A few years back, I saw this idea in a holiday catalog, and I was struck by the simple and rustic beauty of it. I was also struck by the hefty price tag! I couldn’t believe that only a few dollars in materials justified the cost of more than $40 per jar. I was determined to have those jars, so I decided to hit my local craft store to make my own. I was so happy with the easy process and the unique look of each jar that I’ve been giving them out as little handmade gifts ever since.

Here is what you’re going to need:

• Various sized Mason jars
• One package of holiday craft trees
• Craft store wood rounds
• Holiday craft snow
• Craft glue
• Glitter
• Glue gun and sticks

Step One – Decorate the Trees

The trees can certainly go into the jars as they are, but I love to add a little glitter so that they have that great holiday twinkle when the light hits them right. Silver glitter gives you that sun-kissing-the-snow look, but the addition of colored glitter will also work if you’re looking to mimic the feel of a traditional holiday tree.

Using your craft glue, add a bead here and there, then follow it up with a sprinkle of glitter. Keep adding glitter until you get the desired effect.

Step Two – Create the Base

Since your jars are going to be upside down, it’s nice to have the trees elevated up high enough to clear the neck of the jar. To do this, you’re going to have to build up your base. I chose to use some wood rounds from the craft store. This enables you to keep stacking rounds until you get the desired height. You can also use wooden blocks or other materials you might have lying around the house.

Once you’ve decided on the height of your base, glue it to the inside of your jar lid, using your glue gun.

Step Three – Add the Tree

Once your base in place, it’s time to glue your tree to it. Remember that your jar-globe is going to be displayed upside down, so don’t panic when you think everything is looking a little backwards. This is also a great time to add any last bits of glitter or decoration to your tree. Use your glue gun again for this step. This will give your tree some added security and stability.

Step Four – Fill the Jar

Your tree is ready for prime time, so it’s time to prep the snow. It might take a few tries to get the perfect amount of snow, so stay patient if you have to repeat the next steps a few times. Add a little snow to the inside of your jar (enough to cover the base of your tree), then move on to the next step.

Step Five – Plant your Tree

It’s not often you get to “plant” your tree upside down, so this will be a way to test the strength of your glue-gunned base. Insert the jar lid with your upside-down tree and screw in to secure.

Step Six – Let it Snow!

The snow is in place, and so is your tree. Now it’s time to tip everything over and shake out the snow until you get the coverage you want. Repeat these steps with your other jars and experiment with the size, placement, and number of trees. You can also add mini pine cones to finish out the look, if you’d like.

Once you’ve finished your jars, it’s time to step back and enjoy your holiday handiwork!