How to Make Easy and Inexpensive Holiday Luminaries

What welcomes guests to your holiday party better than the glow of luminaries framing the path to your front door? Homemade luminaries are simple and quick craft projects which can be made from inexpensive items you have around your house. Here are four different methods for making luminaries for your holiday party:

Milk jug luminaries

Empty milk jugs

Sand

Tea lights (traditional or battery operated)

Long wooden fireplace safety matches

Save milk jugs and rinse them out after use. Cut off the top one-fourth to one-third of the milk jug with a knife or scissors. Place sand in the bottom of the jug and level the sand. Put a tea light or battery operated candle on the sand. Light the candle using a long match for safety.

Can luminaries

Empty aluminum cans (any size)

Paper

Masking tape

Large nail

Hammer

Sand

Tea lights

Draw a dot pattern on paper and tape the pattern to the can. Use a nail and hammer to punch holes in the can at each pattern dot. You can also free hand a dot design or make a random dot pattern on the cans. If you find your can collapses, you may want to fill the can with water and place it in the freezer until the water freezes before making the pattern.

Ice luminaries

Empty ice cream pails or large aluminum cans

Tea lights

Fill pails or cans with water and place in freezer until the water on the outer edges and bottom is frozen. Scoop out the slush in the center and store the luminaries in the freezer until use. Place a tea light in the bottom of each luminary. In northern climates, these luminaries can be left outdoors and used over and over until the weather warms.

Paper bag luminaries

White or colored lunch bags

Tea lights

The easiest luminaries are made from paper bags.

White or colored paper bags can be found at Target, Woolworth's and other discount stores. The bags may be left plain or, if you wish, the bags may be decorated with markers, crayons, puff paints or craft paints. Get your children involved in your holiday decorating by having them make original designs on the bags.

Place a layer of sand in the bottom of the lunch bags. Put a tea light inside each bag on the sand.

In minutes you can create a simple, cheap and "green" holiday craft which will help light the way to your holiday festivities.