Boxed Christmas Gift Advent Calendar

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Final calendar on snow_2When I was little, every year I looked forward to the annual Christmas Advent Calendar. I loved the Christmas season and loved opening the little doors on the advent calendar every morning to see what it would reveal. This Boxed Christmas Gift Advent Calendar is an updated version of the two dimensional, flat Advent Calendar of my youth. This calendar is made using twenty-four two-inch square boxes with a different Christmas-themed design on each of the boxes all attached together on a red backdrop.

I had a lot of fun creating this design and putting it together. While it wasn’t a difficult project, it did take some time to make. Fear not, I have step-by-step instructions and pictures below to help walk you through the entire process. In the end you will have a beautiful, handmade Advent Calendar you can use year after year.

Boxed Christmas Gift Advent Calendar

This Boxed Christmas Gift Advent Calendar isn’t overly complicated to make but it requires a Cricut machine (I have the Cricut Maker and I LOVE it). The designs are too detailed to cut by hand, or at least too detailed for ME to cut by hand but you’re welcome to try!

If you don’t know what a Cricut machine is, simply put it is an automated device that cuts out designs or patterns that you create on the Cricut Design Space app (which is very similar to Adobe Illustrator). You can use all sorts of materials – from paper to leather to wood to material to many others – to make whatever you can dream up. I have to say, it’s really cool and fun!

I created SVG, EPS, AI, and PDF files (which are fancy terms for the patterns) for the designs. You can get all file types for free by clicking below:

Click here to download

Materials Needed:

  • Two inch square boxes. I used these ones I found on Etsy.
  • Cricut Permanent Vinyl in whatever colors you want to use. I used Dark Red, Light Silver, Gray, Americano (Brown), Chocolate Brown Textured Metallic, Forest Green, White, Black, and Glitter-Silver
  • One piece of 12×12 chipboard or thick cardboard. I used this kind I found on Amazon (best prices for chipboard I found)
  • One piece of 12×12 red cardstock, or other color of choice
  • Cricut Transfer Tape

Tools Needed:

BOXED CHRISTMAS GIFT ADVENT CALENDAR

STEP 1: Uploading the Boxed Christmas Gift Advent Calendar SVG File

Download the SVG file and upload it into Cricut Design Space. The file will look like this:

Boxed Christmas Gift Advent Calendar_Cricut Design Space

STEP 2: Cutting and Weeding the Boxed Christmas Gift Advent Calendar Designs

Choose your desired colors of vinyl adhesive you would like to use. Cut the pieces in each color of vinyl. Load your Cricut cut mats and begin cutting the designs.

PLEASE NOTE: I show a large red background square in the SVG and other files. When you cut the designs, remember to hide the red layer unless you want to cut that piece instead of using cardstock on the backer board (chipboard).

I used nine different colors and my mats looked like this:

White vinyl
White
Silver vinyl
Light Silver
Silver Glitter Vinyl
Glitter-Silver
Black Vinyl
Black
Dark Silver Vinyl
Gray
Dark brown vinyl
Americano (Brown)
Brown Patterned Foil
Chocolate Brown Textured Metallic
Green Vinyl
Forest Green
Red vinyl
Dark Red

PLEASE NOTE: If you don’t have a Cricut machine and want to cut the pieces out by hand, you can use the PDF file as a guide. I strongly recommend using a Cricut machine to cut these letters rather than scissors but leave that option to you.

After cutting you will have nine pieces of vinyl ready for weeding.

Cut Vinyl pieces

After cutting the Boxed Christmas Gift Advent Calendar letters, carefully peel away the excess vinyl that is not part of the designs from the liner. You will then have nine pieces of weeded vinyl ready to go, the white base squares and the remaining color vinyl designs.

White cut weeded vinyl
White
Silver cut and weeded vinyl
Light Silver
Weeded Snowflakes
Glitter Silver
Black vinyl cut and weeded
Black
Dark silver cut and weeded vinyl
Gray
Brown cut and weeded
Americano (Brown)
Antlers cut and weeded
Chocolate Brown Textured Metallic
Green cut and weeded
Forest Green
Red cut and weeded vinyl
Dark Red

STEP 3: Transferring the Designs and Lettering to the Two Inch Square Box Stickers

To make each box sticker, I printed out a copy of the design to use as my guide. Following that, I began creating the stickers.

Advent Calendar Screenshot - Guide

I made each sticker before attaching them to the box tops. I did this so that in case I made any mistakes on the individual stickers, I wouldn’t also ruin or waste a box. And yes, I did make a few mistakes and had to re-make several stickers. In fact, I don’t think I get through many Cricut projects without having to re-print at least one or two things.

But back to the project…

I started with my blank sheet of white two-inch squares and worked my way through the numbers, 1-24.

Box 1: Reindeer and Box 2: Red Truck with Christmas Tree

Steps: Apply reindeer and red truck with Christmas tree for squares one and two respectively.

Box 3: Christmas Ornaments

Step 1: Use transfer tape to apply Silver Ornament Holders
Step 2: Next apply ornaments using transfer tape

Box 4: Gift Tag

Square 4
Step 1: Apply the red tag and tag string to the white square using transfer tape

Box 5: Elf Feet

Square 5
Step 1: Use transfer tape to apply green legs and shoes to square
Square 5
Step 2: Next use transfer tape to apply the red shoes on top of green shoes
Square feet 5
Step 3: Finally, use transfer tape to apply the silver balls to the tips of shoes and the number “Five”

Box 6: String of Lights

Square 6
Step 1: Use transfer tape to apply lights string to white square
Square 6
Step 2: Next, apply red lights to light string using transfer tape
Square 6
Step 3: Apply silver lights also using transfer tape
Square 6
Step 4: Next use transfer tape to apply green lights
Square 6
Step 5: Finally, use transfer tape to apply the number “6”

Box 7: Santa’s Sleigh

Square 7
Step 1: Remove Buckle from Belt with transfer tape
Square 7
Step 2: Using transfer tape, add black sled to white square
Square 7
Step 3: Next add Red Bottom of Sleigh to the white square
Square 7
Step 4: Using transfer tape, add the red top of the sleigh
Square 7
Step 5: Finally, add “Seven” above sleigh using transfer tape

Box 8: Jingle Bell

Step 1: Using transfer tape, add the gray jingle bell then apply light silver accents on top
Square 8
Step 2: Also using transfer tape, add red bow on the jingle bell and the number “8”

Box 9: Reindeer

Step 1: Using transfer tape, add the red reindeer to Square
Square 9
Step 2: Also using transfer tape, add the “Nine” to the square

Box 10: Christmas Gift

Square 10
Step 1: Add red layer of gift with ribbons on top
Square 10
Step 2: Apply the green ribbons on top of gift
Square 10
Step 3: Trim silver ribbons to line up with the top of the gift.
Square 10
Step 4: Add the silver ribbons on top of the gift
Square 10
Step 5: Prepare the stripes and squares
Square 10
Step 6: Apply green stripes and squares
Square 10
Step 7: Transfer white stripes and squares
Square 10 final
Step 8: Add number “10” to finished gift

Box 11: Decorative Sign

Square 11
Step 1: Add Decorative Sign to square using transfer tape

Box 12: Christmas Tree

Square 12
Step 1: Add Christmas tree to white square using transfer tape
Step 2: Apply the gray star to the top of the Christmas tree using transfer tape

Box 13: Santa Hat

Square 13
Step 1: Use transfer tape to construct hat
Square 13
Step 2: Apply transfer tape with hat to white square

Box 14: Evergreen Christmas Wreath

Step 1: Using transfer tape, apply the wreath to the white square

Box 15: Peppermint Candy

Step 1: Apply transfer tape to the peppermint candy vinyl
Step 2: Attach peppermint candy to the white square

Box 16: Christmas Bow

Square 16
Step 1: Using transfer tape, apply bow and Sixteen to white square

Box 17: Snowflakes

Square 17
Step 1: Use transfer tape to transfer snowflakes to white square
Square 16 and 17
Step 2: Apply number “17” to white square

Box 18: Christmas Mittens

Step 1: Using transfer tape, transfer the red mittens, then the grey connector to the white square

Box 19: Red Christmas Scarf

Square 18 and 19
Step 1: Using transfer tape, add the red Christmas scarf to the white square
Square 18 and 19
Step 2: Apply the “nineteen” above the scarf also using transfer tape

Box 20: Mistletoe

Square 20
Step 1: Use transfer tape to add leaves to the white square
Square 20
Step 2: Next, add red berries to green leaves using transfer tape.
Square 20
Step 3: Add the number “20” below the mistletoe

Box 21: Candy Canes

Square 21
Step 1: Use transfer tape to add candy canes to white square
Step 2: Next, use transfer tape to add “twenty-one” to white square
Square 21
Step 3: Finally, apply “twenty-one” above the candy canes

Box 22: Green Christmas Ornament

Square 22
Step 1: Use transfer tape to apply design to white square
Step 2: Apply ornament and gray hanger to white square

Box 23: Christmas Stocking

Square 23
Step 1: Apply transfer tape to red stocking
Step 2: Next, apply stocking to white square
Square 23
Step 3: Use transfer tape to apply gray top
Step 4: Finally, apply gray top to stocking on square

Box 24: Christmas Holly Wreath

Step 1: Apply transfer tape to both pieces of the wreath
Step 2: Next, apply green wreath and “24” to white square
Step 3: Finally, apply red berries to green leaves of wreath

All twenty-four squares are now finished and ready to apply to the boxes.

STEP 4: Assembling the Boxes

Before applying the decorated white squares to the boxes, first assemble the boxes as they most likely shipped or came flat (as mine did).

Folding the Boxes

STEP 5: Create Backer Board

Using the chipboard, apply glue to the chipboard.

Gluing first layer of red paper to chipboard

Attach the cardstock to the chipboard and smooth down.

Apply cardstock to glue on chipboard

Set backer board aside to dry while applying the numbered squares to the boxes.

STEP 6: Applying the Numbered Squares to the Boxes

Apply each square lining it up even with the box top.

Square 1 BoxSquare 2 boxSquare 3 boxSquare 4 box
Square 5 boxSquare 6 boxSquare 7 boxSquare 8 box
Square 9 boxSquare 10 boxSquare 11 boxSquare 12 box
Square 13 boxSquare 14 boxSquare 15 boxSquare 16 box
Square 17 boxSquare 18 boxSquare 19 boxSquare 20 box
Square 21 boxSquare 22 boxSquare 23 boxSquare 24 box

STEP 7: Glue the Boxes to the Backer Board

Arrange the boxes loosely on the backer board. Mark where the top two boxes go with a pencil. I also marked where the second and third rows go to use as a guide.

Using the hot glue gun, apply glue to the bottom of box one. Attach box one to the backer board. This first box will also be used as the guide for the rest of the boxes so it’s important to position box one correctly.

Hot glue gun

Apply glue to the bottom and the side of box two and attach to backer board.

Boxes 1 and 2 glued

For the second row, glue the four boxes together first. Next, glue the second row to the first row and also to the backer board.

PLEASE NOTE: When gluing the rows together, be careful not to apply the glue too close to the box tops. You don’t want to accidentally glue any of the boxes shut.

Second row of boxes glued

Glue the six boxes in the third row together.

Third row of boxes being glued

Once all boxes are glued together, prepare the third row to attach to the second row and to the backer board.

Gluing third row

Glue all of the boxes for the fourth row together.

4th row glued together

Prepare the fourth row to attach to the third row and backer board.

Gluing 4th row to 3rd

Glue the four boxes for the fifth row together.

Readying 5th row

Once all four boxes are glues together, prepare to attach to the fourth row and the backer board.

5th row glued together

Glue the final two boxes of the sixth row together. Finally, attach them to the fifth row and backer board.

All Rows Glued Together

All boxes are now attached.

STEP 8: Apply Backer Board Decorations

Using transfer tape, prep the “Merry” and apply it to the backer board.

Merry letteringMerry stuck on

Next, prep the “Christmas” and apply it to the backer board.

Christmas lettering

Finally, apply the glitter snowflakes to the backer board wherever you’d like them. I printed out two “copies” of the glitter stars so I had extras available.

Readying the snowflakesSnowflakes in processFinal board before ribbon

That’s it. The Boxed Christmas Gift Advent Calendar is finished and ready to be filled with goodies and treats!

Final Calendar on snow with one box open

Where do I Get the SVG and PDF Files?

You can download the SVG and PDF files for this specific project by clicking below:

Click here to download

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Boxed Christmas Gift Advent Calendar