These aren’t your grandma’s mason jar gift ideas – they’re better!
Mason jar gifts make it easy to assemble thoughtful presents with items you already have on hand, make yourself, or purchase in bulk to keep costs low. And they’re a zero waste option, when it comes to packaging as well. So with some leftover glass jars after my Christmas decorated lanterns project, I searched for cute ideas for what to fill them with and made a few new ones as well, that I hadn’t seen before.
Here are 24 mason jar gifts that range from an artist kit for someone who loves to paint to a lego haul for the kid who’s always brick building. Lots of ideas to explore! And for even more DIY ideas on gifts be sure to checkout my 101 DIY gifts for everyone on your list.
Creative Mason Jar Gifts
Before jumping into all the gift ideas, I should probably mention that I’m using the term mason jars loosely here. You can use any glass jar for these homemade gifts. I have some fancier ones (these from Hawkins New York) that looked really cute, and I also love Weck Jars, but truly any glass jar will work. The idea here is that it looks cute AND combats single-use plastic – glass is reusable again and again and is also infinitely recyclable.
That said, here are some creative mason jar gift ideas you might want to make for friends and family this year…
1. Wouldn’t want to leave the kids out when it comes to jar gifting, so let’s start with one for the kiddos.
It’s a Lego mason jar gift idea. This is a great way to reuse thrift store bags of loose legos and garage sale finds. Perfect for kids you like to build on their own, as opposed to having instructions to follow. Encourages creativity as well.
2.Rose petal bath salts look so pretty in small glass jars – perfect for gifting. Attach a wooden spoon to your jar of loose bath salts for dispensing.
3. One of my fave ideas is putting together a little artist kit for someone who loves to draw, paint, etc…or even someone who is just starting out. Add a few paint brushes, oil or acrylic paints, and a few other things, and you’re good to go. Throwing in a local art supply shop gift card would be sweet too.
4. If you have a friend or family member who has recently moved away, fill a glass jar with messages ‘from home’ that are rolled like scrolls and tied with ribbon (or just folded up).
You’ll need to plan a little in advance for this one, and ask friends and family members to write notes with personal sentiments or special memories. This gift is perfect for that first birthday or Christmas away, when your friend is far from home.
A ‘happy jar’ is another fun idea, along those lines – like this one from Boo Roo and Tigger Too.
5. What about a jar filled with clay beads and jewelry making supplies, along with a print out of clay bracelet ideas folded inside.
6. Similarly to the artist kit idea (number 3 on the list), a block printing kit would be super fun too! You could do premade stamps with ink and some fabric or napkins to block print onto. Or go the ‘from scratch’ route and throw in all the supplies needed – brayer, carving tools, carving blocks, ink, and instructions for block printing.
7. Another easy spa-inspired gift idea would be this DIY sugar exfoliator that smells like fall and uses pantry staples to make.
Edible Mason Jar Gifts
There are so many options when it comes to edible gifts. And as it turns out, almost all of them will fit in a glass jar (if you find the right size). So whether you’re making homemade granola and packing them in old jam jars or making fresh jam from scratch, these edible mason jar gifts are yummy.
Sweet Treats for Gifting
Use a wide-mouth jar for a thoughtful do-it-yourself gift that any sweet tooth will love.
There are truly so many options when it comes to edible mason jar gifts (especially sweet ones)! You can give a homemade granola mix with a jar of preserves for a breakfast fan. A layered dry ingredients mason jar that contains everything you need to make your favorite roll-out cookie dough. Pretzel sticks dipped in white or milk chocolate and rolled in your choice of chopped toppings, such as peppermint, toasted pecans and candy sprinkles. Homemade jams, spiced honey spread or lemon curd, each in its own jar, all make a thoughtful gifts for the foodie in your life.
Here are a handful of faves…
8. A quick trip to the farmers market (or maybe even your own backyard) would be a great gift for neighbors, teachers, and friends. Any cute and tiny fruits, like these little lady apples, would be a tasty gift-able imo.
9. Know someone that never skips their morning yogurt? Try this recipe for chai spiced granola from Creating Kaitlin.
10. A small jar of homemade pumpkin candy will be a hit with any pumpkin pie fan. They’re delicious!
11. Have a friend that loves a late night cocktail? Gift them a make your own cocktail kit, like this one from Boxwood Avenue. A pretty ribbon and a handwritten tag make it all the more special.
12. A small jar of blackberry syrup from scratch would also be great for cocktails. But I bet ice cream lovers would also love this one – tastes great on ice cream!
13. Homemade nutella marshmallows all cut up into squares in a cute glass jar would be great for hot chocolate lovers.
14. For that friend that only drinks tea, a tea lovers mason jar gift would be sweet. Filled with all different types of tea, some really good honey, and maybe a tea strainer. Kettl has a lot of great tea and tea related gifts (including matcha), if you’re looking for a place to start.
15. A fresh pear honey recipe from Taste of Home would be perfect for breakfast lovers. Pair it with a loaf of homemade sourdough for the ultimate gift idea!
16. Bake a big batch of cookies, like these orange shortbread cookies from Boxwood Avenue, and throw them into mason jars for a great gift, that doesn’t require the recipient to do anything (except eat the cookies). OR if you’re gifting to a baker, add layers of dry ingredients, attach instructions to complete the batter, and tie a cookie cutter around the lid with a festive ribbon.
Savory Treats for Gifting
I like to think of these glass jar gifts kind of like mini gift baskets of sorts. You can fill them with all kinds of different treats, specific to the person you’re making it for. But when it comes to food, and probably more specifically savory treats, glass jars seem imperative.
17. My grandma used to make a classic chex mix recipe around Thanksgiving time, that I loved. So I have a special place in my heart for it. And when I saw this creole chex mix recipe from Mississippi Vegan, it immediately took me back in time.
18. Or what about some homemade flavored butter recipes from Happy Money Saver?
19. Canning jar gift ideas make me think of all things pickled. And while I’ve been very into pickled onions lately, homemade dill pickles are pretty great too. This recipe from The Modern Proper looks perfect.
20. For a vegetarian or someone who loves savory healthy(ish) snacks, a mason jar filled with crispy roasted chickpeas would be nice, along with recipe suggestions for what they would pair well with, like this crispy chickpea salad.
This gift idea is under $5 for everything you would need and baking chickpeas in the oven is really easy. So, this one is high on my list.
21. Another option, for someone who loves experimenting in the kitchen… a glass jar filled with homemade herb salt (using fresh herbs) from Fig Jar.
Simmer Pot Gifts (in a Jar)
I love to receive simmer pot gifts because I never think to make one unless it’s gifted to me and they always smell amazing! Here are a handful that look extra special…
22. Dried citrus, cinnamon sticks, and star anise make up this fragrant stovetop potpourri from Lemon Grove Lane.
23. Christmas stovetop potpourri from Most Lovely Things using old jam jars (which adds even more charm imo). And this one has some fresh ingredients that you can find pretty much anywhere.
24. And last, but not least, a simmer pot mix from Dreamery Events. Love the way these are packaged with the wax paper and paper tags.
That will do it for holiday mason jar gifts and beyond. But if you have any other suggestions for little pressies like these, leave ’em in the comments below. I’d love to add more to the list.
4 comments | Click here to reply
Of course, Diana! Love your simmer pots! So cute.
BrittniThanks Henry!
BrittniThanks so much for sharing our simmer pots! 🙂
DianaSuch an inspiring collection of DIY gifts! Mason jars make everything look extra special, and your ideas are beautifully presented
Henry Wilson