I don't know about you, but this is about the time when I start to panic that I don't have holiday gift ideas for my friends and family. It's almost Thanksgiving, which means Black Friday is also almost upon us, but I don't even have ideas or lists of items to look for when all the stores have discounts! I'm never quite sure with a lot of people in my life what exactly I should get them, so sometimes I try to go the crafting route - even though I'm not much of a DIY-er most of the year. So, unsurprisingly, this often gets rushed or frustrating as well. But this year--I always tell myself this--this year, I'm going to start planning ahead of time, and I'm going to find the time and energy to create beautiful gifts that my friends and family will actually have some use for. And thus, this article was born. So here are nine fun, adorable craft ideas involving Mason jars (this specific direction was, admittedly, inspired by my RA) to get you started on holiday DIY-ing with enough time to finish!
1. Calming Glitter Jar
My RA organized an event yesterday in which we created jars like this one--and at its most basic, all that we needed was hot water, glue, glitter, and the jar itself. You can also decorate the outside or the lid, but don't cover up the whole thing--the attraction is that you can shake the jar and see the glitter swirl around to calm you down, or just for a cool image. Check out a tutorial on Instructables!
2. Snowman Luminary Jar
I think this is a super cute craft because it can act as a light in addition to just being for decoration, and, it involves decorating the outside of the Mason jar as opposed to most of the other craft ideas that will follow, in which the inside is utilized. Check out a tutorial on Club Chica Circle!
3. Poured Candle Jar
Even though at my college, we're not allowed to have candles in our dorm rooms, a ton of my friends still love candles. This might be a better gift idea for my friends who live off-campus...but I still think it's adorable! Check out a tutorial on Something Turquoise.
4. Christmas Township Candle Jar
While this is a bit more seasonal than the standard poured candle jars, and also, according to the creator, isn't actually meant to be used repeatedly (though it continued to work for her), it's a really beautiful one-time candle holder! Check out a tutorial on Shabby Art Boutique.
5. Sewing Kit Jar
Maybe your grandma doesn't sew--I have one who does, and two who don't very much at all. But this is a cute gift if a family member of yours sews, or for a college student who needs to have a small, basic sewing kit in case of clothing repairs becoming necessary! Check out a tutorial on It All Started With Paint.
6. Moss Terrarium Jar
If you have a younger sibling who's interested in nature, or who wants to help you make holiday gifts for others, this is a great kid-friendly craft to try out! I've also seen some variations on the terrarium idea that involve a beach terrarium or a more wintry terrarium-inspired candy jar. Check out a tutorial on Parent Pretty.
7. Snow Globe Jar
This may have been my favorite DIY Mason jar idea, in part because the figurines used in these snow globes reminded me of train sets I used to play with when I was younger. But I still think this is a really cute variation on what normal souvenir snow globes look like! Check out a tutorial on Bldg 25.
8. Balloon-Dipped Glasses
I like that this Mason jar craft has an actual practical use, rather than being just for decoration! It's pretty and useful. Check out a tutorial on Brit + Co.
9. Inspirational Quote/Message Jar
This is probably the most classic example of a Mason jar craft--but who doesn't love a simple jar that can brighten your day up with words of wisdom? Check out a tutorial on LoveSpunk.
Hopefully the tutorials mentioned in this article can help you plan ahead for your holiday season as much as they're going to help me!
