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

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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

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!