Be honest, just a tiny little bit of you has started to think about Christmas. You’ve seen a few shop windows and looked on the brighter side of the wintry weather. And there it is, the festive countdown as exciting as ever.

Of course, we admit to doing exactly the same, so we’ve prepared the perfect advent calendar ideas to help you get ready for an even more magical Christmas countdown this year!

Creating your own bespoke advent calendar to fit your style will look great (obviously!) but it’s also loads of fun to do with family and friends. Here are our top seven inspirational ideas we’re sure you’re going to love…

1. The Coat Hanger Calendar

Credit: Stanington & Company

Yes, we know it looks pretty bizarre, but we promise you this shabby chic calendar is bang on trend, uniquely understated and looks amazing when complete. And remember, every day doesn’t have to lead to chocolate, use each pouch as an opportunity for a new festive surprise.

To make yours, use Rust-Oleum Metallic Spray Paint in Bright Copper or Bright Gold for the perfect festive statement.

2. The Christmas Tree Calendar

Credit: Everyday Dishes

Something that’s tidier and more uniformed aesthetically, this Christmas tree calendar with its parallel spine and branches are a perfect way to add vibrant pops of colour to your festive decor. And we don’t just mean green!

To make yours, use Rust-Oleum Mode Spray Paint and choose from any of our amazing colours including Carmine Red, Pure Aqua and Sunflower.

3. The Cute and Leafy Calendar

Credit: Fall For DIY

This cute and quite literally off-the-wall option is a lovingly imaginative way to cross off the days! Incorporating your large indoors plant and its branches with these stylish glass jars, ideal for storing treats, is a beautiful take on the traditional advent calendar.

To make yours, mask off the sections of the jar that you don’t want to paint and add a colour of your choice. Use Rust-Oleum Peelable Spray Paint and once the season is over, simply peel off and re-use.

4. The Monochrome Calendar

Credit: Homey Oh My

If you love Christmas but aren’t too keen on all the garish glitter and tinsel, this super sleek monochrome calendar is the one for you. It nails the minimalist vibe and just looks really cool, what more do you need — we love it!

To make yours, use Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch in Black for the Christmas Trees.

5. The Picture Postcard Calendar

Credit: The Thinking Closet

As we keep reminding ourselves, advent calendars don’t have to be all chocolates and treats. The picture postcard calendar is a great way to celebrate the season with a daily dose of cherished memories. We all love gifts at Christmas but here is a really nice way to celebrate the people we love the most and the things in life that fill us with joy.

To make yours, find a plain and unwanted photo frame before spraying Rust-Oleum Chalkboard Paint on the glass and Rust-Oleum Mode for the frame.

6. The Super Tidy Calendar

Credit: The Fashion Is Mine

If you like everything in its right place, adding splashes of festive colour to your desk-tidy is an ingenious solution to creating the ultimate organised advent calendar.

To make yours, use Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch with Rust-Oleum Metallic Finish Furniture Paint for some added luxury.

7. The Chalkboard Calendar

Having soaked up all of this advent calendar goodness, it’s only right we made our own.

We did this by taking a photo frame, using Rust-Oleum Chalkboard Paint for the glass and Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch in Cherry Red for the frame. We loved doing it and (we think anyway) it looks fantastically festive, with plenty of time left to plan what to put inside each day!

Our calendar leans towards the traditional but has that important modern twist, too. The beauty of using chalkboard paint means it’s nicely versatile for when 2017 is gets underway.

If you’ve been inspired by our picks from the world of bespoke advent calendars, we’d love to see yours in action over the Christmas period. Make sure you share them with us on Facebook and Twitter.