25 Christmas gifts you can make from an empty jam jar

A clean glass jar is basically a tiny gift box with better angles. It can hold breakfast, sweets, memories, candles, questions, comfort, cat treats, dog bribes, emergency cheese snacks and, occasionally, actual money. Add a ribbon, a handwritten label, a bit of brown paper, or a tag from last year’s wrapping stash, and suddenly it looks intentional rather than “I kept this because it seemed useful one day.”

Bonus - some of these gifts can be whipped up at the very last minute, so if it's Christmas Day and your friend messages to say she'll drop your gift in on Boxing Day, and you know you have nothing to give... this list could be your saviour.

Here are some Christmas gift ideas for upcycling an empty jam jar. Some cost almost nothing. Some just need a small extra treat tucked in. All of them are better when they’re made with a specific person in mind.

Before you start, wash the jar thoroughly, remove any old label glue, and make sure it’s completely dry, especially for food gifts, candles, matches or anything papery. Nobody wants a poetic writing prompt with a faint whiff of pickled onions. And if you happen to be reading this in September and time is on your side - shop wisely for your next jar item! Pasta sauces, jam, spices, deli items... you'll never look at a jar the same way again.

1. Overnight oats recipe jar

This is a lovely one for the person who never makes brekkie, but is always starving by 10am. Fill the jar with a selection of handwritten overnight oats recipes, and give it with a small bag of oats, maybe a pack of pumpkin seeds, a bottle of maple syrup, or a little ribbon-tied spoon if you have one spare.

A basic overnight oats recipe from Good Food uses 50g rolled porridge oats, cinnamon, yoghurt, berries, honey and nut butter, with the oats soaked overnight in milk or water rather than cooked in the morning.

However, we've collected some glorious overnight oats recipes and made some beautiful, printable recipe cards. Print them at home and cut them out to add to your jar. Available in the download!

2. Snowflake tea light jar

This is the jam jar classic, but it still works because candlelight through painted glass is quietly lovely.

Use white and/or gold acrylic paint, glass paint, or a paint pen to dot little snowflakes around the outside of the jar. You don’t need to be artistic. Dots, tiny crosses and wonky stars look charming once the candle is lit. Add a tea light inside, then tie ribbon, twine or a strip of fabric around the neck.

A nice soy wax tea light, or three, from a small UK maker would make this feel more considered. You could also add a little handwritten tag: “For the evenings when the big light is frankly too much.”

Safety note: because we like gifts that do not involve the fire brigade, keep the candle away from curtains, paper, decorations, and anything flammable, and never leave a lit candle unattended. 

3. Hidden money candy jar

This one is beautifully sneaky. Fill the jar with the recipient’s favourite wrapped sweets, then hide folded notes or coins in the middle. Wrapped sweets are important, because nobody wants a tenner with a Malteser situation happening on it.

The trick is to line the outside of the jar with sweets first, so it looks completely innocent. Tuck the money into the centre, then fill around it with more sweets.

Good for teenagers, students, nieces, nephews, Secret Santa swaps or anyone who says “oh, just money is fine” but still deserves the theatre of having to work for it.

Add a label saying:

“Emergency funds. Some disassembly required.”

Or:

“Do not eat the contents too enthusiastically. There’s actual money in here.”

4. Match stick jar

This is a useful little gift for someone who loves candles, wood burners, fire pits, or making their mantlepiece look better than yours.

You’ll need matches, a jar, and a strike pad. You can buy adhesive match strike paper online. Measure the jar lid first, so you get the right size, then stick the strike pad neatly to the top of the lid or underneath the bottom of the jar.

If you find matches with coloured tips, choose a ribbon to match. Red-tipped matches with red velvet ribbon feels very Christmas. Black-tipped matches with brown kraft paper feels a bit grown-up and Scandi. Pink matches with a blush ribbon says, “I absolutely noticed your house is nicer than mine.”

Fill the jar with matches heads-up so they look tidy, and add a tag that says “Strike here” if your strike pad is on the lid.

5. Homemade granola jar

Homemade granola is a strong jam jar gift because it looks abundant, smells excellent and can be tailored to the recipient’s fussiness. We say fussiness with affection. We all have our things. (Mine is no banana - absolutely none - not dried, not hidden in bread or muffin form, and never in a smoothie. I will absolutely know it's there.)

Good homemade granola recipes uses rolled oats, maple syrup, honey, vanilla, seeds, flaked almonds, dried berries, and coconut, baked low and slow until crisp. 

Gift jar granola recipes and gift tags available in the download

6. Mindfulness candle jar

This is a small, thoughtful gift for someone who needs a moment to breathe, without making it feel like homework.

Fill the jar with small birthday-cake-sized candles and a matchbook. Use a clean metal lid, then carefully make a small hole in the centre with a hammer and nail. The candle holder can sit in the hole and be secured with a blob of superglue. Test it first, and only use candles that fit securely.

Write a simple instruction card:

“Light one candle when you need three minutes. Sit with whatever is there, without trying to fix it. You don’t need to be calm. You don’t need to be wise. Just be still until the flame burns down.”

You could add prompts on little slips:

“What am I carrying that isn’t actually mine?”

“What do I need before I answer everyone else?”

“What would make the next ten minutes softer?”

7. Memory photo jar

This one costs very little and tends to be the one people actually adore.

Print small photos of your recipient, the two of you, their children, pets, favourite places, or daft moments that deserve better than being trapped in a phone. Write a memory on the back of each one. It doesn’t need to be polished. In fact, it’s better if it isn’t.

Try:

“This was the day we got completely lost and pretended it was scenic.”

“Your face here is exactly why I love this photo.”

“This coffee was terrible. The company was excellent.”

Stand them upright in the jar. Add a ribbon and a tag saying “Open for smiles.”

8. Spa in a jar

This is a good lowish-cost gift if you keep an eye out for minis, samples or multipacks you can split between a few jars.

Fill the jar with small pampering bits: a face mask sachet, lip balm, eye cream sample, mini nail varnish, emery board, hair mask, bath salts, a wrapped chocolate, or a herbal tea bag. The point is not to create a full spa experience. The point is to give someone permission to lock the bathroom door for 20 minutes.

Choose a colour theme if you want it to look neat. Pink mask, rose lip balm, blush nail varnish. Green clay mask, mint tea, eucalyptus bath salts. Or just use what you have and call the aesthetic “cupboard chic”.

Add a tag:

“For a night off from being useful.”

9. Dog treat or cat treat jar

A jar full of Dreamies, Lily’s Kitchen bites or their usual favourite treats would go down extremely well in many houses. Possibly better than the human gifts. We don’t make the rules.

This is especially nice for someone whose pet is very much a member of the family. Add a label with the pet’s name, then tie a ribbon around the top. If you have a photo of the dog or cat looking particularly noble, smug or guilty, even better.

You can pick up pet treats in any supermarket these days, or raid your own pet's supply! How will they know?

Suggested labels:

“Bribes for Bertie.”

“Emergency cat negotiations.”

“For when Luna has been technically good.”

Cat and dog themed labels are available in the download!

10. Potting soil and seeds jar

This is a quiet, hopeful sort of gift. Fill the jar with potting compost, then tie a packet of seeds around the neck with ribbon or twine. Herbs are especially good for kitchen windowsills. Basil, parsley, chives or coriander all feel useful without needing a garden.

You could also use wildflower seeds, sweet peas, sunflowers or cress for children. Cress is ideal if the recipient enjoys quick results and low commitment. So, most of us.

Add a tag:

“Something for January that isn’t a resolution.”

Or:

“Plant me when Christmas has stopped shouting.”

11. Poetry starter jar

This is for writers, daydreamers, teenagers, teachers, journal-keepers, or anyone who says “I’m not creative” while arranging their bookshelves by colour.

Start with some pretty paper, maybe A5 in size, and write one opening line on each. Fold them up and place five or six in the jar. 

Try these starting lines:

“The snow arrived before anyone was ready.”

“She found the note inside the wrong coat pocket.”

“Every Christmas Eve, the same fox appeared.”

“He had promised not to bring it up at dinner.”

“The house looked ordinary until the lights went out.”

“No one believed her about the bells.”

“The map was drawn on the back of a receipt.”

“It was a strange place for a disco ball.”

Add instructions:

“Choose one line. Write for ten minutes. No crossing out. No trying to be good.”

That last bit is important. Trying to be good is where most writing goes to shit.

12. Therapy-style question jar

A jar of questions can be thoughtful, funny, brave, or gently annoying in exactly the right way. Use it for couples, families, close friends, journalling, dinner-table conversation, or a New Year reset.

Write one question per square of paper. Fold them and fill the jar. Add a tag saying “Pick one when you want a proper conversation.”

Here are five to get you started:

1. If you knew you wouldn’t fail, what risk would you take today?

2. What are you pretending not to know?

3. What would you do differently if nobody was watching?

4. What do you need to forgive yourself for?

5. Which version of you are you ready to grow out of?

We have 32 questions ready to go included in the download pack. Print on bright coloured paper to make it visually fun and festive, or white/cream paper for a more sophisticated feel. 

13. QR code listening jar

This is a brilliant free gift for someone who likes podcasts, music, poetry, guided meditations, audiobooks or small rabbit holes of interestingness.

Make a little set of cards, each with a QR code linking to something to listen to. A favourite podcast episode. A short playlist. A free audiobook. A calming soundscape. A funny video. A poem being read aloud. A song that reminds you of them, ideally with an explanation that is not too embarrassing.

How to make a QR code:

1. Open the webpage, playlist or audio link in Chrome.

2. Right click anywhere on the page and select “Create QR code.”

3. Download or copy the QR code.

4. Print it, cut it out, and stick it to a small card.

5. Write a note underneath or on the back: “For a grey walk,” “For cooking alone,” “For when you need to remember who you are,”, "Mindblowing science stuff" or “For dancing in the kitchen, obviously.”

Test every code with your phone before gifting. Nothing spoils a moment like a QR code that takes them to your never-ending to-do list.

14. Slow cooker cinnamon almonds jar

These smell so good while they cook that you may need to make a second batch for the household. Seriously, I ate so many that I had to hide them from myself so there would be some left to photograph!

The slow cooker cinnamon almonds use sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, egg white, vanilla, almonds and water, cooked on low for several hours and stirred regularly. They are DELICIOUS - seriously. I made a batch for this photoshoot and I had to hide them from myself and my partner or we would've scoffed the whole lot before I'd taken any pictures. It fills the whole house with the smell of Christmas too!

Recipe in the download!

Tie on a label:

“Cinnamon almonds. Hide from people with hangovers.”

15. Cheese straws jar

Cheese straws are a very good answer to “I don’t really like sweet things.” They also make a jar look wonderfully generous, especially if you stand them upright like a little edible bouquet.

Good Food has a multi-seed cheese straw recipe using puff pastry, beaten egg, onion flakes, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sea salt, soft cheese and parmesan. The straws can be chilled before baking and baked until puffed and golden.

Simple cheese straw recipe
500g all-butter puff pastry
Plain flour, for dusting
1 beaten egg
125g soft cheese
50g grated parmesan or mature cheddar
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp onion flakes
A pinch of flaky sea salt
Black pepper

Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it’s roughly the thickness of a 50p coin. Brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle over the seeds, onion flakes and salt, then press them in gently. Turn the pastry over, spread with soft cheese, scatter over the grated cheese and add black pepper. Fold in half, roll lightly to seal, then cut into strips. Twist each strip, chill for at least 20 minutes, then bake at 200C, or 180C fan, for around 20 minutes until crisp and golden.

DON'T FORGET TO CUT THEM TO THE RIGHT SIZE TO FIT YOUR JAR!

Let them cool fully before putting them in a jar. These are best gifted fresh, ideally the same day or the next day. Add a note saying, “Eat soon. I cannot be held responsible for the crumbs.”

16. Shortbread bites jar

Shortbread is wonderfully forgiving, which is exactly what you want from Christmas baking. Turn it into little bite-sized squares and they’ll sit neatly in a jar, looking far more impressive than the effort involved.

Good Food’s shortbread recipe uses just plain flour, butter and caster sugar, baked at 170C, or 150C fan, until golden.

Shortbread bites recipe
150g plain flour
100g chilled butter, cubed
50g caster sugar
1 tbsp caster sugar, for sprinkling

Heat the oven to 170C, or 150C fan. Rub the flour, butter and sugar together until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs, then squeeze it into a dough. Roll it out on a floured surface to about 1cm thick for chunkier bites. Cut into small squares, place on a lined tray, prick each one with a fork, sprinkle with sugar, then chill for 20 minutes. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool on the tray before jarring.

You can add orange zest, mini chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar or a little chopped stem ginger if you know what they like. Plain shortbread is never a poor choice though. It's giving old skool and proud.

17. Painted rocks jar

This is a sweet one for children to make, or for adults who find painting tiny penguins on pebbles oddly calming. Which is to say, many of us.

Collect small smooth stones, wash and dry them, then paint with acrylics or paint pens. Penguins are pleasingly simple: black oval, white belly, orange beak, tiny feet, done. You could also paint stars, moons, robins, little houses, snowmen, or simple words.

For mantra rocks, try:

“Begin.”

“Enough.”

“Breathe.”

“Try again.”

“Small steps.”

“Still here.”

“Let it be easy.”

“Cup of tea first.”

Once dry, seal them with a clear varnish if you have it. Add a note: “Choose one for your desk, pocket or windowsill.”

18. Origami stars with tiny messages

Origami lucky stars are made from thin strips of paper, and they look lovely in a jar. Before folding each strip, write a tiny message along the inside. The recipient can open one at a time when they need a boost.

Message ideas:

“We can do hard things.”

“You’ve survived 100% of your weird days.”

“Start where you are.”

“Rest is allowed.”

“You don’t have to earn kindness.”

"There are seats for me at tables I don't even know exist yet"

"I allow myself, and others, to evolve"

“Tiny steps count.”

“Future you is cheering.”

“You are not behind in your own life.”

“Make the thing, send the email.”

“One wobbly try is still a try.”

“The kettle helps.”

You can buy origami strips online, and they're quite inexpensive. However, this jar is labour intensive. Make it a small jar is all I'm saying! I made two last year for special friends on actual Christmas Day, and it took twice as long as the turkey. I handwrote all the messages, spent ages thinking of them, and still had to do all the folding. To make it easier, I've created 90 with cutting lines on a PDF in the download. Cutting will be easier with a guillotine, but you can hand cut them.

19. Origami animal jar - twist on a theme.

Fold one animal, place it in a jar, and suddenly you have a tiny glass habitat. Very pleasing. Modern art one could say. A swan is classic, but a penguin, whale, panda, turtle or butterfly would make a charming little Christmas desk gift.

WWF has printable step-by-step instructions for 16 animal origami patterns, including penguin, whale, panda, marine turtle, monarch butterfly and dolphin designs, plus more complex animals like an orangutan, rhino and polar bear.

Add a little paper snow, moss, shredded tissue or a handwritten note underneath:

“A penguin for your desk, because you remain graceful under absurd conditions.”

“A tiny whale, for big feelings.”

“A swan, because you look calm but we both know there is paddling.”

20. Massage balm jar

This one costs more than paper-based gifts, but if you already have some ingredients, it can be a very thoughtful handmade present. Use a small jar rather than a big one, because balm goes a long way. And if you're committing to this idea, I would make a whole batch for all your friends.

Essential Oils and You shares a basic balm recipe using 10g beeswax, 10g shea butter, 80g or ml of base oil such as olive or almond oil, optional vitamin E and essential oils, melted gently in a bain marie and poured into sterilised dry pots. You can adjust the beeswax depending on whether you want a softer or harder balm.

Simple massage balm
10g beeswax
10g shea butter
80ml almond oil, apricot oil or olive oil
5 drops vitamin E, optional
Essential oil, optional and used carefully

Sterilise your jar and make sure it is completely dry. Melt the beeswax and shea butter gently in a bain-marie, then stir in the base oil. Remove from the heat. Let it cool slightly before adding vitamin E or essential oil. Pour into the jar and leave to set.

For a gentle gift balm, keep the scent subtle. Lavender is the obvious calming choice, but do check sensitivities, pregnancy cautions, allergies and whether the recipient actually likes scented products. Some people love essential oils. Some people smell lavender and immediately think of their weird Great Aunty. Both are valid.

You can also look up a recipe for specific balms. I made one of these last year (sorry - can't remember which one) because I wanted an alternative to VapoRub. I decided rubbing petrol into my chest was something that should stay in the 1980s. https://www.freshskin.co.uk/blog/how-to-make-homemade-vapour-rub/

21. A jar of things to look forward to

It costs very little and feels generous. Essentially you are gifting your time, but with fun ideas of what to do with it.

Write little promises, plans or treats on slips of paper. They can be free, low cost or specific to your relationship.

Try:

“A walk and a takeaway coffee.”

“A charity shop mooch.”

“A beach walk when the weather stops or starts being dramatic.”

“Breakfast out in January.”

“An afternoon of doing absolutely nothing, properly.”

"People watching at the next Craft Market"

Fold them into the jar and label it:

“Things for after the Quality Street are gone.”

Because sometimes the best Christmas gift is not another thing. It’s a small future plan, written down, waiting.

22. Mini flavoured gin/vodka jar

This is a very pleasing gift, but it does require a bit of advance planning. Flavoured gin needs time to sit and do its thing, so this is not one for Christmas Eve at 11.42pm when you are surrounded by tape, regret and Quality Street wrappers. ( I mean you still can, just put a "do not drink until March" sticker on it)

You’ll need a clean, sterilised jar, a small amount of gin, vodka, or white rum, soft fruit and sugar. Raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, redcurrants, sloes, damsons and cherries all work well. Frozen fruit is absolutely fine too, and sometimes cheaper, which feels very much in the spirit of the jam jar project.

A simple starting recipe:

200ml gin
100g soft fruit
50g caster sugar

Add the fruit and sugar to the jar, then pour over the gin. Seal the lid tightly and give it a gentle shake. Store it somewhere cool and dark for at least two weeks, shaking every few days to help the sugar dissolve. Three to six weeks is even better if you’ve planned ahead with the smug efficiency of someone who owns matching storage baskets.

When it tastes good, strain the gin through a sieve or muslin into a clean bottle or mini jar. Add a handwritten label with the flavour and date. Raspberry gin, blackberry gin, cherry gin or festive spiced plum gin all sound far fancier than the effort involved.

For a Christmas version, try blackberry with a strip of orange peel, or plum with one small cinnamon stick. Go carefully with spices. They can go from “warming and festive” to “this tastes like a drawer of old potpourri” surprisingly fast.

Gift it with a small bottle of tonic or a little note suggesting how to drink it:

“Serve with tonic, plenty of ice and the kind of snack that counts as dinner in December.”

23. Lentil soup mix jar

A jar of soup mix is cheap, useful and quietly kind. It says, “I know January is coming, and I have provided something warm.”

Layer dried red lentils, split peas, pearl barley, dried herbs and a stock cube in the jar. It looks especially good if you keep the layers separate, although no one will mind once it’s in a saucepan behaving like soup.

For one jar
150g red lentils
75g pearl barley
75g yellow split peas
1 vegetable stock cube
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic granules
A pinch of chilli flakes, optional

Add everything to the jar in layers, starting with the lentils. Pop the stock cube on top, wrapped or in a tiny paper parcel, so it doesn’t crumble everywhere.

Write the cooking instructions on a tag:

“Empty the jar into a saucepan. Add one chopped onion, one chopped carrot, one tin of tomatoes and 1 litre of water. Simmer for 35 to 45 minutes, until everything is soft. Add more water if it gets too thick. Season generously, because lentils are lovely but they do need encouragement.”

This is a good one for students, new parents, busy friends, or anyone who forgets to eat proper lunch and then wonders why they’re furious at 4pm.

24. Tiny painting kit jar

This is a lovely one for someone who says they’d like to be more creative, then immediately gets overwhelmed by the idea of buying 47 tubes of paint and very expensive brushes. This is a little more pricey so keep your eye out in the charity shops for the watercolours!

The empty jam jar becomes a little water pot to wash your brushes, but for now, fill it with a few simple painting bits. You can buy small individual tubes of watercolour paint, or small blocks of solid watercolour. You really only need red, blue, yellow (the primary colours) and white. A couple of brushes, and a small pack of watercolour paper or card. You could also add a few prompt cards to get them started.

Prompt ideas to fold into the jar:

“Paint the view from your window, but only using one colour.”

“Paint the mug you always reach for.”

“Paint a winter tree without worrying whether it looks like a winter tree.”

“Paint your favourite biscuit. Then reward yourself with the biscuit.”

“Paint the shape of a quiet day.”

“Paint a wonky Christmas decoration from memory.”

Add a handwritten tag:

“Jar included for brush rinsing. Artistic talent not required. Tea recommended. Do not rinse your paintbrush in your mug of tea”

It’s a thoughtful little Christmas gift for a creative friend, or anyone who could do with twenty minutes of making something that doesn’t need to be useful. Which, frankly, is most of us by December.

25. Emergency cheer-up jar

This is less of a craft and more of a tiny emotional first-aid kit. Very low cost, very personal, and excellent for someone having a hard season or year.

Fill the jar with little folded notes, tiny treats and useful comforts. A teabag or five. Some wrapped chocolates. A lip balm. A ridiculous sticker. A photo. A £1 coin for an emergency vending machine situation. A tiny packet of tissues. A sample of perfume or cologne. A list of three reasons they are doing better than they think.

This one comes last in the list because you could take inspiration from all of the ones above. Include a painted rock, some origami stars, literally anything that will raise a smile.

Write small labels for each thing:

“For when you need a brew before speaking.”

“For when everyone is being too much.”

“For when you forget you are actually very good company.”

“For when the day needs a biscuit and no further analysis.”

You can also add little prompts:

“Text me the word ‘jar’ and I’ll send you something daft.”

“Go outside for five minutes. Yes, even if you’re wearing PJs.”

“Put the kettle on. This is not a metaphor. You need tea.”

It’s not flashy, but it has that lovely made-for-you feeling. The sort of gift that says, “I know you. I noticed. I’m not trying to fix everything, but I did bring snacks.”