Printable vs DIY Advent Calendar: Which Is Right for You?

Here is how the options compare in practice, so you can pick the one you will actually finish.

The three options at a glance

When a printable makes sense

• You want activities but do not want to plan 24 of them. The hardest part of an activity calendar is thinking up ideas that fit real weeknights.
• You start late. You can download, print and set up in one evening.
• You want it to look finished without craft supplies.
• You have several kids. Print one set per child or one shared family set.

Things to check before buying a printable: the age range, whether activities need special supplies, whether there are blank cards for your own ideas, and the paper size (US Letter or A4).

When DIY makes sense

• You enjoy making things and want a calendar to bring out each year.
• You want full control over all 24 days: family traditions, local events, specific treats.
• Your kids want to help make it. Building it together in late November can be its own tradition.

DIY holder ideas that are easy to make:

1. Envelopes on a string with mini clothespins, numbered with stickers.
2. A muffin tin (two 12-cup tins) with paper circles taped over each cup.
3. Toilet-paper rolls folded closed and stacked in a box.
4. Small paper bags hung on a branch.
5. A paper chain with 24 links, torn off one per day.

The holder can last for years; the activities are what you refresh.

When store-bought makes sense

• You want zero prep.
• Your December is already full of activities and you only need a countdown.
• It is a gift from a relative.

You can always add one small activity a week on top, so it is not only chocolate.

The hybrid I usually suggest

Print activity cards, then put them in a holder you already have or make in 20 minutes. You get planned activities without the planning, and a calendar that looks homemade. Add a few cards of your own for family traditions such as a cousin visit or a school concert.

My advent calendar activity ideas guide lists 24 screen-free activities and explains how to set up an activity calendar, with a free 2-page sample (the first two activity cards and a 24-day countdown poster) you can use to test a printable before deciding.

Age matters more than format

• Ages 2–3: keep it physical and short. A paper chain or a pocket with a sticker and a one-line activity (“Dance to a Christmas song”).
• Ages 4–7: activity cards they can “read” with pictures, plus a countdown poster to color in.
• Ages 8–10: activities with a bit of challenge (a recipe to follow, a riddle, a kindness task they plan), or let them write some cards for younger siblings.

Cost, roughly

I will not quote prices, because they vary so much, but the cost structure is simple:

• Printable: the file once, plus paper and ink. Reprint next year.
• DIY: craft supplies the first year, then mostly nothing.
• Store-bought: the full cost every year.

If you already have envelopes, a printer and a string, a printable or DIY activity calendar is the cheapest per year.

A simple paper chain counts too

If you are short on time, a paper chain is the smallest advent calendar there is. Kids tear one link a day, and you can write an activity or a joke on each link. My countdown paper chain guide has step-by-step instructions and a free sample (the how-to page and links 1–8).

What I make, honestly

I design printables, so I am not neutral. That said, I think the choice depends on whether you enjoy the making or just want the result. If you want the result, our Advent Activity Cards have 24 big cards, 24 mini cards for envelopes, blank cards, number tags and a countdown poster, and the Countdown Paper Chain is a lighter option. Both are also inside the Christmas Mega Bundle. If you love crafting, a DIY holder with your own handwritten activities will mean more to you, and that is a great choice too.

Decide in two questions

1. Do you enjoy making things? Yes: DIY or hybrid. No: printable or store-bought.
2. Do you want daily family time? Yes: activities (printable or DIY). No: store-bought.

Pick the one you will still be doing on December 18. That is the right calendar.