One of our favorite gifts to give for Christmas or other occasions is baking mixes. It’s such a versatile gift–so long as the recipient has basic cooking/baking skills, they will be sure to enjoy it! I especially love the concept of baking mixes in a jar; the presentation of the ingredients in layers makes decoration of the jar almost optional.
Good deals on jars are pretty easy to come by. Keep your eyes peeled at garage sales and thrift stores throughout the year (maybe you could even snag some for free from FreeCycle!) and begin saving them to use for gifts. You can also re-use large mayonnaise jars or smaller jars (like pickle jars) for miniature mixes.
Near Thanksgiving and Christmas-time, most staple baking ingredients like flour, sugar, baking chips, etc. go on sale at almost every major grocery store. Stock up then and you can make yummy homemade gifts in a jar quite inexpensively!
Recipes for Gifts-in-a-Jar are plenteous on the web:
::Organized Home–recipes for brownies, cookies, bean soup, bath salts, and more. Includes pre-made tags you can print and cut-out to use. How easy is that?
::AllFreeCrafts–recipes for soups, hot cocoa, cake mix, and more.
::CraftBits–recipes for biscuits, mocha, cornbread, muffins, and even some recipes for gifts-in-a-mug!
::Nestle–recipes for cranberry bread, pumpkin muffins, and more. Includes printable gift tags, too. You’ll need to log into your Very Best Baking account to view these. (Thanks, Jaycie!)
And if none of those look appetizing to you, just do an internet search for "gifts in a jar" and you’ll come up with hundreds more recipes!
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I’ve given these before, but run into a problem when I use brown sugar. Both times I’ve put it in the jar (for brownies and for cookies) the people said that it turns hard and is difficult to use. Any ideas? And I know with at least one that she made the mix within a month of my giving it to her, so it’s not like it was sitting around for a long time.
I’m so glad you reminded me to do this! This would be a great present for my father in law. He’s an emt and often has to work out in the cold for hours on end. Nice hot instant soups would be the perfect lunches!
Just need to look for some cheap mason jars now!
Rochelle
I have made “gifts in a jar” using disposable plastic containers. They work great, and can be easier for children to use. Just tie them up with a pretty ribbon, and you’re all set!
Speaking as someone who doesn’t buy treats with a restricted weekly grocery budget- we would love this gift. However, I think Julie made a good point. My mom never cooked and someone gave her the jar with 2 lovely fragrance candles from Williams Sonoma as a Christmas gift 2 years ago. DH and I ended up taking the jar of food and baking it at our house 6 months later because it sat unused. It’s not a useful gift for someone who does not like to cook. For them, the basket of brownies or cookies, premade, would be a better option 😉
But for us, it was a great treat!!
**Beware of allergies (nuts, certain fruits) in the more creative mixes. Gift appropriately!
We made these last year and its the gift everyone keeps asking for this year.
Guess I need to find more mason jars.
I actually ordered a “Gifts In a Jar” book last year from a kid at my church who was fundraising. I have yet to try it myself, but I have been thinking seriously about it for the upcoming Christmas season.
I’ve received mixes in a jar several times and I always enjoy the finished product. I may try my hand at making some this year.
I just blogged about a gift in a jar here:
http://weepingcherries.wordpress.com/2008/10/06/mason-jar-monday-6/
and have a reoccurring meme called Mason Jar Mondays which are great for Jar Crafts/Gifts if you’re interested.
Great post as always, I stop by every day.
Jen
I just blogged about a gift in a jar here:
http://weepingcherries.wordpress.com/2008/10/06/mason-jar-monday-6/
and have a reoccurring meme called Mason Jar Mondays which are great for Jar Crafts/Gifts if you’re interested.
Great post as always, I stop by every day.
Jen
In newspaper inserts there were coupons for BIGIF Ball Jars a month or so ago.
I had 3 of my girls help make them for their teachers as Christmas gifts last year. We do a family activity every night of December together to prepare for Christmas, and this was the activity for one evening. They all had a GREAT time making the gifts and were so excited to give them to their teachers…much better than if I would have purchased something at a store to give instead! They were very proud of their creations, since it came from the heart.
I’ll check out these websites you mentioned for gift ideas for this year. Thanks!
I have made these for about 5 years now. I buy jars after canning season is over and stores discount their large boxes of jars. I have purchased a couple of Gooseberry Patch Cookbooks that have a lot of recipes for gift mixes and presentation ideas. I never thought about looking up recipes online though! I also buy baskets all through the year at garage sales and thrift stores…to make gift baskets for Christmas.
We’ve made those, too, and they’re especially fun to make with kids!
If you have an AC Moore Arts & Craft store near you, I found the large jars today for $0.99 regular price. Last year they were $1.59 regular price. Almost everyweek they have coupons in the paper for 40 percent off of one item. This week there was a 55 percent off of one item coupon. I got my jar for $0.48 after tax. Not too bad!
I love these, I have never made them before, but I rec’d one at a Mother Daughter Banquet a couple years ago. I have been thinking about what I can give this year to my in-laws, they are becoming missionarys so we have to be very selective with what we give them, this will be perfect.
Thanks
I did this last year. I used potpourri in them. I just used the ring to hold on a thin piece of fabric, added ribbon, etc. Pretty and smelled great.
Have you ever received and use a gift like this? I think they’re beautiful, but I don’t know of anyone who’s actually used the contents to make something.
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Money Saving Mom here: Julie, I love getting food gifts. 🙂 Maybe it’s because I like food?! 🙂 Anyway, anytime someone has given me one of these, I’ve always made it. And I loved it, so that’s why I enjoy giving them as gifts, too.
I’ve been collecting a few jars from jarred fruit. Dole and Del Monte have these and I’ve bought them up when I can get them for a good deal. They are nice to have on hand when the fruit gets expensive in the winter. My favorite so far are the grapefruit ones! I’ve been saving the jars, though, for homemade gifts like these and a craft called “Memory Jars” (I’ll put them on the blog later this month) But the basic concept is to decorate them nice and put scraps of paper with your memories on them in the jar. Then they get to take one out a day. Very touching for Moms and Grandmas.
I love gifts like this and had thought about doing this myself in the past. This year, I think I am going to venture there and see how I do!
I do this all the time with GREAT success. Last year I started with my neighbors, “30 days of Joy” which lasts from Thanksgiving-Christmas. I used Gifts in a jar quite often with it! We leave little small blessings on their porch during the season, in hopes of bringing them “joy”. We got a bigger blessing then they did!
You can also tie a decorative bow using a dish or hand towel around the neck of the jar. Also a nice functional gift. You can find many holiday oriented hand and dish towels at dollar stores and other discount stores.
I’ve been wanting to do this. Thank you!