Making the PDF…
About the advent calendar maker
An advent calendar does not have to be full of chocolate. An activity advent calendar gives children (and grown-ups) one small, happy thing to do every day from 1 to 24 December: bake cookies, make a paper snowflake, watch a Christmas film, call the grandparents.
Type your own activities — or keep our list of 24 ideas — and print your calendar in one of three forms. What you see on the right is the PDF itself.
How to use it
- Choose a form: One page to tick off, Cards to cut or Number tags
- Give it a title, like "Our Advent Calendar" or "Emma's Advent 2026"
- Keep the ideas in the list, or type your own — one line for each day
- Choose 1 – 24 or 1 – 25 days, a colour and a decoration
- Click Download PDF or Print
Three ways to use it
- One page to tick off — all the days on one sheet, each in its own box with a big number and a circle to tick. Stick it on the fridge. With Mix up the numbers, the days are scattered over the page like the doors of a real advent calendar; press New mix for a different order
- Cards to cut — one card per day (8 on a page). Put each card in an envelope, a little box or a matchbox, hang them on a string with pegs, or pick one out of a jar each morning
- Number tags — just big numbers 1 to 24 (12 on a page) for filling 24 little bags, socks or boxes with your own surprises
Ideas for your calendar
- Mix big and small days — "Bake cookies" on a weekend, "Drink hot chocolate" on a school day
- Kindness days — a card for a neighbour, a toy for charity, a drawing for grandma
- Use it as a messages calendar — 24 compliments or memories for a partner or a friend
- Grown-up version — a new tea every day, a walk, a film, a recipe to try
- Leave a day blank — empty lines appear in the box, so you can write a surprise by hand later
Frequently asked questions
How do I make my own advent calendar?
Choose a form here, keep or change the 24 activities, and download the PDF. Print it, cut it out if you chose cards or tags, and you are ready for 1 December.
What can I put in an advent calendar instead of chocolate?
Activities and small treats work well: baking, crafts, a Christmas film, a winter walk, a hot chocolate, a game night, a letter to Santa. The list in this tool has 24 ideas to start with.
Why are the numbers mixed up?
Real advent calendars hide the doors in a random order — finding today's number is part of the fun. Untick "Mix up the numbers" to keep them in order, or press "New mix" for a different order.
Can I make a 25-day calendar?
Yes. Choose "1 – 25" to include Christmas Day.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark, and nothing you type is uploaded — the PDF is made in your browser.
Good to know
- A4 and US Letter paper
- Long activities get smaller text so they always fit their box
- Korean, Japanese and Chinese text works too
- Count down to the big day with the Christmas Countdown
Related tools
- Christmas Countdown — days and sleeps until Christmas
- Printable Gift Tags — tags for your presents
- Secret Santa Generator — draw names for a gift exchange
- Printable Calendar — a calendar for any month
- Printable Checklist — your Christmas to-do list
- Printable Habit Tracker — tick off a habit every day
