Mason jars are multi-purpose powerhouses. You can use them for drinking, canning, storing, stacking, and—as any good DIY enthusiast knows—crafting. As we approach the ultimate crafting holiday, it’s only natural that we should look to the old reliable Mason jar for ideas. What we’ve found are Mason jar crafts you can gift, ones you can use to decorate, and ones you can use to get as many sweet Christmas snacks into your body as possible. You can also use these ideas as jumping-off points for your own creations. Christmas crafting only has one rule: be merry.
Tealights make great centrepieces, and these holders let you nestle them among some of the most vital ingredients of Christmas: bright red cranberries, aromatic evergreen twigs, and colourful fabrics. The light will float peacefully at the top of the jar, illuminating your Christmas feast and brightening your post-meal conversation when everyone’s too full to move. Get the tutorial here: www.aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com
If those in your social circle love eggnog, then you’re likely familiar with the yearly "whose glass is that?" conundrum. Well, there's no reason to worry about cooties any more! These Mason jar glasses have a spot for you to write your name, making it possible to keep your nog all to yourself. Best of all, all you need is chalk paint. If you want to get a bit more intricate with the shape of your glass’s nameplate, try making a stencil.
Here’s another craft that makes a great gift, and you can make it without leaving your kitchen. Find your favourite Christmas cookie recipe, measure out all the dry ingredients, and layer them in a Mason jar. Include a label with instructions for adding the wet ingredients, so that your giftee can have delicious cookie dough in minutes. Then top it off with some twine and a Christmasy fabric of your choice, or decorate the jar however you please.
These lid ornaments will give your Christmas tree a rustic touch. Glue fabric into your lid to create a background, and then make a cutout of any Christmas-themed shape to put in the centre. Depending on how handy you are with scissors, you can get pretty intricate with your designs. And if you’re not quite as into the elaborate cutouts, how about using a photograph of you and your loved ones? Get the tutorial here: www.suburble.com
Finally, a snowman you can make without freezing your fingers off. This Frosty has buttons instead of eyes of coal. But if you wish, you can still use a real carrot for a nose. This cute decoration can be hung from a tree, used as a centrepiece, or placed on a mantle. Wherever you put it, it’s sure to invoke holiday cheer. Get the tutorial here: www.club.chicacircle.com
Even if you have an artificial tree, it’s a good idea to bring at least a little bit of natural evergreen into your home at Christmas. To create this rustic centrepiece, brush white paint onto a Mason jar, then fill it with sprigs of your favourite Christmas branches: usually pines and firs in their many varieties. This craft allows you to bring a forest scent to your table, without any damage to the actual forest.
This craft is not only cute, it’s tasty too. This adorable reindeer Mason jar will hold the hot chocolate mix of your choice. You can use a standard pre-made mix, or make your own with cocoa, sugar, and even extras like candy-cane morsels or mint for a little flair. And don’t forget the marshmallows! This craft makes a great gift, and kids will be happy to leave it under the mantel for Santa on Christmas Eve. Get the tutorial here: www.twomoreminutes.com
Lighting is an essential part of building Christmas ambiance. These Christmas lanterns allow you to create Christmas scenes that also double as gently flickering lanterns. The jars are lightly spray-painted to give the light a gentle hue, and then a fine-point black marker can be used to draw on a holiday scene. Finally, place a tealight into the jar, and see your artwork illuminated from within. Get the tutorial here: www.adventure-in-a-box.com
We don’t quite know why, but shaking up a snow globe and watching the white flakes drift down over a miniature world never gets old. Mason jars are a perfect vessel for snow globe creation: they’re transparent and watertight, solving the would-be snow globe maker’s problem of how to seal the liquid inside. As for your globe’s interior, feel free to get creative. You can add miniature trees, figurines, or just a magical mix of glittery snowflakes. Get the tutorial here: www.whipperberry.com
For those people on your list who might prefer a light buzz to a sugar high, you can make a spice mix for mulled wine. Cinnamon sticks, allspice, and cloves are just a few spices that will make your red wine into a warm, delicious bowl of holiday cheer. And once you’ve mulled the wine, you can also use the Mason jars as glasses. Cheers!
