So many gifts these days are impersonal, mass-manufactured, and just plain boring. We know this…and yet we can’t help but contribute to the malaise. You find out that your friend’s daughter is having a birthday next week, and what is the easiest course of action? Why, you just head over to Target, flip through that big Wheel O’ Gift Cards, and stroll to the register, confident that you’ve done your part. We’re not saying that there’s no place for gift cards, of course, but it IS possible to do better – even if your gift recipient is a moody teenager. That’s why DIY gifts have grown in popularity over the last few years; people are tired of giving and receiving the same old thing, year after year, occasion after occasion.

Hence, the mason jar gift!

The DIY mason jar gift is the perfect example of how you can break free of the gift-giving monotony and have a lot of fun in the process. The great thing about a mason jar is that you can fill it with absolutely anything that will fit. Boy, that gives you a whole lot of latitude for creativity! Kids can even get in on the fun, if they want to contribute. This is actually a great way to involve your children in making a gift for your spouse. Or perhaps a way to give the child’s teacher a gift before Christmas break.

If you’re not yet convinced, here are just a few of the benefits of making or buying a mason jar gift:

Easy To Make – Are you shy when it comes to expressing your creativity? Do you look at the imagination and effort others put into craft-y stuff and wish that you had even a thimbleful of that impulse? Here’s the good news: You do! Here’s the other good news: You don’t have to be the second coming of Leonardo da Vinci to create a wonderful mason jar full of presents. These jars are easy to make, difficult to mess up, and a lot of fun.

A Tasty Treat – One of the most popular mason jar gift ideas is to fill up the jar with something tasty. Cookie mixes, anyone? We’ll get into some specific food-related mason jar ideas later on, but for now we’ll just say that it is the rare person who dislikes a jar full of sweets (or alcohol, or pepperoni). If you’re struggling to come up with a good gift for an impending occasion, a mason jar filled with yummy goodies will put you back on track.

A Fun Project – As we mentioned before, you can get anyone involved in making a mason jar gift. Kids, teens, seniors: No one needs to be left out of the fun! If you’re the type of person who loves getting together with friends and family to create something beautiful, this is the kind of project you’ll want to dive into – sooner than later. You may just find that you’ve stumbled across your new “signature” gift…and we don’t think your friends will be disappointed.

Instantly Personalized – What is the biggest bummer about mass-produced gifts and gift cards? There’s no personality to it! You might as well buy thirty such gifts, store them in a cool, dry place, and then just hand them out to whoever happens to be celebrating a birthday that week. Birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries: These are meant to be celebrations of life, love, and laughter. When you give a personalized, thoughtful gift, you’re leaning into that celebration in a big way. A mason jar gift is a great way to do it.

Okay, so you’ve decided that you’re going to explore the world of mason jar gifts. Obviously, the number of things you could stuff into a jar like this is practically unlimited. But because some people have difficulty with open-ended options, we’ve gathered a few of our favorite ideas. Feel free to draw inspiration from these ideas to create something great that’s all your own!

Spice Jar

Do you know someone who loves finding new recipes and trying out new skills and techniques in the kitchen? Well, we have a mason jar gift idea for you! You can fill up one of these jars with spices, granular salts, sugar, dry rubs, and so much more. If you’re going to go this route, we recommend getting a few mason jars for a combo gift. A little bit of sea salt in this one, maybe a bit of brown sugar in that one. It’s an adorable way to store spices and salts, and you might just spark a decorative trend in their kitchen. They sell mason jars like this that are already loaded with the premium spices you’re after, but we like the idea of making one on your own. Never discount the power of that DIY spirit!

Terrarium Jar

A terrarium is essentially an aquarium for land animals. Instead of filling up a tank with water, you fill it with grass, soil, and rocks that the animal would enjoy living amongst. Of course, a terrarium doesn’t have to house a newt or a salamander or a turtle; it can just exist for its own purpose. That’s why we love mason jar terrariums. While some of them can serve as hospitable homes for animals, most creatures will need something a little larger. But for a miniature world of plants and other living (but non-conscious) things, the jar is perfect. If you know someone who likes natural landscapes and miniature settings, this could be a wonderful gift.

DIY Snow Globe

Have you got someone on your gifting list who loves a good snow globe? We’ll be honest, we always have a hard time finding the right one. We suppose it comes back to that impersonal problem that we always run into. We want a snow globe that reminds us of that trip we took to Connecticut last fall. Or a snow globe that references our favorite TV show. But all we find are generic angels and Christmas trees. Well, this is your chance to make a snow globe that is as personal as you can get. With the scenery of your choice, some water, a bit of glitter, and some glycerin, you’ve got a unique snow globe that anyone would love. Make sure you keep a tight seal on the lid!

Holiday Jar

If you are thinking of one-of-a-kind gifts that you can hand out on the holidays, mason jars can be a powerful tool to expand your horizons. What about an Easter jar that comes complete with a chocolate rabbit and a few well-placed eggs (and some of that green stuff they always put in Easter baskets, of course)? Imagine the beauty of a Christmas jar with a tree as the centerpiece and fake snow surrounding the setting. And you can go on and on. Mason jar gift ideas are yours for the taking, be it Halloween, the 4th of July, or Thanksgiving. If it turns out to be a big hit, you can start customizing mason jars for ALL of the major holidays!

Joy Jar

What about a jar that’s dedicated to positivity, love, and all of the other good stuff in life? You can create your own Joy Jar with literally nothing but some colored paper and a pen. Fill the jar with your favorite quotes and inspirational sayings from the writers and leaders you admire. Or you can get a little fancier and print sayings out using a fancy font or two. Either way, you’re giving the gift of positivity, and that’s always a true present indeed. Our only word of caution here is to think carefully about the person you’re giving the jar to. Some people are not in a place to “think positive,” and they may not care for a gift like this. Positivity is a trait to be encouraged and cultivated – not forced! We suppose the same can be said for joy.

Cocktail In a Jar

Is the individual on your gift list a dedicated boozer? They’ll go nuts for this Cocktail-in-a-Jar idea! Of all the items in our collection here, this one might be the simplest to make. You find a smallish can of Coke, put it in the jar, tie a ribbon around the jar, and then attach to the ribbon a small bottle of rum. That’s all there is to it! Of course, we described rum-and-Coke, but you can do it with any simple cocktail. Jack Daniels and Coke, Red Bull and Jägermeister, Bailey’s and coffee, the choices are endless. As long as your intended recipient enjoys knocking back a mixed drink every now and then, they’re sure to get a big kick out of this gift. You can even pair it with a personalized shot glass for a really thoughtful presentation!

Coffee In a Jar

Maybe the person you’re shopping for is more likely to be found in the drive-thru at Starbucks than bellying up to your local bar. If so, you might consider getting them a coffee-themed gift. Indeed, if it is Starbucks, specifically, that they enjoy, we might even let it slide (this once) and let you include a gift card to the restaurant in the jar. Otherwise, we like the idea of samples. Unless you’re determined to fill the jar with coffee beans themselves, we recommend pulling sample bags from across the spectrum. That will give them something new to try every time they return to the jar!

Cookie Mix Jar

Of all the ways to customize a mason jar, this is probably the most popular. Take a stroll through Instagram or Pinterest, and you’ll find about a billion recipes (give or take) for cookie mix that you can store in one of these jars and give away as a lovely, sweet present. Because these recipes are all out there, we won’t bore you by repeating any of them here. Suffice to say, whether you’re interested in chocolate chip cookies, Oreos, oatmeal raisin, or any of the classic standards, you’ll be able to easily find a way to combine the ingredients for a wonderful gift. This one is great for those who love baking, but it’s really a thoughtful, yummy present for anyone!

Spa Jar

For some women, the perfect fantasy doesn’t necessarily involve a $30 million mansion, an island getaway, or a private jet. It just involves some warm water, some bubble bath, and an uninterrupted stretch of time where they can get away from the constant demands of family and work. Whether they choose to use that time to catch up on Netflix, read an engrossing mystery, or simply space out, they’ll need some spa products to heighten the mood. With a Spa Jar, you can give a woman everything she needs to kick back, chill out, and center herself. Items to include: Soaps, bubble bath, lotions, lip balm, scrubs, and any other beauty products that will fit.

Candy Jar

C’mon, when it comes right down to it, this is the one you were always going to choose. And why wouldn’t you? Who doesn’t love chocolate? Of course, you can fill your mason jar with any candy that comes to mind, be it Reese’s Pieces, M&Ms, or miniature Paydays. You can include prewrapped candies or you can simply fill the jar to the top with loose treats. Either way, we’ll bet the jar gets opened before the birthday (or whatever occasion) celebration is finished!