Christmas Countdown Bookmarks (12 Free Printables to Color)

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Make the wait for Christmas a little more fun with these Christmas countdown bookmarks! This free printable set includes 12 designs to color, with numbered ornaments to mark each day from December 1 through Christmas Day.

Kids can choose a favorite character, decorate the top of their bookmark, and color one ornament each day. Tuck it into a bedtime book or your current read-aloud for a simple December tradition.

If your kids enjoy making their own page markers, they might also like our reindeer bookmark craft and snowman bookmarks. These countdown versions add a little calendar to the fun.

Why You’ll Love These Bookmarks

• 12 designs to choose from: There are Christmas characters, winter animals, and festive pictures.
• A quick daily activity: Color one numbered ornament and see your progress through December.
• Easy to prepare: Print, color, and cut around the bookmarks. No assembly is needed.
• A reading companion: Keep one in a book and make checking the date part of story time.

Materials

• The printable countdown bookmarks: Grab the free set in the signup section below.
• White paper or cardstock: Cardstock helps the bookmarks hold up to daily use.
• Colored pencils, crayons, or fine-tip markers: Colored pencils are especially useful for the small ornaments.
• Scissors: An adult can help younger children cut around the rounded corners.

What’s Included in the Printable

You’ll get three black-and-white pages with four bookmarks on each page, for 12 different designs altogether. Every bookmark has the words “Christmas Countdown,” festive lights and stars, and ornaments numbered 1–25.

• Page 1: Gingerbread man, Santa, reindeer, and snowman.
• Page 2: Owl, elf, a sleigh full of presents, and a stocking.
• Page 3: A car carrying a Christmas tree, penguin, decorated Christmas tree, and bell.

The number layout is the same on every design, so siblings or classmates can pick different pictures and still follow the same daily routine. These are Christmas bookmarks to color yourself, with space to make each one your own.

How to Use the Christmas Countdown Bookmarks

1. Print the page you want. Each page has four designs. Print all three for the full set, or choose the sheet with your child’s favorite picture.

2. Decorate the picture and border. Color the character, Christmas lights, stars, and lettering. Leave the numbered ornaments blank for the countdown.

3. Cut out the bookmark. Follow the outside rounded border. Write your child’s name on the back if you are making several.

4. Color the matching date each day. Color ornament 1 on December 1, ornament 2 on December 2, and continue through ornament 25 on Christmas Day. The numbers represent the dates, rather than the number of days remaining.

5. Keep it with your book. Use the bookmark to save your place and bring it out each day to mark the next ornament.

Tips for a Simple December Routine

• Choose a regular moment. Try coloring the day’s ornament after breakfast or before a bedtime story.
• Keep the numbers readable. Light colors let children see which dates they have marked.
• Starting late is fine. Color the earlier dates together, then continue with the current date.
• Leave the countdown area easy to color. If you laminate a bookmark, you’ll need a suitable wipe-clean marker to mark the dates. For colored pencils or crayons, leave it unlaminated.

Pair the Countdown with Reading

These printable advent bookmarks can be a reminder to share a story each day. Read a picture book, a few pages, or a chapter, then color the ornament for that date. You do not need 25 different books; favorite rereads and library books work just as well.

For a classroom, let children choose and decorate a bookmark before December begins. Mark the dates on school days and let them take the bookmarks home to finish over the holidays. You can also use the numbered ornaments to practice recognizing numbers, finding today’s date, and counting the uncolored dates before December 25.

Want another quiet activity for your holiday basket? Our printable Christmas boxes give kids something to color and build. For a group activity after reading time, try our printable Christmas games.

Printing Tips

Print the pages in landscape orientation. Check the print preview and use “Fit to Page” if needed to keep all four bookmarks and their borders within the printable area.

Black-and-white printing is all you need. Choose cardstock that is compatible with your printer, or use regular paper for a lighter bookmark. Print one test page before making a classroom set.

For more seasonal activities to keep nearby, browse our free Christmas printables.

Grab the Free Printable

Ready to start your countdown? Choose a favorite design and grab all three pages of Christmas countdown bookmarks below.

Put your name and email in the pink box below, and we’ll send the free printable straight to your inbox.