Growing up, my family always tried making the countdown to Christmas just as special as Christmas day itself. My favorite way to countdown to the joyous day were those cardboard Advent calendars that had little perforated doors that revealed chocolate. As a kid, it was just so magical! Now you can re-create the magic of your childhood with your own kids. Watch their little faces light up with this simple DIY tin Advent wreath. Be sure to download the Free Number Printables here!
Print out the free printable and use a 1.5″ hole punch to punch out the numbered circles. To see what you are actually punching, hold the punch upside down and center the print inside of the punch window to be sure that things nice and centered. Download the Free Printable Numbers here!
Punch 2″ from holiday print scrapbooking paper. The more random the patterns, the more colorful the wreath!
Run the numbered circles and holiday print scrapbooking paper circles through a sticker maker. If you have never used one of these, you will be amazed by how easy it is to use! Simply place the item you want to stick in the ‘insert item’ area. Make sure the edge of your item is in between the clear and white papers. Pull the clear and white papers from the other side. Then tear the papers along the saw-tooth edge of the sticker maker. Rub the clear paper covering the top of your item. Peel of the clear paper and like magic, you have made a sticker!
Adhere the patterned paper and numbered circles to the tin lids (you can also use Mod Podge® to adhere the circles to the tin lids).
Fill the tins with a surprise. I used red foil-wrapped candy and these fun strechy flying elves. Any Christmas candy or small toys would work too. A few other ideas would be a holiday message or your favorite bible quotes.
Wrap 1.5″ wide ribbon around a foam wreath form, gluing the ends of the ribbon with a glue gun to secure in place.
Loosely place tins on the wreath form to visualize how you want them. When satisfied, glue them into place using a glue gun. As you layer these on the wreath form, be careful to not glue the lids of the tins to each other.
Use 5/8″ wide ribbon to hang the “25” tins in the center of the wreath.
To add a bit of interest, create a large gift bow with the 1.5″ ribbon. Besides, what’s a wreath without a giant bow?