Add a rustic touch to your Christmas home decor with a natural advent calendar. This easy homemade Christmas countdown calendar uses stones or rocks to count down to Christmas.
Countdown to Christmas with this easy DIY advent calendar! A Stone Advent Calendar with a festive seasonal display, such as a Nativity Scene or a winter woodland, as shown in the photographs, is a fun and interactive DIY Christmas decoration. Add a bit of rustic whimsy to your holiday decorations with this simple Christmas project. First, use the DIY Christmas craft tutorial below to make a stone Christmas countdown calendar with or without a religious Christmas display.
Next, use your stone advent calendar as a fun and easy way to count down to Christmas. No sugary treats, candy, or gifts are necessary, unless you want to include them, of course! Alternatively, you can make an Advent Spiral with stones or another counting supply, such as gemstones, acorns, or wood slices. First published on November 17, 2016, this Christmas countdown calendar DIY project tutorial is regularly updated and republished to improve the content and remain current.
Today, it includes directions for making this stone countdown calendar with a nature-based winter or religious Christmas focus, along with photographs of each type. It also includes several additional examples and Christmas countdown calendar ideas you can try in addition to those shared in this informative guide. Scroll down for complete step-by-step DIY instructions to set up this easy Christmas advent countdown calendar. You might also enjoy these fun family Christmas Traditions.
DIY Advent Calendar Christmas Countdown
Creating a Christmas countdown with stones and rocks can be a unique and nature-inspired way to celebrate the holiday season. Advent means ‘coming’ in Latin and represents the coming of Christ. In other words, a Christmas Advent represents Baby Jesus’s coming into the world.
This homemade advent calendar makes counting down to Christmas fun. Every day, starting December 1st, or any day thereafter, turn over or remove one stone to count down the days until Christmas. Alternatively, you can build one with a nature-based theme to count down to another winter holiday, such as the winter solstice. This Christmas activity adds a creative touch to your holiday decor and is a tangible way to build anticipation for Christmas Day.
It also makes it easy for Toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners to engage in the joy and excitement of the holiday season. Removing one stone or object per day helps them count down the days until Christmas. So, it’s an excellent DIY Christmas decoration for families with young children.
First, gather 24 stones or rocks of various sizes, ideally smooth, for easy painting or writing. Each stone represents a day from December 1st to the 24th. You can paint or write numbers on each stone, add festive designs like snowflakes, stars, or Christmas trees, or leave them natural, as shown in the photographs.
Next, arrange the stones or painted rocks in a special area of your home. Scroll down for the complete instructions on how to make these simple types of Christmas countdown calendars.
Our Stone Advent Christmas Countdown Calendar
My daughter has always had an obsession with rocks. So, our fall nature table has become littered with them! When I saw THIS advent nature table by Explore and Express many years ago, I knew it was perfect for my daughter and our home, so I decided to make one to display on our nature table in December. Since then, my daughter and I have used stones to create a creative Christmas countdown display in many different ways. This post shares several of our many winter countdown calendar creations over the years.
The first year I made a stone countdown calendar, I made this festive, homemade popsicle-stick nativity stable to go with it. Then, my daughter and I set up a simple Nativity Scene with a wooden holy family, which you can make to go with this stone DIY Advent calendar if you like.Â
Alternatively, you can use any of these lovely stables or nativity sets to set up with it. This simple Willow Tree Nativity Set is one of my favorites, but I also love the simple look you can create with wooden peg dolls
, as shown in the photograph below. Learn how to set up a Nativity Scene for Christmas–> HERE.
Since then, as you can see in some of the photographs, my daughter and I have also used stones, rocks, and gemstones to create various Christmas countdowns with a nature-based woodland theme. As you can see in the photo below, we’ve decorated the stone countdown calendar with woodland animals, winter fairies, and other seasonal figurines.
Related: Rustic Walnut Shell Manger Christmas Ornament
Christmas Advent Countdown Calendar Supplies:
Use the following optional supplies and materials to create a stone Christmas advent countdown calendar:
Gather stones, rocks, and pebbles, or use one of the following options:
- First, go on a nature hunt to gather stones, rocks, or other natural treasures to use.
- Look for 24 (or any number you choose) small stones from your yard, a nature walk, or a local park. Smooth, flat stones or pebbles work great, but other natural objects, such as raw gemstones, shells
, pinecones, acorns, acorn caps, flat-backed gems, colorful sea glass pieces, wood slices, and more, can be used in their place. - Alternatively, visit your local landscaping or gardening store to buy a few stones, rocks, or pebbles.
- You can also use rainbow blocks, LEGO bricks, or toy cars.
- Any wrapped food material that is unlikely to perish before Christmas will also work for this Christmas countdown craft. For example, use tiny, individually wrapped pieces of chocolate, like Hershey’s Holiday Kisses, or milk chocolate novelty Christmas figures to give your children a treat each night.
, pinecones
, acorns, acorn caps, flat-backed 
, or toy cars
.Related: Baby Jesus Christmas Ornament
Christmas Countdown Calendar Materials:
- 24 stones, rocks, or other items:
- You can also use acorns or acorn caps, shells, wood slices, flat-backed marbles, gemstones, crystals, rainbow blocks, etc.
- There are several more recommendations you can use to count down to Christmas or another winter holiday posted in the section above.
- Optional thematic elements and Christmas or winter decor, such as:
- Nativity stable with holy family and nativity scene (Optional; a DIY stone advent calendar looks beautiful without this religious feature.)
- Alternatively, you can create a countdown calendar with a different focus, such as a nature-based theme:
- Create a nature-themed countdown calendar with woodland animals, winter fairy dolls, and DIY decor, and use a reindeer tealight candle holder.
- Beeswax tealights and a unique Christmas candle (optional)
Related: Angel Christmas Ornaments
Related: Ultimate Family Gift Guide with DIY and ready-made options!
How to Count Down to Christmas with a Stone Advent Calendar:
A quick summary of how to make and use a stone countdown calendar follows. Please see the complete step-by-step DIY instructions for this Christmas countdown activity and craft in the next section.
- Place 24 rocks or stones (in a straight or curved line) across a table, shelf, or windowsill, or make a spiral advent.
- Add optional thematic elements and seasonal DIY decor.
- For example, place a nativity stable with the Holy Family and the nativity scene at one end of the line of stones.
- This step is optional; a stone Christmas countdown calendar looks just as lovely without a nativity stable or nativity scene.
- Alternatively, you can also create a simple stone countdown calendar with a nature-based focus, as shown in the other photographs for this post.
- For example, place a nativity stable with the Holy Family and the nativity scene at one end of the line of stones.
- Use the stones to count down to Christmas or another winter holiday, such as the winter solstice, starting on the first of December or any day after that.
- If you start your Christmas countdown after December 1, count the remaining days and add the corresponding number of rocks, objects, or ornaments.
- Remove one rock (or object) daily until the last stone is removed on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, depending on the design of your countdown.
- Light a beeswax candle in place of the stone or stones removed each night, and a unique candle on Christmas Day. (Optional)
- Follow the Christmas countdown calendar with three wise men peg dolls or a reindeer candle holder with a lit beeswax candle each night. (Optional–see Christmas countdown activity ideas below.)
Related: Christmas Gifts Kids Can Make Your Family Will Love!
DIY Stone Advent Calendar Step-by-Step Instructions:
The step-by-step DIY project tutorial below explains how to make a simple Christmas countdown calendar.
Related: Christmas Ornaments Kids Can Make
1. Place the stones or rocks across a table, shelf, or mantle to create the DIY Christmas countdown calendar display:
- Place 24-25 stones, rocks, gemstones, acorns, or other objects or ornaments (in a straight line, curved line, wandering path, or a spiral) across a table, shelf, mantle, or windowsill.
- A few creative examples of different ways you can place the rocks or stones are shown in the photographs for this DIY tutorial.
- If starting your countdown after the first of December, count the days remaining until the desired date and add that many stones (or other objects) to the DIY countdown calendar.
- Or, place the stones or other objects into spirals or circles to make this festive holiday decor.
- Alternatively, you can make a DIY Advent spiral countdown calendar using the step-by-step instructions: HERE.
2. Create a meaningful countdown calendar display with your favorite optional elements:
The following few ideas share optional elements you can add to your countdown calendar to create a festive seasonal display:
Add optional thematic elements such as wise men, reindeer, or another figurine behind the last stone or other objects (optional):
- Place three Wise Men (or three wooden peg dolls to represent the Magi), a reindeer tealight candle holder, or another symbolic object behind the first stone of your Advent calendar (optional).
- Adding wise men looks lovely, but does not make the countdown entirely accurate.
- According to the story of Christmas, the wise men continued to travel after Christmas Day. Some people believe their Journey ends on Epiphany (January 6), while others believe the Magi traveled for several years before they reached Bethlehem.
- Inform your children or Sunday School students of this difference, or modify your countdown to continue after Christmas in any way you like.
- One way to do this is to leave the Nativity Scene up after Christmas by adding another twelve stones to the countdown on Christmas Day (December 25).
- Then, take away one stone daily to count down to Epiphany on January 6th.
- One way to do this is to leave the Nativity Scene up after Christmas by adding another twelve stones to the countdown on Christmas Day (December 25).
Add an optional nativity scene or other seasonal winter or Christmas DIY decor (optional):
- Make or buy a stable with a holy family to set up a nativity scene with the homemade stone advent calendar.
- Place Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus into the nativity stable at the end of the stone Christmas countdown.
- Or add Baby Jesus to the Nativity Scene on Christmas Eve (December 24) if you prefer. (Learn how to set up a Nativity Scene–>HERE.)
- Make our easy popsicle stick nativity stable craft tutorial, or purchase this lovely nativity stable.
- Make this simple wooden Holy Family with Baby Jesus in a half-walnut-shell manger.
- Add optional sheep, a donkey, or other seasonal decorative figurines, such as woodland animals and evergreen tree crafts.
3. Remove one stone (or other object) per day to count down to Christmas:
- Remove one stone from the Advent calendar each day to count down to Christmas or another winter holiday.
- Feel free to light a candle in place of the removed stone, or leave it simple.
- In other words, light a single beeswax candle in place of the stone or other object removed each night, or light a candle for each stone removed thus far. (optional).
- Light a single unique candle in place of the removed stones (or other objects) on Christmas Day (optional).
- Begin your countdown on December 1 or any day before or after that.
- Count the days remaining until the desired date and add the same number of stones or other items to the DIY countdown calendar.
- Continue removing one stone each day until the last stone is removed on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, depending on how you want to design your countdown calendar craft.
- Follow the stone path with three magi or wise men peg dolls, or other Christmas figurines, such as a lit candle in a reindeer tealight candle holder. (optional).
5. Make it your own:
- Turn each time you remove a stone (or other object from the DIY countdown calendar display) into a moment of connection—read a winter or Christmas story, light a candle, recite a simple prayer, poem, or verse, share your gratitude, or complete a small act of kindness.
- Use the kindness elves to motivate children to commit small acts of kindness.
Related: Fingerprint Christmas Tree Cards
DIY Advent Calendar Kids Can Make
That’s it! Setting up this Christmas countdown calendar is quick and easy. You can make a handmade nativity stable to accompany your homemade countdown calendar, or use these lovely stables or nativity sets. Learn how to set up a Christmas Nativity Scene HERE.
Look at these fun family Christmas traditions for even more great holiday ideas! You might also want to look at our winter bucket list seasonal activity guide. It has several fun winter activities you can enjoy.
Learn more about Nell Regan Kartychok, author and photographer of this Stone Advent Calendar craft HERE, and Rhythms of Play HERE!
More Christmas Ideas:
- Best Christmas Art Projects
- Angel Christmas Ornaments
- How to Make Beaded Snowflake Ornaments
- Christmas Handprint, Footprint, and Fingerprint Crafts for Cards
- Ultimate Family Gift Guide
- Walnut Shell Manger Christmas Ornament
Hi Nell, I love this post! So glad that you have been able to use this idea, and thank you for linking back to Explore and Express.
Hi Sheila!
I fell in love with your idea the minute I saw it and knew it would be perfect for my daughter. I love the idea of the stones symbolizing the journey of the wise man. Not many advent calendars these days can bring the meaning of Christmas to life quite like this one can. Thank you for the inspiration to create such a beautiful nativity scene on our Nature table this year.