Countdown to Christmas

I'm starting to really think about my Christmas decor already. I have never ever ever really liked Christmas before, but now that I'm a mom and my little girl is 3 years old Christmas seems to take on a whole new feeling.
I totally want to do an advent calender but Sophie is not really into candy and chocolate so I am trying to figure out how to make a calender that will house little gifties instead.
Here are a few idea that I have found online, do you know of any other ideas? (just click photo for links)

(this one would be super easy to make using felt.)

(another easy-to-make-using-felt one.)

(I think something like this would be nice hanging from a painted branch. Kinda like this picture from West Elm.)

(this one could be made using an old soda crate.)