Simple mason jar gifts make brilliant quick, cheap and easy DIY presents for Christmas, birthdays and more.
But so many of the mason jar gift ideas out there on Pinterest and Instagram are anything but simple.
And by the time you have bought all the supplies, far from cheap.
So I have put together for you here a collection of truly simply mason jar gift ideas you can make easily on a budget without fancy materials or super-duper craft skills.
There are mason jar gift ideas both for him and for her that will go down a treat with kids, teachers, friends & neighbours and even your mother.
There are also loads of quick ideas for what you can put in mini mason jars or in other little jars.
Plus fun and lovely ideas for gifts in jars that are not food.
I do hope you find inspiration for lots of simple mason jar gift ideas for your Christmas present list or birthday and party plans.
But before we start, we need to talk about the jars because they don’t actually have to be mason jars.
They Don’t Have To Be Mason Jars
Mason jars – or Kilner jars for my fellow Brits – do look lovely.
They are also well made and really will last.
But they are not cheap.
One pint jar can set us back a fiver before we’ve even spent anything on things to put in it!
And the thing is, everyday jars food comes in can look just as good, especially some of the little, mini ones.
So start saving up empty jars from the kitchen in early autumn and you’ll have a good stash in time for Christmas. Collect all sizes from mini to huge 2 pint ones but especially look out for ones with plain lids.
Just give them a good scrub in hot soapy water and use these quick, no sweat tips for removing labels. Then you’re ready to start filling them with all these wonderfully cheap and simple ideas for gifts in jars.
30+ Mason Jar Gift Ideas
Candy Cane Gift Jar
If you need a batch of easy, cheap Christmas gifts for teachers or kids, bulk buy candy cane & put in little jars with printed tags. It will have all the feel of a DIY gift with almost no effort!
Image: Personally Andrea
Spice Mix Mini Jar
Whip up a batch of your favourite spice mix from your cupboards – I totally love this DIY sharwarma spice blend – and put in mini jars with brown paper & string labels …
Christmas Oven Top Potpourri
Quick homemade stove top Christmas potpourri makes lovely simple mason jar gifts. If you are looking for cheap, last minute but lovely mason jar gift ideas, raid your spice cupboard and fill mason jars with Christmas scented spices like cloves, cinnamon, ginger, rosemary and bay.
If you need gift ideas for little jars just add dried spices but if you have a stash of pint jars you could add an orange, a lemon & cranberries to create a really colourful gift.
Homemade Candy Peel Jars
If your family adore candied peel as much as mine make little stocking filler jars of your own homemade candied peel. It’s cheaper than bought & much more delicious. It does take a good few hours to make but there is very little effort in all that time, you’re just letting your peel simmer …
Jewellery Making Kit
A lovely idea for tweens & teens, simply take apart broken jewellery and fill a jar with the beads, chains & hooks plus leftover lengths of thread or ribbon. There’s a cute example below – it’s for sale – but you could simply recreate for free:
Mini Mason Jar Of Foot Soak
Mini mason jars of homemade food soak make lovely quick, cheap and easy stocking stuffers and are also perfect for party favors and little mason jar gifts for teachers. You do need to buy epsom salts but if you need to make a bunch of little jar gifts, each one will work out very cheap. You can use any essential oils or dried herbs you have to hand, you don’t need to buy anything special.
Christmas Grinch Jar
This Christmas Grinch jar really couldn’t be simpler but looks super cool and would be a fabulous quick mason jar stocking stuffer …
Succulents In A Jar
Succulents are super easy to grow for even the least green fingered gardener and look lovely in an upcycled mason jar. If you do want to paint your jars, chalk paint works especially well and then just needs a little sand after drying to distress it. Succulents are easy to split so you can keep your gifts to a budget by just buying one and dividing it between jars.
Zero Waste Coffee Jar
If you have a coffee lover on your gift list – and especially one committed to a zero waste Christmas – you could simply fill a jar with coffee beans or great ground coffee …
Forced Paperwhites In A Jar
Pretty paperwhite bulbs can be forced in time for Christmas in a mason jar of stones or grit. Start them 4 to 6 weeks aheads to be sure they are ready for Christmas …
Homemade Preserves
We all adore jars of homemade preserves but they can feel a bit intimidating if we are not used to jamming and pickling and canning. They needn’t be.
This collection of 18 incredibly simple but totally delicious homemade preserves for Christmas gifts can all be made easily as Christmas gifts for the whole family. There’s everything from jams and jellies to pickles and more for stocking stuffers and to go in DIY Christmas hampers …
Finger Knitting Kit
If you’re looking ideas for gifts in jars for kids that are not food put together a little finger knitting kit – it’s fabulously addictive fine motor fun for children.
Just fill a jar with odd & ends of wool & yarn – ask knitting friends for cast offs if you don’t have – plus easy finger knitting instructions or add in some beads and make a kit for these lovely finger knitted necklaces …
Pom Pom Making Kit
Or do a pom pom making version with different sizes of cardboard ring plus your yarn & instructions …
DIY Crafting Kit Jar
An easy idea to customise for anyone from kids to grandma. Gather up leftover ribbons, buttons, beads, yarn, sparkles, bows, felt & fabric scraps for collage making fun. There’s some cool examples here …
Sewing Kit Jar
This might not sound exciting but a little jar of pins, needles, threads, buttons & a tape measure – if you’ve got 3!! – from your sewing kit is a super handy stocking filler for college kids …
Homemade Fudge Jar
It is super easy to make Christmas fudge cheaply and you only need one bake sheet’s worth to fill little jars for stocking fillers & teacher’s gifts.
Homemade Candy Jar
You can also fill jars with simple DIY Christmas candies. Again small jars will keep the gifts affordable.
Homemade Bark Jar
if you need something super simple to fill jars with try Christmas bark kids can easily help make. Be creative with toppings to stick to your budget.
Gardeners Grow Kit
For wannabe gardeners make a grow kit in a jar with bulbs, tiny paper wraps of seeds, lolly stick plant labels & twists of twine. The example below is on sale but you could easily make with what you have.
DIY Mason Jar Candles
Making candles in mason jars doesn’t sound like a simple or cheap mason jar gift idea but its much easier than you think and can be a very cost effective way to make lots of little gifts as you can buy the wax and wicks for more than 10 gifts for barely more than a tenner. It’s not a mason jar project to take on last minute when you’re stressed but worth considering if you’re planning ahead …
Mini Gingerbread Jar
Mini gingerbreads are another super simple DIY Christmas gift in a jar for kids to give. Ask around or raid the kids play dough for mini cutters. Don’t bother icing as this will obviously create an almighty mess!!
Christmas Shortbread Jar
Or alternatively fill jars with yummy Christmas shortbreads you can make a big batch in barely 20 minutes for less than £3 and then split between jars topped with fabric circles and thread.
Rudolf Mason Jar
Even the least crafty amongst us could throw together these Rudolf mason jars easily with a few materials pillaged from our kids craft supplies …
Favourite Chocolates Jar
If you’re not up to making Christmas candies or chocolates split a big cheap tin into jars with these DIY Christmas tags tied with yarn so everyone gets just those they love e.g. grandma gets nutty ones, kids get soft centres.
Mini Sweet Gift Jars
For super cheap DIY stocking fillers just split bags of sweets into tiny jars with cute labels. Or if you’ve a little more time check out this simple idea which would make your gift just that bit more meaningful.
Cookie Mix Jar
Cookie mix jars are another super simple and quick cheap DIY Christmas gift idea which can’t go wrong. To make it even easier this cookie mix recipe comes with a free printable recipe tag.
Simple Bath Salt Jar
Make these super simple stress relieving bath salts. Or for something a little bit different – but still simple – add herbs to your bath salts …
Hot Chocolate Mix
Hot chocolate mix jars are also cheap & easy as a DIY gift. This recipe comes with a free printable recipe tag …
Dried Lavender
If like me you have lavender in the garden, pop some dried lavender in old jars tie with these free lavender labels.
Lavender Bag Kit
Or create a super quick lavender bag kit jar with fabric, ribbon & dried lavender. There are tips here on making simple lavender bags …
Mason Jar Lavender Candles
If I’m totally honest these lovely mason jar lavender candles don’t truly count as simple compared with the other mason jar gift ideas in this life but candle making is much easier than you think and as a big lavender fan I couldn’t resist including as they are so lovely …
And there you go, 30 lively simple mason jar gift ideas you can make easily on a budget for him and for her including quick ideas for gifts to put in mini mason jars or in other little jars plus cool and lovely suggestions for gifts in jars that are not food for everyone from kids to grandparents and teachers.
For more simple Christmas ideas do check out these other posts :
- 18 Simple Minimalist Christmas Decorations
- 20 Christmas Tree Ideas For Small Spaces
- 35 Rustic Christmas Decor Ideas
- Quick & Easy Christmas Table Decorations
