DIY Adventskalender for Travelers

Dear lilioftheworld.com reader, it’s Lili, your co-editor.

Adventskalender is a word which I learnt a couple of years ago when I moved to Austria. Around the beginning of November, I started seeing these big boxes with numbers on them in the shops. It turned out that it is something very traditional for the locals- they grew up with it. For them this was the sign of the approaching Christmas. DIY Adventskalender is something which becomes more and more popular recently.

Adventskalender (or Advent Calendar in English) is a special calendar used to count the days before Christmas. Although it is not certain when exactly the tradition started, the first written proof dates back to the 19th century and the German Lutherans. The tradition is especially popular among all the German speaking countries, but in recent years it gains popularity all over the world. 

The traditional Adventskalender (I will use the German word for it) contains 24 windows- one for each day starting from December 1st and ending on Christmas Eve. The calendar windows open to reveal an image, a poem, a portion of a story (such as the story of the Nativity of Jesus), or a small gift, such as a toy or a chocolate item. 

The first commercial Adventskaleders contained mainly sweets behind the windows, but recently you can find different ideas- from beer to sport equipment, from cosmetics to jewelry. 

DIY Adventskalender

The Adventskalender can be used as a present or you can buy one just for yourself. Very popular in the last few years is the DIY (do-it-yourself) Adventskalender. The idea is that you use your imagination in order to create a unique and very personalized sample. 

We would like to present you an idea of creating your own DIY Adventskalender on the topic Travelling. This is the perfect present for a friend or a family member who loves to travel. 

We will combine the two- the concept about the DIY Adventskalender and a personalized present. All you need is to get the following items (below we can also give you tips where you can find some of them).

Here is the video from the creative process of assembling our Adventskalender:

DIY Adventskalender tools

For the preparation you will need:

• Bags, ideally paper ones (you can choose the color depending on the overall design). Although I bought mine from a store, there are ready solutions available online. Like these two – you get not only the bags, but also the stickers with the digits. 

• Christmas decorations like stickers, toys, etc. 
• Stickers with the numbers from 1 to 24
• 24 items which you put in the bags. One key condition is that the items are not big, so that they can be carried as hand luggage. Of course you should choose items based on personal preferences. Here we have listed things which we find useful during travelling based on our own experience. These are our proposals for the travelling DIY Adventskalender.

1. Passport cover

The cover is not only protecting you passport (which wears out with the years), but it also helps you easily identify it among other passports. It is a good way to express your personality. Here is the link to the one we chose for our Adventskalender (I think it is very cute one 🙂

2. Suitcase tag

One of the most unpleasant feelings it to have your luggage lost. When flying you usually get the luggage tag upon check-in. However, in many other situations on the go it is useful to have a personal baggage tag as well. 

3. Earplugs

They are very useful when you sleep or want to relax during travel. One of the main reasons we get tired when travelling is the noise at the airports and from the airplane engines. The crying babies nearby can seriously challenge even the deepest sleep, so better be prepared. It is also common that hotels and accommodations are very poorly soundproofed and you can hear even the whisper of your neighbors.

4. Earphones

Earphones are a very good companions during trip for listening to music or watching a video. This is especially valid for long haul flights, where you can spend more than seven hours on your seat.

5. Inflatable pillow

This is your best “friend” when travelling. The inflatable pillow does not require a lot of space and makes even the most uncomfortable seat a bit better.

6. Eye mask 

Another item which will make your travelling more comfortable. 

7. Luggage lock

Although most suitcases come with their own lock, the portable lock is useful when travelling with a bag with no own locker.

The following items are your must-haves cosmetic products suitable even for your hand luggage: 

8. Shower gel

9. Shampoo

10. Deodorant 

11. Toothpaste

12. Antibacterial gel

13. Lip balm

14. Moisturizer

The air in airplanes is very dry, so the good old NIVEA Creme can help your skin stay hydrated.

15. Toothbrush

I prefer the foldable ones as they take less space.

16. Wet wipes

17. Charger/ powerbank

Nowadays this is a must-bring item when traveling- anything happens and you better stay connected.

18. Mints (just in case there are no suitable conditions to brushing the teeth)

19. Socks

When sitting for a long time, it is better that you take your shoes off. In the past the airlines used to provide a pack with some of the above mentioned items. Due to cost cutting, these are available only in business class. 

20. Phone ring

This is one of those modern items which Generation Z put at the back of their phone. It is quite useful in order to grip your phone better, but also for using it as a stand for the phone. You can then watch movies without the need of holding it.

21. Raincoat

22. Zip Tie 🙂

One non-standard idea. This is an item of universal use as everything happens on the go. You will be surprised how many things you can fix with it due to its strong and reliable grip. 

23. Shoe bag

24. Comb/ hairbrush 

Additional ideas for items to put in your DIY Adventskalender for Travelers can be:

• Mini fragrance 

• Compress Bag for clothes 

If you are travelling with hand luggage only, you know very well that the compress clothes bags are very useful. You can pack a huge number of clothes in a very small space.

• Pen (for filling-in documents)

You think this does not fit the overall DIY Adventskalender for Travelers topic, but we are never prepared when we need to fill in our documents 🙂 

• Microfiber towel

It is true that many hotels offer towels, but a small microfiber towel will not take much space in your luggage and can be helpful on the go. 

The most important thing when creating the DIY Adventskalender is your imagination. The more creative you are, the better. The overall price of the DIY Adventskalender for Travelers depends on the price of the items, so it is difficult to give a single figure. The one we created costs around € 50 Eur. The paper bags can be reused or in the worst case- recycled. Thus you are also helping protect the environment. 

We are curious to see your execution. Share your own DIY Adventskalneder ideas with us.

More tips for traveling on our Lili’s Tips section.