Do you love a handmade holiday? Well, start the season early this year by creating an advent calendar.

In this blog post, I’ll show you 10 unique advent calendars that you can knit, as well as show you how to use an advent calendar, and ideas for what to put in them (scroll all the way to the end of this post for treat ideas).

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for more information.

What’s an Advent Calendar?

An advent calendar is a way of counting down the days leading up to Christmas day on December 25th. Many are paper advent calendars featuring small numbered doors. Each day, a door is opened to reveal a picture of something holiday-related.

However, advent calendars don’t need to be made of paper with pictures, you can also find pre-made advent calendars filled with chocolates or other small treats.

In fact, I found some really unique advent calendars for adults and kids, including this Lego Harry Potter Advent Calendar, a Haribo Advent Calendar for gummy bear addicts, and even a YARN advent calendar for knitters like us!

Heck, there are even advent calendars for dogs and for cats filled with treats for each day leading up to Christmas.

And, for jewelry lovers, there is an over-the-top Tiffany Advent Calendar for only $112,000.

How do Advent Calendars Work?

An advent calendar usually begins on December 1st and counts down daily to Christmas Day on December 25th. Each day, you’ll open a door, box, or bag according to the date.

Why do they call it an Advent calendar?

Advent calendars date back to the mid-19th century (source). It began when German Protestants started lighting candles or making chalk marks on doors to count the days leading up to Christmas.

Do you count up or down on an advent calendar?

Advent calendars begin with number one and count up. On December 1st, open door number one. On December 2nd, open door number two and so on until all doors have been opened.

Do advent calendars have 25 days?

Advent calendars have either 24 or 25 days ending on either December 24th (Christmas Eve) or December 25th (Christmas Day).

DIY Advent Calendar Knitting Patterns

Advent Treats: Handmade Advent Calendar to Knit

#1. Advent Treats Knitting Pattern

Designed by Emma King, this Advent calendar consists of 24 pockets. There are six mini stocking designs, six sweet designs, six bauble designs, and six envelope designs.

Each one has been designed so that a treat can be stored inside. The 24 pockets are hung from a cord (instructions are within the pattern) and are held in place by small pegs. This colorful calendar uses sport weight yarn.

Countdown to Christmas with Advent Stars Free Knitting Pattern

#2. Advent Stars Free Knitting Pattern

These 24 knitted stars each have a knitted button with a number on so they can be used as an Advent Calendar. Hang one up each day in December and you’ll have a beautiful display by Christmas.

The stars were designed to use up the leftover fingering weight sock yarn. Each star uses less than 5 g of yarn so this is a good pattern for stash busting.

Designed by Frankie Brown.

Enjoy the countdown to Christmas! Knit and fill these striped bags with holiday treats

#3. Advent Stripes Knitting Pattern

This Advent Calendar has 24 or 25 bags. Twelve different designs with reversing colors makes 24 or 25 unique bags. Each bag is knitted with the same number of rows and stitches in the round. The bag is started at the top and work to the bottom. For a variety, reverse the colors for MC and CC. Designed by Stana D. Sortor. This project uses worsted weight yarn.

#4. Advent Mini Mittens Free Knitting Pattern

Knit these adorable mini mittens and fill them with family favorite treats for a surprise every day! Each mitten is numbered and may be knitted in solid or striped version using worsted weight yarn.

Christmas Tree Advent Garland Knitting Pattern - Knit One Tree a Day Leading up to Christmas!

#5. Christmas Tree Advent Garland

This is a pattern for 24 little Christmas trees to hang on an advent garland. Knit one a day for the days leading up to Christmas, or get ahead and knit them all now. They are quick and easy to make and great for using up yarn in your stash. They also look good tied to parcels or hung around the house.

The trees are made in one piece, and trunks are knitted on afterward, so no sewing up to do. This project uses fingering and worsted weight yarns.

Designed by Linda Regel.

Simple Advent Calendar Free Knitting Pattern for a Fun Christmas Countdown

#6. Simple Advent Calendar Free Knitting Pattern

Count down the days by stitching up 24 simple rectangles (striped or solid), then folding them in half and sewing them up the sides to form pockets that hold little surprises. The number are cut out of felt and attached with fabric glue.

TIP: Because the pockets are made from small garter-stitch blocks, this is a fun teach-a-child-to-knit project. Designed by Renee Lorion. Project uses worsted weight yarn.

Countdown to Christmas! Knit an advent calendar featuring Fairfax House.

#7. Fairfax House Advent Calendar

Fairfax House is one of historic York’s most beautiful buildings. It was bought in 1759 by the ninth Viscount Fairfax of Emley for his only child, a daughter so that she could own it herself - most unusual in her days! Master architect John Carr of York transformed the house into a fashionable Georgian townhouse.

Designed by Mrs. Buttons, the advent calendar has 25 little bags to help the countdown to Christmas Day which, can be filled to taste. Part of this package is also a set of Mini Christmas Decorations to decorate the house: Christmas trees, holly garlands, a wreath, stars, and mini stockings.

Countdown to Christmas Advent Bunting Knitting Project

#8. Advent Bunting Knitting Project

Each pocket has plenty of space for goodies, so the kids will be happy, and the different color designs will not only look snazzy, but they are a great way to try new colorwork patterns and bust that stash, what is not to love?

The pockets knit up in no time at all, you could quickly knit one or two in an evening. The pattern includes charts for the colorwork.

Designed by Jane Burns and uses fingering weight yarn.

#9. Advent Garland Free Knitting Pattern

The garland is knitted in three identical sections so that it can be hung up in different ways, and it has 24 buttons on, all ready for the decorations. This would make a good group project, or why not knit the garland now and work on the ornaments throughout the year? Knit two a month, and it’ll be ready for next Christmas. Any of the decorations could also be knitted as individual ornaments for the Christmas tree, just make their hanging chains longer to allow for the branches.

Designed by Frankie Brown.

#10. Mitten Garland Advent Calendar

Knit and heirloom advent calendar! This set of small mittens feature holiday-inspired colorwork motifs. You’ll love knitting the unique designs and filling them with special treats.

CHRISTMAS ADVENT CALENDAR TREATS

It’s time to fill your advent calendar!

When making a DIY advent calendar, you’ve got a lot of pockets to fill.

You could fill them with the same thing or change it up so that every day is a different surprise. The treats don’t have to be expensive, and they can be tailored to suit adults or kids.

Here are some small treat ideas (there’s a list for kids and a separate one for adults), and I’ve provided Amazon links to all of these items to make your advent calendar treats shopping quick and easy.