by Irene Davault

Created on: December 16, 2011   Last Updated: December 20, 2011

Are you looking for cute and quick last minute holiday gift ideas? Holiday gift jar ideas can be as simple as a jar with different layers of lentils or beans and the recipe tucked inside.  An eight ounce canning jar can be used to bake a mini fruit pie.

Use a ready made crust and tuck it into the jar, finger press it around  sealing the top of the pie dough 1/2 inch from top of jar.  Using a canned pie filling add 1/2 cup.  Cut the top crust 1/2 inch bigger than jar opening.  Place over the fruit filling and finger press the crust top into the  bottom crust around the top.  Prick the top crust. 

Include intructions with the gift.   Give it to a friend or neighbor and let them bake it at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown.  You can only use the canning jars for this gift idea.  Remove jar lid before baking.  You can almost smell it baking right now.

Cover the lid  with a pretty Christmas calico that has been cut into a circle large enough to fall half way down the jar. Tie it off with a green or red ribbon that holds a gift tag from you.

If your jar does not have a lid with it just cut a round circle out of cardboard to fit the top, then cover it with the cloth, and complete by tying it with a pretty ribbon into a bow.

Maybe you like to give plants as gifts. Holiday gift jars holding plants in water make lovely gifts. To jazz up the glass jar, you can glue small pieces of fabric all over it and then seal the whole jar so the fabric cannot peel off, do not forget to give it a pretty festive bow.

Homemade jellies in jars and some bread dough that the receiver can bake, will be a yummy gift not to be forgotten.

Other holiday gift jar ideas could include a jewelry jar. Use a wide mouth pint size-canning jar. Using a square piece of pretty fabric cut 2 pieces the same size. Cut it long enough to fit around the jar plus ½ inches extra for seam allowance. The fabric should be two jar lengths long.

Sew right sides together sew across top and bottom, leave sides open at this time. Turn, iron, and stitch across from side to side a ½ inch down from edge. This will b e the top and a casing for ¼-inch piece elastic later.

Turn the bottom up 3 inches and form a pocket across the bottom. Make smaller pockets by stitching sections equally placed 3 inches across the bottom. Cut a piece of elastic half the width of the jar plus one inch.

Run the elastic through the casing and tack on each side. Sew the jar skirt up by sewing a ¼-inch seam. Be sure to catch the elastic. Finish seam with a zigzag stitch or pinking shears. Place over the jar. Tie a pretty ribbon with a bow around the top.

You can hang a pair of pierced earrings over the edge of jar opening and in the jar apron pockets place rings or other small jewelry pieces. The inside jar can hold necklaces.

If you do not sew, just tie a pretty piece of ribbon around the top and tie it into a bow. Set the jar on a pretty saucer. Hang the earrings around the top, lay rings and watches on the saucer and place necklaces inside the jar. You can see what you want to wear easily.

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