DIY Christmas Mason Jar Gift Ideas
27. November 2019For the past few years, I’ve focused my Christmas gift-giving on food and homemade items. I grow weary of Christmas shopping, and quite frankly, I get sick of STUFF. I would rather give something useful instead of a “thing” that will get stuffed into a closet. And the most useful gift of all is FOOD. In fact, food in jars is the BEST gift of all. Unless it’s Peach Ale Mustard. That stuff was crap. But I’m sure all the suckers who are gonna get this from me this year will love it. Or at least they’ll SAY they love it. Har-har. So here’s a list of some nifty-gifties you can wrap up in a mason jar. Also included are non-edible mason jar gifts and home decor ideas.
Food in Jars
Apple Pie in a Jar: This seasonal recipe is perfect for cold winter days served over oatmeal or on hot biscuits. You could also add it to Christmas thumbprint cookies or hand pies. Pop a jar into stockings or give as housewarming or hostess gifts as well.
Black Forest Macaroon Jam: Black Forest Cake is the quintessential holiday showpiece. Layers of chocolate cake soaked in kirsch, whipped cream icing, and beautiful sour cherries. This recipe recreates the flavors, adds sweet coconut, and preserves them in jars.
Christmas Cookie Mix in a Jar Kits: Our easy-peasy Christmas DIY Cookie Mix in a Jar Kits include materials to decorate 12 holiday mason jar gifts. Each DIY Cookie Jar Kit includes a recipe card, cloth jar covers, labels, gift tags, and ribbons. You just need to supply the jars and ingredients. Our cookie mix kits even come with a shopping list so you know what ingredients to buy at the store. Choose from Chocolate Chip, Candy Chip, Peanut Butter, or Oatmeal recipes. Or supply YOUR OWN recipe and have a custom jar kit created just for you! Each custom jar kit comes with labels and tags printed with your recipe and name. Mason jar cookie kits are a great activity for kids to help make.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Granola: Made with healthy ingredients like oats, peanut butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup, this is a great snack to offset all those sweet holiday cookies. Not that you can’t have both, of course! I make this granola year round, but it is a favorite gift every Christmas. The recipe makes enough for a gallon jar, but you can also divide it into several quarts or multiple pints for stockings.
Italian Season Blends: If you grew and dried your own herbs this summer, mix up a seasoning blend for your foodie friends. Add the blend to a spice jar or mason jar and decorate with some festive jar decorations. Share some of your favorite recipes that use the Italian seasoning mix on our FREE Printable Recipe Cards. You could also make a cute gift basket with the spice blend, recipe cards, oven mitt, or apron.
Flavor Infused Vinegar: Here’s a gift that any foodie or cook would love. Easily create unique vinegars with delicious flavor combinations to give away as handmade gifts. Just add some fresh herbs or veggies to different vinegar varieties, infuse, strain, and add to a fancy bottle. Mint vinegar would make a nice seasonal gift. Use our FREE Printable Herb Hang Tags for gift giving.
Seasoned Nuts: Every year I make several different styles of nut jar gifts. I like to make a variety of flavor options, and I often find myself torn between which one I love the most. Here are some of my favorite recipes.
- Maple Glaze Pumpkin Spice Almonds: This recipe is perfect year round. Your house will smell amazing as the maple roasted cinnamon nuts bake.
- Cocoa Roasted Almonds: Warning, these are addictive. But hey, that’s ok because they are much healthier than store-bought nuts. The simple recipe calls for cocoa, honey, salt, and almonds. I have used maple syrup for these as well.
- Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Almonds: You can’t go wrong with chocolate and almonds. These are similar to what I used to get at Trader Joe’s. The cost is much less to make than to buy, but they are messier to make than the cocoa roasted almonds.
Popcorn Seasonings: These popcorn seasoning mixes offer three different taste options: Fiesta, chocolate, and gingerbread mix. Just stir the ingredients together and put in a 4oz favor jar or used spice shaker bottle.
Flavored Salt Recipes: Food enthusiasts rejoice! These four salt recipes are easy to make. Try your hand at making chili lime, vanilla, Sriracha, or rosemary lemon salt.
Red Wine Sea Salt: This is an excellent gift for the foodies in your life. Simmer and reduce red wine and add to coarse rock salt. Use the mix to season meats or pasta.
Our custom Home Knit Christmas rectangle canning labels and Christmas gingham jam jar covers are perfect for hot chocolate mason jars.
Hot Chocolate & Tea Mason Jar Mixes
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix: Here’s a decadent and luscious hot chocolate recipe perfect for those cold winter days. It's gluten and dairy free. Plus there’s an optional recipe for homemade marshmallows. Because, ya know, nothing says I love you more than homemade marshmallows ;)
Mason Jar Hot Cocoa Gift: Cute little cocoa mix jars include chocolate chips and mini marshmallows in different flavors. Includes a printable tag and cocoa mix recipe card.
Melted Snowman Hot Chocolate Gift Jars: This cute mason jar mix uses white hot chocolate and marshmallows that look like a snowman when packed in the jar. This would be a cute holiday mason jar gift for kids to make (or eat). Includes free printable labels and tags to decorate your jars for gift giving.
Mocha Cocoa: Chocolate and expresso? Yes please. Layer cocoa powder and expresso mix to make this holiday drink with a kick.
Hot Cocoa in a Jar: This family-size hot chocolate recipe fits in a quart jar. Includes printable hang tags to decorate your jars.
Spicy Mexican Hot Cocoa Recipe: If you’re looking for a more unique hot chocolate recipe, this one fits the bill. Recipe calls for chili powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon spice and everything nice! Includes free printable mason jar tags.
Hot Apple Cider Cinnamon Spice Mix: Add this hot spice mix to tea or apple juice for a festive holiday beverage. Includes free printable label for gift giving.
Home & Decor
Not all mason jar gifts need to be edible. If you're crafty, try making some ornaments and home decor using our FREE printables. Add a mason jar lid wreath to your front door or hang ornaments from your tree or mantle. Lid ornaments make great gifts or gift package decorations.
Christmas Mason Jar Lid Wreath: Our festive mason jar lid wreath is a great eco-friendly holiday craft. Use old canning lids decorated with our free printable labels. You can also use the printable labels to decorate holiday jar gifts or make Christmas ornaments. Read the tutorial.
Scented Mason Jar Ring Christmas Ornaments: It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas! Cinnamon and spice, y’all! Use some old canning jar rings to make these classic scented dough ornaments. Decorate with cloves and baker’s twine for hanging. Read the tutorial.
Mason Jar Ring Christmas Ornaments: These FREE Printable mason jar ornaments make great gifts for canners. Just print, cut, & insert into canning rings. Attach ribbon & hang on your tree or to decorate gifts bags. Read the tutorial.
Mason Jar Luminaries: These light up mason jar luminaries are simple to make and look beautiful for country home decor. Use quilted jars, chalk paint, battery-operated tea lights, and decorative caps to make these lights.
Mason Jar Snow Globes: This is a great DIY craft to make with children. Mason jar snow globes can be simple with fake snow and a holiday ornament or more intricate with family photo cut outs. Seasonal magic can be captured and stored all year round in a homemade snow globe.
Holiday Potpourri: Make wonderful smelling potpourri for stovetop simmering or holiday decor. There are several recipe options to pack in jars that also include a printable hang tag.
Christmas Simmering Spices: Pack up some holiday scents in a jar to simmer on the stove. This website includes several seasonal potpourri ideas that are spicy and nice.
Gel Air Freshener: In about 5 minutes, you can whip up this simple air freshener with gelatin powder and fragrance oil or essential oil. Add some food coloring for a festive touch and store in 4oz mason jars with frog lids or cloth covers.
Bath & Body
Sugar and salt scrubs are perfect for dry and chapped winter skin. Use a basic recipe or one with seasonal scents reminiscent of holiday baking. Add red or green food coloring, cloth jar covers, and ribbon for gift giving.
Honey Sugar Scrub: Our sugar scrub recipe has 3 simple ingredients: sugar, raw honey, and coconut oil. Add the mix to a jar and decorate with festive cloth jar covers or a holiday cupcake liner. Get our recipe and tutorial.
Our Snowflake Christmas Jam Jar covers look festive on any holiday mason jar gift.
Christmas Cookie Sugar Scrub: This basic ingredient scrub recipe calls for vanilla essential oil and candy sprinkles. It will smell and look good enough to eat.
Gingerbread Sugar Scrub: This sugar scrub recipe also smells oh so amazing. Just add brown sugar, cinnamon, and spices to a mason jar and decorate with the free printable labels.
Our Peppermint Striped Christmas canning labels are the perfect finishing touch for mint-scented sugar scrubs.
Mint Sugar Scrub: This wintergreen scrub just has 3 ingredients (sugar, coconut oil, and peppermint extract). Add some green food coloring for a festive look. Decorate your jar with some cute ribbon for gift giving.
Rosemary Mint Sugar Scrub: This wintery-smelling scrub recipe includes essential oils. Pack cute little jars with scrub and decorate with free printable tags.
Peppermint Bath Salts: This is a beautiful pink and white layered bath salt infused with essential oils.
Bath Fizzies in a Jar: Make these bath time goodies using a standard ice cube tray or a silicone mold. Recipe calls for simple ingredients and essential oils. Add red and green food coloring to your mix for festive looking mason jar gifts.
All Natural Winter Bliss Body Scrub: This wintery blue and white salt scrub is perfect for exfoliating rough skin in the winter. Includes a printable snowflake hang tag for decorating your jars.
Grinch Christmas Bath Salts: This clever and fun idea will get you into the holiday spirit. What a fun take on a classic Christmas cartoon. Your gift recipient’s heart will grow two sizes when they get this jolly green goodie jar.
If you're looking to dress up your Christmas mason jars for gift-giving, shop our Christmas Canning Labels.
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Do you make your own mason jar gifts for Christmas? If so, what are some of your favorite things to share in jars? Let us know in the comments below.
