A last-minute DIY Christmas gift for the one who’s impossible to buy for
A picky but well-meaning friend, dear old Dad, a coworker whose name you drew for Secret Santa -- they'll love these Mason jar Christmas gift goodies.
Let's see a virtual show of hands for how many of us have ever forgotten to buy a Christmas gift until the very last minute, only to find ourselves waiting in a checkout line until midnight. While there's no shame in holiday forgetfulness compounded by packed holiday schedules and holiday stress — we've all been there — there is an easy workaround. You can use this simplified DIY gift to cover your bases for that notoriously picky relative, the family member you can never figure out what to buy for, and any impromptu white elephant gifts.
Whether this year or next, this DIY goodie jar is a Christmas gift idea that will soon come in handy. As The International Council of Shopping Centers survey pointed out in 2016, up to 76 percent of us are still buying Christmas gifts through Christmas Day. Online Christmas wish lists are all the rage, the National Retail Federation's 2017 Retail Holiday Planning Playbook confirms, but there are time crunches when even two-day shipping won't cut it. Putting together an attractive Christmas grab bag, preferably in an oversized Mason jar or another see-through decorative urn, can work as an affordable backup gift when you don't have time to hit the shops.
We recommend visiting a superstore, a dollar store, or a specialty craft store to fill up your gift jar, with the interests of your gift recipient in mind. You can also take it a step further and make a gift jar with a theme: think tea-drinkers, wine-lovers, or chocoholics.
DIY Christmas gift jar supplies
Large Mason jar, glass drink dispenser urn, or oversized decorative glass container
Holiday filler, like tinsel, bells, cranberries, or faux snow
Christmas ribbons and lace
Assorted treats that are small enough to fit in the jar: Candy, nuts, socks, ties, ornaments, nail polish, lipstick, teabags, mini candles, etc.
DIY Christmas gift jar tutorial
Shopping for the goodies is the best part of putting this DIY gift together. Head to the store, stick to your budget, and bring your supplies home to assemble:
-
Start with a clean and dry jar or decorative urn.
-
Assess your loot.
-
Add a layer of holiday filler to cushion the bottom of the jar.
-
Arrange several treats so that they are visible through the sides of the glass jar.
-
Add more holiday filler and repeat layers until filled completely.
-
Close jar or urn at the top.
-
If your “eyes were too big for your jar,” serve up extra goodies on the side.
-
Address the gift with a holiday card, gift tag, or personalized ornament; tie off with Christmas ribbon or lace.
Place under the Christmas tree and wait for the priceless expression on your gift recipient’s face. Or, as a creative alternative for teenagers and adults, swap out holiday gift jars for Christmas stockings on Christmas morning.
We’re not above taking a few masterful shortcuts to make even the most complicated Christmas gifts look easy. And we feel the same way about mortgage.
405-241-5327
