Looking for an easy answer to the question, what can you do with a pickle jar? This simple upcycled holiday idea turns an oversized plastic jar into charming decor using items I already had at home.
Have you ever wondered what you can do with a pickle jar?
No?
Just me, huh… how embarrassing.
But if you’ve been around here for any amount of time, you already know that I don’t see trash—I see potential. And apparently, laundry day is when my creativity really kicks in, because as I was switching loads this week, my eyes landed on an oversized black plastic pickle jar and my brain immediately went to work.
As some of you may remember, I gave a pickle jar an easy makeover a few years ago. It was one of those simple, no-pressure projects that made me feel productive without committing to a full-blown mess. This time around, that same jar sparked a brand-new idea.
And honestly? This craft is so easy I almost thought it was just too easy to share today, but when Christmas is around the corner, we need all the simple help we can get.
Right?
Why I Never Toss Containers Like This
Let’s be real—oversized plastic pickle jars are not cute. They’re bulky, usually clear plastic, and definitely not something you’d proudly display straight out of the grocery bag. But that’s never stopped me. If anything, an unappealing piece just makes me dig my heels in harder and think, oh yes you will become something new.
I love projects like this because they’re low-risk and high-reward. If it doesn’t work out? No big loss. But when it does work, you’ve created something completely unexpected from an everyday item most people toss without a second thought.
Upcycling is kind of my thing—and if you’re here, I’m guessing it might be yours too.
The Spark: Stamps, Crocks, and a Little Nostalgia
As I stood there holding the jar, wondering what its next life might look like, my eyes wandered over to a set of number stamps I’ve been wanting to use for ages. You know how that goes—you buy something with full intention, tuck it away, and then completely forget about it.
Until the moment is right.
And just like that… another crafty idea popped into this brain of mine.
I immediately thought about those old stoneware crocks I used to find for next to nothing. The ones with stamped numbers on the front. The same crocks that have now skyrocketed in price like everything else these days.
Why not give this humble pickle jar a little nod to the past?
Don't mind if I do... let's see what we can create...
Turning a Pickle Jar Into Decor You’ll Actually Use
I stamped a simple number three (I just like odd numbers for some reason) onto the front of the jar with a silver ink pad, keeping it intentionally imperfect. I didn’t want it to look factory-made. I wanted character. The kind of charm that makes you do a double-take and say, wait… is that a pickle jar?
For the holidays, I love mixing metals—silver and gold, brass and silver. And the best part? None of that is limited to Christmas. This jar didn’t feel seasonal in a way that would force me to pack it away come January. I could easily see it living in our kitchen long-term, holding utensils, greenery, or even mail.
That’s always my goal with holiday crafts: make them flexible enough to stay out year-round.
A Bowtie, a Branch, and a Very Tiny Tree
As I was styling the jar, I stumbled upon a bowtie from a set I purchased ages ago for another project that never quite happened. I do love a good bowtie and these you can actually wear. Lately, I’ve been feeling a New Year’s resolution coming on. One where I finish what I start while keeping with my use what I already own approach.
I placed the bowtie around the mouth of the jar and adjusted it to fit. And suddenly? It worked.
Then I added a single branch from an old tree I’ve been slowly deconstructing for the past two years. Yes, two years. I decided that branch would become a Charlie Brown–style Christmas tree—simple, slightly awkward, and completely charming.
A strand of mercury glass garland (once individual onion bulbs) finished it off, and I stood back thinking… voilà . One tiny Christmas tree, done.
How I Turned a Pickle Jar Into Simple Holiday Decor
If you’re someone who likes a little direction (or just wants permission to copy the idea), here’s exactly what I did—no pressure, no perfection required.
I cleaned the oversized plastic pickle jar and removed any labels.
I spraypainted the pickle jar black (long ago).
I stamped a simple number on the front with silver ink to give it that old stoneware crock feel.
I used an actual bowtie around the mouth of the jar (completely optional, but kind of charming).
I added a single branch inside to act as a tiny, Charlie Brown–style Christmas tree.
I finished it off with mercury glass garland that once lived as individual onion bulbs.
That’s it. No tools. No complicated steps. Just a quick, easy upcycled idea that came together on laundry day.
Why We Skipped Traditional Decorations This Year
Some of you might be wondering why we didn’t put up our regular Christmas decorations.
Oh, we thought about it.
But then the voice of reason—also known as Mom—said, “Do you really want to try to get all that construction dust out of your decorations?”
And the answer was a hard no.
Renovation dust has a way of multiplying, and I had zero interest in adding another chore to my already full plate. So this little pickle jar tree? This is Christmas for us this year.
And honestly, I kind of love it.
Next year, when the projects are finished, we’ll go wild. I’m already looking forward to it.
The Year We Refused to Take Down the Tree
This whole tiny-tree moment reminded me of one of our stranger traditions.
The year my husband and I started searching for a home, we made a pact: we wouldn’t take down our Christmas tree until we bought a house.
I still don’t fully understand the logic behind that decision.
By the time May rolled around—and there was still no house in sight—we finally admitted defeat and packed it all away. And wouldn’t you know it? We closed on our home in June.
Funny how that works, isn’t it?
Did the tree have anything to do with it? Probably not. But it makes for a good story.
Side Note: Love the look of mercury glass garlands, but not the price tag? I picked up 10 mercury glass onion bulbs last year for $.10 a piece, I threaded each bulb onto a string of twine to create a mercury glass onion bulb garland for $1.00 total!
Why I Love Easy Upcycled Crafts Like This
This pickle jar project is exactly why I love simple DIYs:
It uses something you already have
It requires very little time or money
It doesn’t demand perfection
And it tells a story
Those are the projects that stick with me. Not the trendy ones. Not the expensive ones. The ones that happen on laundry day, with supplies pulled from random corners of our home.
So… Would You Rethink a Pickle Jar?
So tell me—would you look at a pickle jar differently now?
Would you pause before tossing it in the recycling bin and think, maybe I could do something with this?
Inquiring minds want to know.
And yes… by inquiring minds, I mean me.
Getting close to Christmas, are you ready for it?
Cara
