Gingerbread Advent Calendar- Free Printable

It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving has already come and gone and we’re headed into December this this week. I’m so excited to dive into fun Christmas activities. This year, I filled our Gathre advent calendar with a few small treats and plenty of easy and fun Christmas activities for my boys. They’re so excited and anxiously waiting for December 1st to see what each day brings.

I love our advent calendar so much. It’s large, matches a variety of decor styles and the pockets are roomy enough to fit so many treats and small items. I started by printing a bible verse to fit in each pocket so we can read them together each day as we count down until Christmas. For treats, I picked a few small and inexpensive items such as candy canes, marshmallow Santa’s, Christmas stickers, a chocolate Elf on the Shelf, and glow in the dark airplanes and cars.

To display each days activity or surprise, I made these simple gingerbread themed cards that fit perfectly in each pocket. The bottom of each card has what’s planned for that day printed on it. I left a large portion of paper at the bottom of each card to hold them up high enough to peek out of the calendar pockets. This is an editable PDF so you can personalize them with whatever activities you have planned.

If you’re looking for ideas of what to include in your advent calendar, here’s what I’ve chosen this year.

1. Make salt dough ornaments

2. Decorate your room for Christmas

3. Reindeer craft

4. Surprise! Christmas stickers

5. Drink hot cocoa and watch a Christmas movie

6. Decorate Christmas ornaments

7. Make paper snowflakes

8. Surprise! Chocolate Elf on the Shelf

9. Surprise! Eat a candy cane and read a Christmas book

10. Surprise! Glowing planes

11. Decorate gingerbread houses

12. Surprise! Marshmallow Santa treats

13. Surprise! Eat Elf on the Shelf cereal for breakfast

14. Santa Craft

15. Christmas coloring

16. Gingerbread man craft

17. Decorate gingerbread cookies

18. Drive around and look at Christmas lights

19. Drink hot cocoa and watch a Christmas movie

20. Surprise! Eat a candy cane and watch a Christmas movie

21. Christmas play dough

22. Make a paper wreath

23. Surprise! Glowing cars

24. Make cookies for Santa