I was wondering how far ahead you can make your fondant characters. I am making the cake for my sisters' shower as well as hosting it so to keep the stress level down I was thinking of making the characters for the cake ahead of time but do not know how to keep them until I decorate the cake. I have heard that you can make them a week ahead of time. Do I refrigerate them or put them in an airtight container? Help please

You can make them as far ahead as you like. Days, weeks, even a month! How to store them depends on how you want them to perform. If you are making 2D shapes which need to stick to the curved side of a round cake, for example, store them in a sealed container, as that will trap the moisture in and allow the fondant to remain pliable. Since you said characters, I'd guess you want them to dry out and firm up so store them in any container that will allow air to flow through (i.e. a cardboard box, or a plastic container but WITHOUT the lid) to protect them from being bumped or broken. Either way, store them somewhere away from sunlight, as the colors can fade. Do not store them in the fridge!

Thankyou very much!