Apothecary Jar Christmas Decor: 15 Grandma Style Ideas That Look Way More Expensive Than They Are

Apothecary jar Christmas decor is the cozy little trick that makes a plain kitchen counter look like a vintage shop window in December. Remember the tall glass jars on Grandma’s shelf, the ones with the round knob lids that held cotton balls, buttons or peppermints? Fill those same jars with ornaments, pine cones, bells or dried oranges and they suddenly feel like a boutique display. The best part is that a set of glass jars costs very little at a thrift store or dollar store, and every idea below takes one evening or less. Here are 15 easy ways to fill, paint and dress up your jars so your home looks warm, collected and far more expensive than it really is. Pour a cup of cocoa, clear a spot on the table and let’s get filling..

Ornament Filled Apothecary Jar Christmas Trio

This apothecary jar Christmas trio is the one that stops guests in the kitchen. Three jars in three heights look planned and pricey, yet you only fill them with a mix of shiny red and gold ornaments, a few small pine cones and a scoop of faux snow at the bottom. A wide red velvet bow on each lid ties the set together like a gift. Set them on an island or a sideboard near the tree and watch how the whole room starts to feel like a little Christmas shop..

You will need: 3 glass jars with lids in different heights, shatterproof red and gold ornaments, small pine cones, faux snow, red velvet ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Pour about an inch of faux snow into each jar. 2. Layer ornaments and pine cones, turning the jar so the colors mix evenly. 3. Put the lids on and tie a big velvet bow under each knob.

Candy Cane Striped Jar

Want a jar that looks like it came from an old fashioned sweet shop? Wrap a tall jar in painter’s tape to make a wide spiral, then paint the open stripes red on the outside. Peel the tape while the paint is still a little soft and you get crisp, cheerful candy cane lines. Fill it with mini candy canes and it doubles as a treat jar for the holidays. Kids and grownups alike will reach for it, so maybe keep a spare bag of candy canes in the pantry?

You will need: Tall glass jar with lid, painter’s tape, red glass or enamel paint, soft brush, mini candy canes.

How to make it: 1. Wrap the jar in a wide spiral of tape. 2. Paint the open stripes red and let them set for 20 minutes. 3. Peel the tape, let the paint cure, then fill with candy canes.

Pine Cone and Cinnamon Stick Apothecary Jar Christmas Look

Apothecary jar Christmas fillers do not have to cost a penny. Pine cones from the yard, a few bundles of cinnamon sticks and some evergreen clippings make a woodsy jar that smells lovely every time you lift the lid. Tie the cinnamon sticks in little bundles with twine so they look intentional, then tuck them between the cones. Set the jar on a plaid runner and the whole table feels like a mountain cabin. Which corner of your home could use that cabin feeling this year?

You will need: Large glass jar with lid, dry pine cones, cinnamon sticks, jute twine, evergreen sprigs.

How to make it: 1. Bake clean pine cones on a lined tray at low heat with an adult watching, then cool. 2. Tie cinnamon sticks into bundles of four. 3. Layer cones, bundles and greenery in the jar.

Battery Fairy Light Jar

When the sun sets early in December, this glowing jar makes the room feel warm right away. A string of tiny battery fairy lights, pushed loosely into a glass jar, sparkles through every curve of the glass. Add a few gold ornaments at the bottom to bounce the light around. Choose a set with a timer so it switches on every evening by itself. It is a safe, flame free glow that you can leave on a sideboard, a bookshelf or even a child’s room. Where would you put yours?

You will need: Glass jar with lid, battery fairy light string with timer, a few small gold ornaments.

How to make it: 1. Drop the ornaments into the jar. 2. Switch on the lights and feed the string in loosely, a little at a time. 3. Tuck the battery box behind the jar or inside under the ornaments.

Hand Lettered Holly Tag Jars

Old pharmacy jars always had a little paper label, and that is exactly the charm you want to copy. Cut tags from kraft paper, draw a simple sprig of holly with green and red pens, and tie them on with twine. You can add a family name or a sweet word like Joy if you like. Fill the jars with white and silver ornaments for a soft, snowy look that suits a farmhouse shelf. These look like something from a vintage market, don’t they?

You will need: Glass jars with lids, kraft paper, scissors, hole punch, green and red pens, jute twine, white and silver ornaments.

How to make it: 1. Cut tags and punch a hole in each. 2. Draw a holly sprig or a short word. 3. Fill the jars and tie a tag around each neck with twine.

Cotton Ball Snowball Apothecary Jar Christmas Idea

This is the apothecary jar Christmas idea that makes everyone smile because it is so simple. Grandma kept cotton balls in a glass jar on the bathroom shelf, and now those same cotton balls become a jar full of snowballs. Fill it to the top, tuck a sprig of faux red berries under the lid and set it next to a little bottle brush tree. It costs about two dollars and looks like a winter scene from an old storybook. Could this be the easiest decoration you make all season?

You will need: Tall glass jar with lid, a bag of large cotton balls, a sprig of faux red berries.

How to make it: 1. Gently fluff each cotton ball so it looks round. 2. Fill the jar loosely so the balls keep their shape. 3. Add the berry sprig on top and close the lid.

Dollar Store Jar on a Candlestick Base

Real footed apothecary jars can cost a lot, but this makeover gets the same tall, elegant shape for a few dollars. Glue a plain glass jar onto a wooden candlestick from the dollar store, then paint the candlestick gold. Suddenly the jar stands tall like a piece from an antique store. Fill it with gold ornaments for a warm glow on a mantel or buffet. Make two or three in different heights and they look like a matching set. Have you ever seen a cheaper glow up?

You will need: Plain glass jar with lid, wooden candlestick, gold craft paint, strong craft glue or E6000, small brush, gold ornaments.

How to make it: 1. Paint the candlestick gold and let it dry. 2. Glue the jar bottom to the candlestick top with an adult’s help and let it cure overnight. 3. Fill with ornaments and add the lid.

Painted Lid With an Ornament Knob

Sometimes all a jar needs is a new hat. Paint a plain metal or wooden lid in a soft sage green, then glue a small shiny ornament on top as the knob. It instantly turns an ordinary storage jar into a festive canister. Fill it with spools of plaid ribbon and you have a pretty craft room jar that is useful all season long. You could also fill it with tea bags, cookies or hot cocoa packets. What would you keep in yours?

You will need: Glass jar with a flat lid, sage green chalk paint, small brush, small shatterproof ornament, strong craft glue, plaid ribbon spools.

How to make it: 1. Paint the lid in two thin coats and let it dry. 2. Remove the ornament cap and glue the ornament to the center of the lid. 3. Fill the jar and close it.

Ribbon and Jingle Bell Neck Wrap

A bow with a few jingle bells is the quickest way to dress up any jar you already own. Wrap a wide red velvet ribbon around the neck, tie a full bow and thread three small gold bells onto a short piece of wire in the center. Fill the jar with pine sprigs so it looks fresh and green. Every time someone opens a nearby cupboard the bells give a tiny jingle. Isn’t that the sound of Christmas?

You will need: Glass jar, wide red velvet ribbon, 3 small gold jingle bells, thin floral wire, fresh or faux pine sprigs.

How to make it: 1. Fill the jar with pine sprigs. 2. Wrap the ribbon around the neck and tie a big bow. 3. Thread the bells on wire and twist the wire around the bow knot.

Jingle Bell Filled Apothecary Jar Christmas Display

An apothecary jar Christmas display full of jingle bells looks rich and shiny, and it makes a happy sound when you move it. Buy a big bag of gold and silver bells in mixed sizes and pour them in. Set the jar on a wooden tray with a small wreath leaning beside it for a simple vignette you can build in five minutes. It looks lovely on an entry table where the light can catch every bell. Which spot in your home gets the best light?

You will need: Footed glass jar with lid, a bag of gold and silver jingle bells in mixed sizes, wooden tray, small wreath.

How to make it: 1. Pour the bells in slowly, mixing the sizes. 2. Shake the jar gently so the bells settle. 3. Arrange it on a tray with a wreath beside it.

Dried Orange Slice Jar

Dried orange slices are the farmhouse decoration everyone loves right now, and they look beautiful stacked in glass. Slice oranges thin, dry them low and slow in the oven with an adult watching, then layer them with cinnamon sticks and star anise. The light shines through the slices like little stained glass windows. When you open the lid, the kitchen smells like spiced cider. If you want more orange ideas, a jar like this pairs well with homemade garlands too. Ready to grab a bag of oranges?

You will need: Tall glass jar with lid, 4 to 6 oranges, sharp knife (adult help), baking tray, cinnamon sticks, star anise.

How to make it: 1. Have an adult slice the oranges thin and pat them dry. 2. Dry on a lined tray at a low oven setting for about 3 hours, flipping once. 3. Cool fully, then layer with the spices.

Peppermint Jar on a Cake Stand

Putting a jar on a cake stand is a stylist’s secret: it lifts the jar up and makes it look like the star of the table. Fill a jar with round red and white peppermints, set it on a white cake stand and circle the base with greenery. It turns a dessert table or coffee bar into something you would see in a magazine. Guests can help themselves, and the jar keeps the candies fresh. Who in your house would sneak the first peppermint?

You will need: Glass jar with lid, wrapped round peppermint candies, white cake stand, fresh or faux greenery.

How to make it: 1. Fill the jar with peppermints. 2. Center it on the cake stand. 3. Tuck greenery around the base and add a few loose candies.

Gold and Silver Bead Garland Apothecary Jar Christmas Style

For an elegant apothecary jar Christmas style, coil long strands of gold and silver bead garland inside a big round jar. The beads catch the light from every angle and look like a treasure box. Add a few small mercury glass ornaments so it has that old money, heirloom feel. It is perfect for an entry table where guests see it first. Bead garland is often sold cheap after the holidays, so this is a great one to plan ahead. Do you have old garland waiting in a box?

You will need: Large round glass jar with lid, gold and silver bead garland, small mercury glass ornaments.

How to make it: 1. Coil the garland loosely into the jar, mixing gold and silver. 2. Nestle ornaments between the coils. 3. Let a short strand spill out under the lid for a relaxed look.

Kitchen Counter Apothecary Jar Christmas Row

If you love several ideas from this list, why choose just one? Line up five jars of different sizes along the back of the kitchen counter and give each one a different filler: red ornaments, pine cones, peppermints, cotton snowballs and gold bells. Our apothecary jar Christmas row looks like an old general store shelf and makes the whole kitchen feel festive. For even more jar fun, see our Mason Jar Christmas Crafts. Which five fillers would you pick?

You will need: 5 glass jars with lids in mixed heights, five different fillers from this list.

How to make it: 1. Place the tallest jars at the ends and the shortest in the middle. 2. Fill each with a different filler. 3. Add a strip of greenery along the front of the row.

Bathroom Vanity Jar With Fresh Greenery

Do not forget the bathroom, the room guests visit more than you think during holiday parties. Take the lid off a glass jar and use it as a vase for fresh cedar, eucalyptus and a few red berries. The greenery smells clean and fresh, and the clear glass fits any color of tile. Add rolled white towels in a basket nearby and it feels like a little spa. Glass jars like these were once common in old apothecary shops, so it is fun to give them a new job. Which room will you start with?

You will need: Glass jar, fresh cedar and eucalyptus stems, faux or fresh red berries, water, clippers.

How to make it: 1. Fill the jar halfway with water. 2. Trim the stems at an angle and arrange the tallest in the back. 3. Add berries for color and change the water every few days.