Upcycled Candle in a Jar – A Simple DIY Gift Made from Candle Leftovers

Jan 28, 2024
4 min read

Transform old candle scraps and empty jam jars into beautiful handmade candles – an easy upcycling project for thoughtful gifts and cozy evenings at home.

Upcycling candle in a jar DIY upcycling candlelight gift lantern homemade empties jam jar good luck lucky charm decoration

Upcycled Candle in a Jar – A Little Light to Give Away

How often do we need a small gift for a dinner invitation, a thank-you for a neighbor, or a little surprise for someone who means a lot to us?

Often, the simplest gifts are the most meaningful. Especially when they are made with care, time and a personal touch.

This upcycled candle in a jar is exactly that kind of gift. It is created from things many of us already have at home: leftover candle wax and empty glass jars.

What might otherwise be thrown away becomes a small light that brings warmth and joy.

Why Throw Away Candle Leftovers When You Can Turn Them into Something Beautiful?

Perhaps you know the feeling:

Half-burned candles accumulate in a drawer, their stubs too short for candle holders. At the same time, empty jam jars wait to be recycled.

Both can be given a new purpose.

With this simple upcycling idea, you can create beautiful candles in jars that make lovely gifts, table decorations or small handmade tokens of appreciation.

For my example, I used a jar from the German jam brand "Glück" ("Happiness", Glück-Marmelade der Privatmarmeladerie Friedrich Göbber). I especially love the little message that remains on the glass: by gifting the candle, you are also gifting a little bit of happiness.

Of course, any clean glass jar will work just as well.

Materials for Your DIY Candle in a Jar

You will need:

empty jam jars or glass jars (e.g. Glück-Marmelade)
candle wicks
old candle leftovers
a saucepan for melting the wax
clothespins or wooden skewers to hold the wick in place
twine
optional gift tags

Most of these materials are probably already in your home.

At the same time, you give new life to things that might otherwise end up in the bin and transform them into something that brings light, warmth and perhaps even a little happiness.

Step-by-Step Guide: Making an Upcycled Candle in a Jar

1. Prepare the Jar

Remove labels if desired.

For my jam jar, I intentionally left the word “Glück” visible. On these jars, the lettering can be carefully scraped away with a knife, leaving only the word “Happiness.”

2. Melt the Wax

Carefully melt your leftover candle wax in a saucepan until completely liquid.

I used only white candle scraps, but colored wax creates beautiful results as well.

3. Secure the Wick

Place the jar on a damp kitchen towel.

This helps prevent the glass from cracking when the hot wax is poured in.

Position the wick in the center of the jar and secure it with a clothespin attached to a wooden skewer (see photo 1).

4. Pour the Wax

Carefully pour the melted wax into the prepared jar.

Allow the candle to cool completely and harden.

5. Decorate Your Candle

Once the wax has set, you can decorate the candle however you like.

I chose a simple and natural look:

twine
a small bow
a kraft paper gift tag

Other beautiful options include:

satin ribbons
dried flowers
small wooden charms
fabric scraps or lace trim

A DIY Gift with Meaning

Within minutes, you have created a small candle lantern that offers more than just light.

I especially love the symbolism of the “Glück” jar. It feels like gifting someone a little reminder of happiness. Not as a grand promise, but as a gentle reminder that warmth, hope and beautiful moments are often found in the simplest things.

Perhaps while making your candle, someone will come to mind who would love to receive it. What are you waiting for?

A Little Reflection on Happiness

We all wish for happiness. We give lucky charms before exams, wish people good luck on special occasions, and celebrate moments when we have simply “been lucky.”

Sometimes happiness and luck seem like something that comes from outside us, that we are blessed with when things go well.

But perhaps that is only part of the story.

Doesn't luck perhaps also come from within? From our innermost convictions, our trust in the good and in life? This would mean that, in addition to the beneficial, motivating and heartfelt congratulations that we can give to those around us, we can also make a significant contribution to our own happiness. From these considerations, we could derive the motivating insight that happiness is not only dependent on the happiness that is bestowed upon us, but is also shaped by ourselves.

Our DIY candle in a jar is one way to let happiness shine brightly.