How to Make a Halloween Countdown Calendar

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Sometimes you have to create your own Halloween decor because you can't find what you're looking for.

This post contains affiliate links. See my disclaimer.

Other times, you have the create your own Halloween decor because you CAN find what you’re looking for…but you don’t like any of the options. Today’s DIY falls into that category.

I have quite a few variations on Halloween countdown calendars, like this chalkboard (originally from Michaels) that someone upcycled and sold for just a few bucks at a local craft show I love visiting every September and like this block countdown calendar I found years ago on Etsy (the shop is no longer in business). I even have one I found at Kohl’s on clearance in late December that was the centerpiece of my living room decor in 2017.

But I found myself wanting one that was a little more interactive and fun – something more like an advent calendar.

 

 

So…I made my own! This DIY cost me less than $15 to put together (assuming you already have a printer and ink) and only took about 30 minutes to assemble.

Well, okay…it was more like 4-5 hours if you count the time I put into creating those cards, but trust me when I say I did the hard part for you! (Your Best Halloween Ever and That Halloween Bro have the text messages to prove it…)

Keep reading for my supplies list and instructions.

 

How to make a Halloween countdown calendar

 

 

Supplies:
  • 17 x 23-inch bulletin board (here’s the one I used from Michaels)
  • Straight pins or push pins (the ones I used, also from Michaels)
  • Card stock
  • Printer
  • Scissors
  • Halloween washi tape (optional to cover the frame of the bulletin board)

 

 

Instructions:
  1. Download the calendar cards PDF.
  2. Print only pages 3 – 8 first on your card stock. These are the fun fact sides of the cards.
  3. Insert the pages back into the printer to print the calendar sides on the opposite side of the page. Check your printer’s directional settings to ensure your paper is feeding the correct direction – every printer is a little different.
  4. Print pages 9 – 14. These are the calendar sides of the cards. (Yes, the numbers are out of order, but this is so certain facts line up with certain days!)
  5. Print page 15 on a single sheet of card stock for the optional Happy Halloween card to place in the middle of your calendar.
  6. Using the dashed lines on the fun fact sides of the cards, cut out each one.
  7. If you want to dress up your bulletin board, cover the frame with washi tape. (Looking for more uses for your Halloween washi tape?)
  8. Pin cards to the bulletin board. If you’re using a 17 x 23-inch bulletin board (like my DIY does), cards will be pinned in seven rows of five cards. The Happy Halloween card takes the place of three cards in the center row (or wherever you’d like to place it!) and one space will be left empty in the final row.

 

 

Once it’s assembled, find a place in your house for your calendar, then count down the days to October 31st by flipping over one number per day to reveal a fun fact! I mixed them up with general Halloween trivia, candy and pumpkin fun facts and even a few national holidays you might not know. Read through them all ahead of time or keep it a surprise and read them one day at a time all October.

 

 

This would be a great DIY to do with elementary school-age kids – I had my five-year-old niece in mind when creating it.

 

 

Making your own? Share your DIY with me by tagging @spookylittlehalloween on Instagram, @spkyhalloween on Twitter or sharing a photo on my Facebook page.

 

 

Looking for more easy Halloween DIYs?

I like sharing projects I think you guys will actually make. Here are a few of my faves from the blog over the past five years:

Looking for a little inspo? Check out this blog post. You should also be following my friends I mentioned earlier – Your Best Halloween Ever has a TON of DIY archives, and if you’re looking for some serious #HalloweenGoals check out That Halloween Bro’s decor DIYs.

 

Happy haunting,

 

Miranda | Spooky Little Halloween

Miranda is the Houston-based writer, blogger, and Halloween lover behind Spooky Little Halloween, the blog celebrating October 31st all year long. Her favorite Halloween things include pumpkin guts, chocolate bars in her trick-or-treat pail, real haunted houses (including the one she lives in!), and historic cemeteries.

4 Comments

  1. Reply

    Lauie

    September 2, 2020

    This is so cute!

  2. Reply

    Ellen

    September 5, 2020

    Such fun ideas Miranda. There is a facebook twitter, P. Logo that pops up over a lot of the photos , thu making it difficult to view some of them. It floats up with images. It may just be my phone.

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