27 Christmas Mason Jar Crafts You Can Make Today

Try these Mason jar crafts for easy gifts and decor this holiday season.

whimsical holiday jar lid dioramas
Photo: Carson Downing

Intended for canning, Mason jars serve a different purpose come Christmas. As food gifts, candleholders, and more, this vintage kitchen staple will keep you crafting through the holidays. We're sharing our favorite easy Mason jar craft ideas.

01 of 27

Festive Mason Jar Candle

mason jar candle
Jason Donnelly

Try these easy candles for Mason jar crafts you can make in bulk for gift-giving. Wrap the jar with wide plaid ribbon and secure with three jute strings tied in a bow. Hot-glue a pinecone and artificial greenery to the bow. To add a finishing touch to this easy Christmas craft, wood-burn a snowflake or polka-dots onto four wooden beads and thread onto four string ends. Place a tall, slender pillar candle in the jar.

02 of 27

Mason Jar Cookie Display

Mason jar with gingerbread deer and trees
Jacob Fox

A Christmas Mason jar filled with sugar cookie trees and a reindeer is a sweet way to spread holiday cheer. Fill your jar with a couple of inches of granulated sugar to set the scene. Wrap the top with battery-operated fairy lights to complete the look.

Editor's Tip: Decorate your sugar cookie cutouts with homemade royal icing.

03 of 27

Mason Jar Wall Art

breadboards with faux holiday floral filled canning jars attached
Adam Albright

Breadboards with canning jars attached are a festive way to display holiday floral selections like lamb's ear sprigs and faux pomegranates. To create:

  1. Screen a hose clamp to a purchased breadboard.
  2. Hang from the wall and insert a glass jar.
  3. Fill with your favorite seasonal flowers, herbs, or greenery, like these lamb's ear flocked leaves (from $2, Etsy).
04 of 27

Mason Jar Centerpiece

thanksgiving table with mason jar snow globes
Marty Baldwin

Make a gorgeous Christmas centerpiece with recycled glass jars. Gather various sizes of Mason jars and fill them with faux branches, berries, faux snow, and glitter. Fill the rest of the jar with liquid, seal the lid shut, and arrange the DIY snow globes into a show-stopping centerpiece.

05 of 27

Hot Cocoa Bar

Festive glass jars holding hot cocoa supplies

Ann VanderWiel Wilde

Hot cocoa is a wintertime staple, so when it comes to any holiday kitchen, a hot cocoa bar is a must. Grab any size of Mason jar, and fill it with the necessities: hot cocoa powder, marshmallows, candy canes, and anything else you like to add to your drink. Keep the jars on display all season long or choose to pull them out for holiday parties.

06 of 27

DIY Santa Clause Storage

Glass jar with drawn-on Santa face

Carson Downing

Turn any glass jar into a jolly St. Nick with paint markers and pom-poms. First, fill the jar with colored pom-poms. Using a white paint marker, draw two upward, curved lines, making a point in the middle of the jar. Color in Santa's beard with white paint. Next, make two eyes, a nose, and a smile using a black paint marker. Finish off your mini Santa with a small stocking hat, and set him out for all to enjoy.

07 of 27

Outdoor Christmas Display

Mason jars with candles on a rustic sled

David Tsay

Holiday decor isn't only for inside your home. Spruce up your front steps with an outdoor display. Place candles in different sizes of Mason jars. Add color and a holiday touch by using a vintage sled and holly berries to finish the seasonal decor.

08 of 27

Mason Jar Lid Ornament

miniature boxwood wreath and red burlap on gift
Brie Passano

We turned spare Mason jar lids into adorable DIY Christmas ornaments by adding a few embellishments. If you don't have any lying around, you can buy a pack of just the lids so you don't waste the rest of the jar. Use hot-glue to attach trimmed boxwood leaves (you can use preserved real leaves or go faux!) to the top of a Mason jar lid ring. Then add pinecones, mini ornaments, or other holiday accessories to decorate the wreaths. We think these handmade Christmas crafts make gorgeous package toppers or stocking stuffers.

09 of 27

Simple Snowman Jars

whimsical holiday jar lid dioramas
Carson Downing

Turn painted Mason jar lids into mini wonderland scenes. Glitter the inside for a snow globe effect, then set the stage with natural excelsior grass, pipe cleaners, or cotton balls. Miniature reindeer, snowmen, or bottlebrush trees fill the scenes, highlighted by sparkly pipe cleaners glued to the rims. To hang, paint a wood bead to match the lid. Let dry. Fold a piece of thread in half, push tails through the bead, so they poke out the bottom, and hot-glue bead to the top of the lid.

10 of 27

Mason Jar Snow Globes

Mason Jar Snow Globes
Matthew Clark

Create a gorgeous winter scene inside a sealed Mason jar. Glue decorative trees and animals to the underside of the jar's lid, then fill the jar with liquid and glitter and seal shut. When you're done making the Mason jar snow globes, you'll be able to shake the jar and watch the glitter fall over the scene.

11 of 27

Quick and Easy Dinner Kit

Holiday Mason Jar Crafts blue colander
Marty Baldwin

Wrap up a worry-free weeknight dinner for the busy friend who's always on the go. Fill a Mason jar with bow tie pasta and a second with homemade pesto, marinara, or other favorite sauce. Add white yarn to colander holes to create a snowflake look. Finish with a festive bow and printable tag bearing holiday wishes.

12 of 27

Mason Jar Planter

painted Mason Jar Planter
Marty Baldwin

Display evergreen sprigs in jars hand-painted by you. Start with clean, dry jars. Spray-paint the outside of each jar with green spray paint and let dry. (Use a paint suited for glass.) Wrap lace around the jar and adhere with a light coat of spray adhesive. (Choose a lace that has plenty of open areas.) Spray gold paint over the lace, again using paint suited for glass. Let the paint dry and remove the lace. Place a small evergreen sprig in the center of the jar. Fill with soil, packing to secure the sprig in place. Add a little water. (Even though the evergreen sprig has no roots, the water will keep it fresh through the holiday season.)

13 of 27

Mason Jar Candleholders

Mason Jar Candleholders
Jay Wilde

Holiday bracelets make easy embellishments for Christmas Mason jar candleholders. Simply wrap the bangles around the rims to add a dash of holiday charm. Then, fill the jars with water, float a tea-light candle in each, and group them to form a holiday centerpiece.

14 of 27

The Gift that Keeps Giving

mason jar complimentary chocolates
Alexandra Grablewski

Spread Christmas cheer and good will with a Mason jar craft idea. Cut pieces of decorative paper to wrap around mini candy bars. Write encouraging notes or compliments on each paper for the recipient. Wrap the papers around the chocolates and fill the jar. Decorate the top of the jar with a circle of paper, secured with glue, and wrap washi tape around the lid. Attach a tag that says "Complimentary Chocolates" to the jar with ribbon.

15 of 27

Winter Kit in a Jar

winter survival kit mason jar
Adam Albright

After the holidays, there's still a whole lot of winter left. Help your friends carry on with a "winter survival kit" packaged cutely in a Mason jar. Fill the jar with small items like lotion, tissues, lip balm, and a handful of chocolates. Dress up the jar with ribbon and a die-cut snowflake, and add a paper circle to the lid.

16 of 27

Ribbon Candleholder

Ribbon Candleholder
Jay Wilde

Glittering ribbons and pretty bows take Christmas gifts from basic to beautiful, so why not try the same treatment to create a Christmas Mason jar craft decoration? Tie traditional red-and-green ribbon around the rim of a Mason jar, or coordinate colors with your holiday decor.

17 of 27

Candle Cozies

Faux-Knitted Vase Wraps
Alexandra Grablewski

Dress up your Christmas candles and vases with these darling DIY cozies—no knitting required! To make, cut off the cuff of a sweater arm to a length that will fit your container, plus 2 inches. Fold under the extra length and secure with hot glue. Bedazzle with tiny jingle bells to finish the Christmas Mason jar candles.

18 of 27

Dessert Holders

Cupcakes Jar
Frances Janisch

Sweet treats served in Mason jars make cute and quick holiday party favors or hostess gifts. Use them for layered treats, like trifles, or whip up your favorite cookie mix. Cover the lid with a stamped cloth to add a personal touch.

19 of 27

Birdseed Gift

mason jar birdseed
Jacob Fox

This gift is for the birds—literally! Simply fill a jar with bird feed and embellish the jar. Add whimsy to this simple gift by painting or stamping a bird on the jar, and top it with a ribbon and handmade tag. Birds attracted to your winter garden will enjoy this treat all season!

20 of 27

DIY Snow Globes

DIY Snow Globes
Marty Baldwin

Creating custom family snow globes is easier than you think! Simply cut out family photos and laminate them. Then affix to the center of a Mason jar lid with hot glue. Fill the jar with water, stopping about 1/2 inch from the lip. Add glitter, glitter flakes, confetti, or sequins. Add a bead of hot glue along the underside of the jar lid, then screw it on tight; finish with ribbon, string, or washi tape. Invert to display the Christmas Mason jars.

21 of 27

Christmas Scenes in a Jar

winter mason jar decorations
Jay Wilde

Make this "snow globes" set for a friend who says her style is vintage decor. Hot-glue small figurines and bottlebrush trees to the bottoms of vintage-looking jars (we picked ours up at a crafts store). Spoon in glitter to create sparkly snow. Replace the lids and tie with jute.

22 of 27

Mason Jar Terrarium

Mason Jar Terrarium
Karla Conrad

Baby, it's cold outside, but these mini succulent gardens will make you think spring has arrived! To create your own terrarium:

  1. Add a layer of pebbles to the bottom of a Mason jar, followed by a layer of soil.
  2. Place your plants and add any other greenery—we like how moss gives a bit of extra dimension.
  3. Finish the outside of the project with twine and silk leaves or flowers.
23 of 27

Mason Jar Hot Chocolate Gift

mason jar with hot cocoa
Jay Wilde

How's this for a DIY Mason Jar Christmas gift? Fill equal measures of hot cocoa mix, chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows. Cut out a fabric circle larger than the jar lid using pinking shears. Tie a small ornament around the jar lid and top with the fabric circle. Secure in place with a piece of ribbon.

24 of 27

Glass Jar Snow Globes

Glass Jar Snow Globes
Jay Wilde

Craft a set of holiday snow scenes using jars for a nontraditional take on snow globes. Sprinkle faux snow in the bottom of the jar, and add trinkets and small toys. Top with ribbons, lace, or sprigs of holly, and display on your mantel or as a Mason jar Christmas centerpiece for all to enjoy.

25 of 27

Mason Jar Herb Gift

A Mason jar holding a plant

Jason Donnelly

A homemade herb planter is the perfect gift for your friend who loves to garden. Pick your herb of choice and plant it in a Mason jar. Spruce up the outside of the jar with a festive ribbon or a homemade label.

26 of 27

DIY Mason Jar Candles

Candles in jars

David Prince

Seasonal candles are always crowd-pleasers, so why not elevate this simple gift by making your own? To make your own candles, cut a wick to the correct length and place it inside the Mason jar. Next, melt wax in a pot on the stove. Once melted, add color and fragrance. Finish by pouring wax into the Mason jar and allow it to harden.

27 of 27

Personalized Mason Jar Drinks

Mason jars with festive name tags

John Bessler

Throwing a holiday party? Craft these Mason jar serving glasses for a personalized touch. Either print or write your guests' names on festive paper and attach them to the outside of the jar. Sticker paper works great, or you can use tape to attach the paper to the jar.

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