Are you looking for homemade gifts for friends, girlfriends or mom? Want to make a heartfelt, unique DIY Christmas gift that is useful? Are you looking for DIY Christmas gifts that look expensive? Need a last minute Christmas gift you can assemble quickly?
We have a unique, elegant and meaningful handmade Christmas gift that I know you’ll love gifting someone special in your life. If you take the time to make a DIY Christmas gift it’s probably for someone really special in your life.
This cute, DIY photo gift really exemplifies that. There are personal touches everywhere…from the photo inside the snow globe to the personalized message on the candle itself. Let’s check it out!
EASY DIY Homemade Gifts for Friends
We give you the complete step by step tutorial for how to make this DIY snowglobe candle gift. We’re also providing you with FREE printable templates to make the personalized photos and candle labels for this handmade with love Christmas gift.
We used a Christmas themed candle from Yankee Candle to create this gift. They have great sales around the holidays on candles like this. There are also some Bath and Body Works Candles that are about this size and might work for this DIY Christmas gift.
The best part about this homemade photo gift is that when the candle has been used…the top is still a snow globe that can be saved and placed on a desk, shelf or mantle to enjoy every Christmas holiday. I think this Christmas candle gift idea is great because it’s something that gets used and enjoyed….and doesn’t need to be stored forever.
If your looking for a DIY Christmas gift that incorporates memorable pictures or photos this is probably the most unique gift idea you’ll find out there! Homemade gifts for friends are the best kind of gifts!
DIY Snow Globe Candle Supplies
This is a great DIY Christmas gift idea for close friends, boyfriends and girlfriends…family members like your mom or sister. With some slight modifications (like nixing the photo) it could make a great neighbor gift, teacher gift or co-worker gift.
Materials:
- 4 Inch Diameter Yankee Candle Tumbler
- Faux Snow
- Exacto knife
- Mini Christmas Bottle Brush Trees
- Mini Christmas Gifts or Christmas Baubles of Your Choice
- 4 Inch Diameter Fillable Christmas Ornament
- White Glossy Printable Sticker Paper
- Glossy Cardstock or Printable Photo Paper
- 1/4” Gold Ribbon
- 1/8” Black Ribbon
- Scissors
- Hot Glue Gun
- File
- FREE Printable Polaroid Photo Template (Download at Bottom of Page)
- FREE Printable Candle Label Template (Download at Bottom of Page)
How to Make a DIY Snow Globe Candle Step by Step
STEP 1: Create Candle Labels & Polaroid Photo
Within our FREE printable template download we’ve provided you with two options:
For the Tech Savvy:
If you are tech savvy you can use the free Canva design program with our templates to type in all the personalized information about your giftee on the label. You can choose text type, colors, positioning in Canva. Then you’ll download and print the candle label on White Glossy Printable Sticker Paper for a professional look.
You can also create the Poloaroid photo that goes inside the snow globe using our free template and a digital photo within Canva. Just upload our free Polaroid photo template in Canva along with the digital photo of your choice. Make the Polaroid photo template the top layer. Download and print on Glossy Cardstock or Glossy Printable Photo Paper.
For the Non Tech Savvy (and the easy option):
If you aren’t super tech savvy OR you want the quick and easy option we’ve provided blank/fill in templates for you too. You’ll be able to download our candle labels with a blank area for you to personalize the name by hand. We’ll also provide you with a blank Polaroid template which you can cut out and glue to a photo by hand.
STEP 2: Remove the Candle Label (optional)
I removed the label from the Yankee Candle Tumbler because I thought it was a cleaner look and the manufacturers label design didn’t really match the label I had made. Sometimes these labels are easy and sometimes they are hard to remove.
If you have a stubborn label you can hit it with a little light heat from a hair dryer to get it going. Try not to apply a lot of heat as that may cause the wax to melt inside the candle. Clean up any label residue with Sticky Removal Cleaner.
STEP 3: Create the Polaroid Photo
Using scissors, cut out the polaroid photo using the black outline. Looking at the bottom of the photo, fold one tab towards the front and one towards the back. Add a dab of hot glue to each tab and adhere to the top of the candle lid.
STEP 4: Add Snow Globe Accessories
We used a Mini Christmas Bottle Brush Trees & Gifts to add interest to the snow globe. Arrange your items and make sure you like where they are before you glue anything down. Add a small dab of hot glue to the bottom of each item and glue it to the candle lid around the Polaroid photo.
Shake the lid with the photo and embellishments to make sure you have adherence. We don’t want these items to fly off when the lid is shaken.
The best place to find small items like these is in the mini Christmas tree decorating section of your local big box store. You’ll find TONS of tiny, adorable items…it’ll be hard to choose just a few.
STEP 5: Prep the Snow Globe Dome
Next we want to remove the tab on the 4 Inch Diameter Fillable Christmas Ornament. Split the ornament in half (you’ll only need one half for each candle). The best way to remove the tab is to take a metal file and grind/cut off the tab that is used to hang the ornament.
You can also score the tab with an Exacto knife and then use a pair of pliers or your fingers to apply pressure at the base of the tab and push backwards. The tab will snap off. We will be covering this area with ribbon later so looks aren’t super important if it doesn’t come off perfectly.
STEP 6: Create the Snow Globe
Sprinkle Faux Christmas Snow on top of the candle lid, photo and embellishments. Make sure it’s centered and away from the edges of the candle lid.
Next, we’ll seal up the snow globe along with it’s contents. Place the lid on a level working surface. Place the dome on top of the lid. Hold down the dome with one hand and apply a bead of hot glue to the crack between the dome and the lid. This bead of hot glue should encircle the entire dome.
STEP 7: Attach Decorative Ribbon & Bow
Attach the 1/4” Gold Ribbon with a bead of hot glue around the sealed edge of the snow globe to help conceal the hot glue seal. Tie a bow with black ribbon. Attach the 1/8” Black Ribbon Bow bow with small dab of hot glue making sure it is centered with your photo.
I hope you enjoyed learning how to make homemade gifts for friends! Our FREE free printable labels and templates for this project are located in our FREE printables library. Instructions for how to join and get the password to our huge printables library are below. You can find the template download in the holidays section of our library.
If you love Easy Christmas crafts and DIYs as much as we do you might want to check out some of our other tutorials like the Grinch Cricut Ornament +FREE Grinch SVG FREE Printable Chalkboard Christmas Gift Tags, FREE Printable Christmas Monogram Wall Art and Trendy DIY 3D Christmas Cards.
Save this Homemade Gift for Friends to Pinterest for Later!
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