Tubular Advent Wreath

by Debra Immergut, Photograph by Ed Judice

Tubular Advent Wreath - Image Collection

Collect cardboard tubes to make this clever countdown calendar. It looks pretty hung on a wall and contains little surprises for each December day until Christmas.

Materials

cardboard tubes
compass or string tied to pencil
scissors (an adult's job)
acrylic paint
tacky glue

aluminum foil
string for hanging
24 trinkets or treats
glue dots

Instructions

To cut the pieces for the base, use a compass or string tied to a pencil to mark 16-inch and 6-inch concentric circles on a sturdy piece of cardboard. Cut along the lines.
For the cubbies, cut 24 segments from cardboard tubes of various sizes; we used paper-towel tubes, oatmeal containers, and a potato-chip tube, cutting them at lengths ranging from 1 to 2 1/2 inches.
To assemble the wreath, coat the base and some of the tube segments with acrylic paint and let them dry. Use tacky glue to cover other segments with aluminum foil and, if you like, leave a few unadorned.
Arrange the tube segments on the base, attaching each one with a line of glue around the bottom rim. Tie a loop of string to the wreath for hanging.
Fill the wreath with 24 wrapped, numbered trinkets or treats, securing them with glue dots if needed.