Christmas

SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS :: 10 Daily Advent Calendar / Julkalender Ideas

A little late to the game with this one, guys — sorry! Thankfully, a lot of you were able to peruse previous advent calendar roundups herehere and here,  while I collected a few more. But there’s no reason why you can’t do, say, a ten-day countdown, right?

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One little cardboard house for each day of Advent, via  Mokkasin

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Red and white fabric packages tied up with string, via Beate Hemsborg

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Versatile storage boxes for all year long — labeled for Advent! via IKEA Sverige

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Plain clothespins fastened to a board hold up packets of Advent goodies, via IKEA Sverige

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Wall-mounted antlers serve as a hanger for paper lunch bags folded over, via A Merry Mishap

bfIMG_2128Coffee filters, washi tape and yarn — this is an accessible, fun DIY calendar! via Scrumdilly-do

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Paper lunch bags decorated with thread, stars, and charms, via Natuerlich Kreativ (also, great black and white paper printables from Natuerlich Kreativ)

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A multitude of wee Advent houses — complete with a brilliant print-and-fold template to make your own, via Raum Dinge

diy-anleitungen-adventskalender-5A bright and bold adventskalender, via Living at Home

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And finally, the coziest candlelit scene warming up all those dark afternoons, via Lyllos.

How you count down to Christmas in your home? With a delicious chocolate calendar, a schedule of Advent readings, or a crafty calendar like the ones above? Let me know in the comments — or take a photo and tag me, @oaxacaborn, on Instagram!

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Christmas

SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS :: Advent Calendar Ideas

Whether you spell it advent calendar or adventskalender — or even  julkalender  — we’re just two weeks away from December 1.  Time to get this Scandinavian Christmas series underway!

The first advent calendar example comes from Elisabeth Heier in Norway. She made this kalender tree from painted white boards — and then attached the paper bags to the tree using nails and wire. It’s really striking — and the black and white design keeps it from looking too cluttered.

Elisabeth Heier Kalender Tree via SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS Advent Calendar round-up on the Oaxacaborn blog
Advent Calendar Tree / Kalender tre via Elisabeth Heier

This next advent calendar, from The Merry Thought blog, cleverly strings up an evergreen bough and then decorates with tiny plywood-covered matchboxes. The full tutorial can be found here.

The Merry Thought - Evergreen Bough Hanging Advent Calendar via SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS Advent Calendar round-up on the Oaxacaborn blog
Hanging Christmas Tree Branch Advent Calendar via The Merry Thought

Starting with a plain tree, and adding one decoration per day until the tree is filled at Christmas — what a good idea! This filigrantrae is Danish-inspired and comes from Nalle’s House blog. Bonus: her post has a full tutorial if you want to make your own dowel tree, although this ideas would work with any small tree.

Nalle's House DIY Wooden Dowel Tree via SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS Advent Calendar round-up on the Oaxacaborn blog
Danish Wooden Dowel Tree via Nalle’s House

Most of the advent candles I’ve seen in my life are a group of four candles, one for each advent Sundag leading up to Christmas. But I love the idea of a single large candle measuring the days, turning the candle into a daily tradition rather than weekly one. In fact, Tina over at Copenhagen’s Traveling Mama, has observed that’s the norm in Denmark!

Traveling Mama Advent Candle Numbered for Days via SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS Advent Calendar round-up on the Oaxacaborn blog
Advent Candle Numbered for Days via Traveling Mama

If you have an accessible staircase bannister, you could make that the focal point for your advent gifts, like Swedish blog Fröken Knopp did with newsprint and twine. (P.S. How cute is that painted floor?)

Fröken Knopp Advent Calendar on Staircase via SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS Advent Calendar round-up on the Oaxacaborn blog
Staircase, Newsprint and Twine Advent Calendar via Fröken Knopp

I can hardly get over Vibeke Design’s stunning advent calendar shop display. Paper cones, edged in lace, hung from a lichen-covered hardwood branch. Oh, so pretty!

Vibeke Design Christmas Shop Display in Sweden, via SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS Advent Calendar round-up on the Oaxacaborn blog
Advent Calendar Display via Vibeke Design Christmas Shop in Sweden

How are you planning to celebrate and decorate for advent this year? I’d love to hear! And if you need more ideas, here are more advent calendar ideas and even more advent calendar ideas!


Want to contribute to the 4th Annual Scandinavian/Nordic Christmas Series? Click here to find out how!