Christmas Gifts and Decorations You Make from Cans, Bottles and Jars

Right away, start a separate can for garbage: one for ordinary trash and one for cans, bottles and jars. These items can easily become fabulous Christmas decorations and gifts. Don't think they'll be cheap, junk gifts that won't impress anyone; these gifts will be remembered and cherished for years to come! That's because the ordinary bottles, jars and cans will become extraordinary when you're finished with them!

An ordinary coffee can will make a unique Christmas card display if you have some yarn. Remove the lid from the empty can and begin wrapping the yarn around and around the can. Start by taping the end of the yarn just inside the opening of the can. Wrap straight across, move the yarn over a tad, then wrap straight across again. Continue doing this until the can is covered in yarn. Glue four "legs" to the flat side of the can, like blocks of wood, flat beads or empty thread spools. Set the arrangement on a table and fill the open side with poinsettias or other plants. To display Christmas cards, lift one piece of yarn, slide the card under, and align the yarn with the fold of the card. You can display dozens of cards - even more - depending upon the size of the can. If you don't want the card display to be a planter as well, wrap the yarn around a can with the lid in place. Position the legs on one end, then the opposite end will be covered in yarn. Glue on the legs and position the cards behind the yarn.

Use tuna cans to make something quite different. Spray the cans gold or shiny silver and make candle holders from them. The cans will be placed upside-down to hold pillar candles. Decorate the sides of the can by gluing on fake jewels in Christmas colors, or by simply wrapping a piece of velvet ribbon. When using ribbon you can glue a Christmas novelty onto the front of the can. The novelty can be a painted wooden stocking or even a plastic cross. Make the candle holders taller by taping two painted cans together. Cover the tape, which goes across the middle of the stacked cans, with a piece of velvet ribbon. Finish the look by wrapping another ribbon around the top edge, and another around the bottom edge.

Give someone a unique can gift by gluing together several paint cans. Use gallon cans to make a huge pyramid - or quart cans to make a smaller version - and temporarily glue them together. The cans should be clean and painted - any color you want - but painted inside and out with labels removed. Glue or tape three together with their openings facing outward, then two on top of those, and one on top of that. With smaller cans you can add a row of four, at the bottom. Wrap a wide ribbon around the pyramid and set it on a kitchen, bathroom or other counter. The "cubby holes" can store spices or utensils in a kitchen, kids shoes in a bedroom, or even rolled towels in a bathroom. Instead of standing the arrangement in a pyramid shape, glue the cans together but set them so that the bottoms are on the table. This makes a good organizer for a workshop, laundry room, art table and other areas. Make even smaller versions - for desks and such - by using soup cans instead of paint cans.

Use a clear, glass jar to make a cute table centerpiece. Cut a piece of Styrofoam, cardboard or even foam to make a base for the centerpiece. Set miniatures or other items in or on the base to attach. You can purchase mini's, and glue them on cardboard, or you can paint twigs and push them down into the Styrofoam. When you're finished making the miniature scene, set the clear jar over it. The whole jar can sit alone or can be placed on an upside-down dinner plate. Wrap garland around the plate and tape in place. Center the jar scene in the middle. You can use glitter paint on the top of the jar or just set a circle of garland on top.

Use a baby food jar to make a much smaller version. Set the scene on the underside of the jar lid. Make sure you use glue that is waterproof. Fill the jar with water, sprinkle in glitter, then turn the lid upside-down and set it on the jar. Glue the lid in place. Wrap ribbon or a piece of garland around the lid to hide it. This cute "snow scene" will thrill any child or can be used to decorate your own mantle or shelf.

Make a jar gift by placing a small strand of Christmas lights inside. Fill the remainder of the jar with potpourri. Position a piece of lace or doily over the jar opening. Tie a ribbon around the lace to secure. The cord for the lamp should be held down to the back of the jar when you tie on the ribbon. Now plug the lamp in, and not only will it shine bright, it will fill the room with the scent of the potpourri.

Turn most any bottle into a nice gift. Wrap an ordinary soda bottle or water bottle with yarn or twine. Glue the roping to the bottle as you go around. Start at the side of the lid, then work your way down. You can switch colors while you're wrapping or make them all the same color. To top off the lid, use a painted or glittered Styrofoam ball or other novelty. These decorated bottles can sit in a kitchen windowsill or gathered on a shelf in a bathroom. Use different shapes and sizes of bottles, and different colors of twine, to create various sets. If you want the bottles to be difficult to knock over fill them with sand or rocks before wrapping them in twine.

Most everyone has bottles, jars and cans that they will proceed to throw away, but keep them, and make cool presents and decorations instead. The finished items will impress even you but will cost you little to make. You don't have to go digging through the trash can but just be on the lookout for those throwaways that will soon become family treasures!