Making a Christmas advent calendar craft box

We spent a large portion of the day yesterday making a Christmas calendar box, to be a reusable Advent calendar.

We made it from a craft kit that the kids and I found in Spotlight about a month ago, and from a packet of Christmas scrapbooking paper. It turned out to be a whole family activity; my husband constructed the box, the kids and I selected and applied the paper, and the kids coloured in and affixed the numbers.

I think the idea of a reusable Advent calendar is a lovely one.  I've always admired, with a sigh, the beautiful hand-sewn ones my crafty friends have made for their children; I've always peeked with interest at the pricey but beautiful wooden ones in high-end toy shops. I thought it would be out of reach for us, though, given my lack of sewing prowess and disposable dollars to throw at a bought solution.

This craft kit was probably the only way it was ever going to happen for us, therefore. I can't remember exactly how much I paid, but I know I bought this, the Christmas paper, a witch Halloween costume on special for $9 and a kitchen utensil holder, and only killed one $50 note, so it can't have been much.

So nowm, instead of buying the cheap cardboard ones with crappy compound chocolate each year, I can fill these little drawers with a daily surprise for December for the girls - not chocolate every day (although, doubtless, some days!) but little Christmassy objects or tokens that they will like. I'm thinking hairclips, ribbons, tree ornaments, and maybe even little "vouchers" for things (ie "You can pick dessert for Saturday night" or "A free pass to 3 sessions of a board game of YOUR choice with the whole family.")

We are not an overly crafty family. The kids like to draw, but are not otherwise craft-oriented, and I am not visually astute enough or skilled enough to do much with craft. Doing a family craft project was an experiment for us, but, despite a shaky start, it paid off, and we are all pretty happy with the result. 

This is post 25 in NaBloPoMo. 25 down, 5 to go!