendar to haunt your home this spooky season! Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments.
In Conclusion
Creating a creepy countdown DIY Halloween advent calendar is such a fun way to build excitement leading up October 31st. Plus, it makes for some easy Halloween home decor!
With just basic craft supplies like dowels, fabric, hot glue, and creepy embellishments, you can throw together a custom advent in no time. Fill each pocket with candy, small toys, or activity cards for a unique surprise every day.
Show off your artistic flair by decorating the fabric pockets however you’d like. And impress those trick-or-treaters when they stop by and see the calendar dangling from your front door! No bones about it, this project is sure fire way to kick the Halloween creep factor up a notch.