DIY Advent Calendar from Recycled Yogurt Cups
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My mom always made Advent special when I was growing up. We had an Advent Calendar that she made and she found special little gifts or wrote sweet little notes for my brother and I to open each day. It’s was such a wonderful way to anticipate Christmas coming each year. I’ve passed this tradition onto my children and it’s been a special treat each year. No matter where we’re stationed, they know that we’ll always have our Advent Calendar. This is the first year that by oldest “baby” is away at college and not home for our family Advent Calendar. I wanted to include her in our Advent tradition and I also wanted to include her roommates so I came up with this DIY Advent calendar made from recycled yogurt cups.
Making this DIY Advent Calendar from recycled yogurt cups makes it perfect for college students or deployed soldiers because they can simply recycle the containers and not have to feel guilty about it. This is intended to be a disposable Advent Calendar.
It all starts with these yogurt cups. The lids fit well so that the cup will hold small gifts.
Supplies
recycled yogurt cups with lids
decorative paper
Circle punch or scissors
Washi tape
Double stick tape
I started by decorating the yogurt cup with holiday Washi tape. It was a little more difficult than I expected because the yogurt cup is curved, but it was still easy to do. (thanks to my friend, J., for helping me decorate all these little yogurt cups!)
Next I cut circles from the decorative holiday paper to fit the lid. My daughter has 3 roommates so I chose 4 different decorative papers. I also chose not to number the cups, but you could easily number each cup for the days of Advent. I wanted to let my daughter and her roommates choose a cup and be surprised rather than plan out the order of the gifts.
I collected a variety of small treats that would fit into the yogurt cup.
Each roommate will have a different pattern of holiday paper to identify their Advent Calendar gift cups.
Each day of Advent they’ll take turns finding a small treat.
I hope that my daughter and her roommates enjoy this DIY Advent Calendar as much as I enjoyed making it. And I hope it brings back happy nostalgic memories of all the years we shared an Advent Calendar at home.
Other recycled Christmas projects:
I’m a mom of 3, a veteran, military spouse. I’ve moved into 20+ homes all around the world. My passion is helping busy people make the space and time for what’s really important to them. Learn more about Organized 31 and me.
Hi Susan – I love this idea for a portable and traveling advent calendar. How absolutely clever and thoughtful! Hugs, Holly
Thanks, Holly. Portable and traveling describes the past 30 years of my life.
Such a neat idea! Your daughter and her roommates are so lucky!
Thanks, Lisa. I think they’ll enjoy it.
This is such a great idea. We have had an Advents calendar every year since I can remember. My grandmother from Germany used to sen d the to us Love this idea.
Thanks, Cynthia. Advent calendars add to the anticipation of the season for my family.
I love this idea as I have 2 girls away at school. The only thing I will do differently is to wrap the treat in a bit of tissue so they can’t see it and I’ll enclose a positive quote or word. Those yogurts I don’t think are available in Canada, so it will be a next year calendar, after I do a few States trips to pick those up. Thanks for sharing.
I love your idea of adding a note in each cup, Sonja. What a beautiful, personal touch.