Make a printable countdown calendar to the day you are waiting for: a vacation, a wedding.
Scored across 1 tool
There is only one tool, so there is no possibility of misselection between overlapping capabilities. Its scope (generate a printable countdown calendar with grid/chain/tear-off styles plus ICS reminders) is also explicitly bounded against adjacent tasks like live timers or notifications.
The single name `generate_countdown_calendar` follows a clear verb_noun snake_case convention that matches its action and output. There are no competing conventions to conflict with.
One tool is defensible here because the variation (style, weekdays_only, skip_dates, ICS export) is expressed as parameters rather than separate endpoints. The surface is narrow but every parameter is in service of the same job, though a single tool is on the thin side if the server later expands.
The core lifecycle — specify event, pick style, filter days, get PDF plus reminder ICS — is fully covered with multiple output formats. Minor gaps exist around appearance customization (themes/colors) and retrieving or regenerating previously created calendars, but agents can work around these.
Use this when the user wants a printable countdown calendar, a paper chain countdown, a "how many days until" calendar to cross off, a vacation or wedding countdown printable, an advent-style countdown to an event, or school days left until summer break. Pass event_date and event_name; start_date defaults to today in the user's time zone. Styles: grid (month pages with a big days-to-go number per box), chain (paper-chain strips, 10 per page) or tear_off (12 cards per page). weekdays_only counts Monday to Friday; skip_dates removes holidays. Returns the days-to-go numbers, the PDF, and an ICS file with all-day reminders at 100, 50, 30, 14, 7, 3 and 1 days to go and on the event day. Up to 400 days. Does not send notifications, set phone timers or count hours and minutes; not for a live countdown timer.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| style | No | "grid" (default: month pages with a big days-to-go number in each box to cross off), "chain" (paper-chain strips, 10 per page, one link to tear off each day) or "tear_off" (12 cards per page, one per day). | |
| messages | No | Optional short notes printed on the strips or cards in order, repeating if fewer than the days, e.g. ["Pack swimsuits","Read about the parks"]. Up to 80 characters each. | |
| timezone | No | The user's IANA time zone for "today", e.g. "Europe/London". Default America/New_York. | |
| page_size | No | "Letter" (default) or "A4". | |
| date_order | No | Only for dates like 03/04/2027: "mdy" (US, default) or "dmy". | |
| event_date | Yes | Date of the event, e.g. "2026-12-25". A date without a year ("Dec 25") means the next one after the start date. | |
| event_name | No | What the countdown is for, printed on every page, e.g. "Disney trip" or "Our wedding". Up to 60 characters. | |
| skip_dates | No | Days not to count, e.g. ["2026-11-26","2026-11-27"] for school holidays. Up to 120 dates. | |
| start_date | No | First day of the countdown, e.g. "2026-11-01". Default: today in the user's time zone. | |
| week_start | No | Grid style: "Sunday" (default) or "Monday". | |
| weekdays_only | No | true to count only Monday to Friday, e.g. for school days or work days left. Default false. | |
| include_event_day | No | Add a final "Today!" box, strip or card for the event day. Default true. |
| Name | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| pages | Yes | |
| style | Yes | |
| pieces | Yes | |
| preview | Yes | |
| timezone | Yes | |
| warnings | Yes | |
| downloads | Yes | |
| page_size | Yes | |
| days_to_go | Yes | |
| event_date | Yes | |
| event_name | Yes | |
| milestones | Yes | |
| start_date | Yes | |
| assumptions | Yes | |
| start_source | Yes | |
| calendar_days | Yes | |
| counting_rule | Yes | |
| event_weekday | Yes | |
| preview_count | No | |
| skipped_dates | Yes | |
| weekdays_only | Yes | |
| include_event_day | Yes | |
| skipped_weekend_days | Yes |
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Beyond the annotations, it discloses the return artifacts (days-to-go numbers, PDF, ICS file), the reminder schedule (100, 50, 30, 14, 7, 3, and 1 days before plus event day), and the 400-day limit. This gives the agent useful behavioral context for a read-only generation tool.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is front-loaded with use cases and key parameters, then moves into styles and limitations. It is dense but well organized; the main inefficiency is repeating style details already present in the schema.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a 12-parameter generation tool with annotations and an output schema, the description provides enough context to call it correctly. It covers the core inputs, output artifacts, limits, and exclusions without needing to explain every return field.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema coverage is 100%, and the description largely repeats the schema's parameter documentation, especially for style, weekdays_only, and skip_dates. It does reinforce that event_date is required and start_date defaults to today in the user's time zone, but it adds little meaning beyond the already detailed schema.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description uses a specific verb and resource combination: it generates printable countdown calendars. It enumerates concrete variants (grid, chain, tear_off) and explicitly distinguishes the tool from a live countdown timer or notification scheduler.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
It gives explicit when-to-use examples, including printable paper chain countdowns, vacation and wedding countdowns, advent-style calendars, and school days left until summer break. It also states when not to use the tool: no notifications, phone timers, or hour/minute countdowns.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
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