Start saving your jars, these magical Christmas lanterns are so fun and easy to make, kids will love making them! They look absolutely stunning lit up with a candle inside and would make the perfect addition to any holiday decor.
If you are looking for more Christmas projects to make take a look at our collection of creative Christmas arts and crafts for more fun ideas!
This is a perfect craft to use up extra Christmas wrapping paper or tissue paper. These lanterns also make a great handmade gift idea that kids can make for family and friends!
This printable 3D Christmas tree craft is super easy and perfect for pretend play!
Make your own magical Christmas lanterns
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you would like more information please review my disclosure policy here.
Supplies
- Wide mouth glass jars, these don’t have to be mason jars, you can use any glass jars that you have.
- Tissue paper in white, green or patterned for the trees and silver for the snowflakes (or you can use silver wrapping paper)
- Mod Podge
- Paintbrushes
- Candles
- Yarn in green and red
- Snowflake paper punch
- Cardboard
Instructions to make your lantern craft
1. Make sure whatever jar you are using is clean and dry. Take your white tissue paper and cut it into strips or squares to make it easier to apply to your jar.
2. Cover your jar with Mod Podge and apply the white tissue paper all over your jar. It’s ok if your tissue paper overlaps. If some of your tissue paper tears, which does tend to happen, just add some more tissue paper on top of the tear.
Kids will also love: Mini Pallet Popsicle Stick Christmas Ornaments
3. Let your jar dry and get your trees ready. You can use plain green tissue paper or patterned tissue paper or even a combination of both would look good.
Make your simple tree template and cut it out of cardboard. Use this template to make your tissue paper trees. We did 3 trees per jar.
4. Paint your Mod Podge onto your jar where you want your trees to go and then carefully place them on, pressing down gently.
Related: Snowflake Watercolor Winter Art
5. Next, it’s snowflake time! We used silver wrapping paper for the snowflakes, simply because that’s what we had and I love when I can use the supplies we already have on hand. But silver tissue paper works just as well.
Take your snowflake punch and punch out your snowflakes. My kids loved this part, they love using paper punches!
6. Take your paintbrush and paint dots all over your jar, carefully add your snowflakes.
Related: Adorable Unicorn Christmas Cards
7. Do at least one final coat of Mod Podge around your entire jar, we did two coats just to make sure everything was sealed in.
Make sure the top and bottom of where your white tissue paper is, gets a really good coat of Mod Podge to keep everything sealed nicely. Let your jar dry completely.
8. Add your yarn accents to the top of your jar and put your candle in.
Your Christmas lanterns are finished and ready to cast a magical glow around your room! These were so fun and easy to make, you and your kids will love making these as part of your holiday decorations!
More Christmas crafts kids will love
Easy Kid-Made Paper Straw Wreath Ornaments
Glitter Snowflake Ornaments with Air Dry Clay
Follow me on Pinterest for more great project ideas!
Pin these lanterns for later
Make Magical Christmas Lanterns with Kids
Kids will love making these magical Christmas lanterns! They look absolutely stunning lit up with a candle inside and would make the perfect addition to any holiday decor.
Materials
- Glass jar
- White tissue paper
- Christmas tissue paper or wrapping paper
- Silver wrapping paper
- Yarn
- Mod Podge
- Battery operated candles
Tools
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- Small snowflake paper punch
Instructions
- Make sure your jar is clean and dry.
- Cut white tissue paper into squares or strips.
Apply Mod Podge to your jar and glue on the tissue paper.
Set aside your jar to dry completely. - Make a simple cardboard tree template and cut 3 trees out of Christmas wrapping paper or tissue paper.
Glue your trees to your jar with Mod Podge. - Using a snowflake paper punch, punch out snowflakes with silver tissue or wrapping paper.
Stick your snowflakes onto your jar using Mod Podge. - Add one to two coats of Mod Podge to your entire jar to seal everything in. Let it dry completely.
- Wrap some yarn at the top of the jar to finish off your lantern!
Check out all of the other awesome kid-made Christmas decorations here. There are so many great ideas to inspire your Christmas crafting. These Christmas stars from Cup of Toast are so cute!
Jen | My Healthy Homemade Life
Oh yes! I’ll definitely start saving my jars! I love this one! Great idea, Angela!
ProjectswithKids
Thanks Jen!
Loren
These lanterns are so beautiful! A great idea for decorations and gifts! Thank you so much for this and during the Cookie Baking Exchange I’m going to have to suggest that we do these as well!
ProjectswithKids
Thank you Loren! I agree they would make beautiful gifts!
Theresa
This is such a cute Christmas craft idea! My kids will love doing it with me.
ProjectswithKids
Thank you Theresa!
Karla
Those are really cute. My kids love doing crafty things like this . . . and maybe I can direct them to this instead of baking more sweets that I don’t need around the house!
ProjectswithKids
Thank you Karla! And I totally hear you on the sweets, my kids have been candy obsessed since Halloween.
Michele
You are not kidding! They look super easy and very adorable.
ProjectswithKids
Thanks Michele! They are super easy for kids to make.
Bree
How fun! I have a ton of baby food jars that would be perfect for this craft! Do tea lights fit in baby food jars? I’ll check! : )
ProjectswithKids
I think baby food jar lanterns would be adorable! I think tea lights would fit.
Stephanie | Adventures in Aussieland
How fun is this! This is even a great craft idea for adults!
ProjectswithKids
Yes, I agree!
shelah
What a lovely and simple holiday craft project. The kids will love making lanterns.
ProjectswithKids
Thank you Shelah! My kids loved making their lanterns.
Flossie McCowald | SuperMomHacks
What an amazing idea! I love how beautiful they look, and cannot BELEVE how simple they are to make! Thank you for the fabulous tutorial, cannot wait to try these with my kids!!!
ProjectswithKids
Thank you Flossie!
Jen
Oh my, these are just adorable. Thank you ever so much for joining in with this year’s kid made Christmas series.
ProjectswithKids
Thanks so much for hosting Jen! I loved seeing all of the amazing ideas! 😉