Today I’m going to share with you a cute neighbor gift idea for Christmas, these DIY Gingerbread House Snow Globes. I’ve even included a free printable Christmas tag for you to download!
Each year after Halloween I sit down and make a “list” of projects that I want to complete before Christmas. Some of the projects are purely for personal use and some are created to be shared with all of you here. Last year, I got the idea to make mini gingerbread house snow globes to give to my friends and family. My intention was to make them early, deliver them and photograph them so that I could share the idea (and free tag) with all of you before Christmas.
Soooooooo…. we have intention and we have reality. The reality is they got delivered on Christmas Eve day (which in the end was okay, because I’d like to think that my friends had a fun dessert to eat on Christmas day). After Christmas there was really no reason to share the idea with you, so I “filed” it away to be shared “next year”. Well, now it’s next year!
These snow globes are not as complicated to make as you think they would be. They are also not as expensive to make as you may think. I got the jars for $5 and the cost of the baking ingredients was also low. (this post contains affiliate links)
I wanted to “bake” something for Christmas for our friends, but was coming up short on ideas. I’d spied a lot of “snow globes” on line that year and thought it would be cute to make one using food instead of miniatures. To create the gift, I used this gingerbread house mold (you can get it on Amazon), and the recipe that came with the mold. I was able to bake two houses at a time, and just started a day or two ahead. I left all the ingredients out on the counter and noticed it did not take much time to finish baking a dozen or so houses. Let me tell you the house smelled AMAZING those two days!
We (I say we, because the kids totally helped) decorated the houses very simply with powdered sugar and a few Christmas candies. We also added marshmallows to the bottom of the jars to help “prop” the houses up a bit!
As a finishing touch, I tied a tag that I created to the top of the jar it reads “We made this sweet treat for you to eat. Merry Christmas”.
Here’s a complete source list to make the snow globes:
-Mini Gingerbread House Mold (purchased from Amazon)
-Glass Jars (purchased from Target online; they had the best price and we so well packaged that none of them broke during shipping. I used a coupon code to purchase them. Keep an eye out Target has a lot of online deals this time of year). You can also find jars at Hobby Lobby (also watch for sales)
-Mini Christmas Trees purchased from Amazon – I used tooth pick to attach them to the chimney.
-Gift Tag – you can download it for free on the TEMPLATES page (click here). Just make sure you READ the instructions at the top of the page! The tag prints in black. It is red in the photo because I added foil to mine. If you don’t want to add the foil, I would suggest printing the tags on some simple patterned paper or kraft colored paper.
-I added foil to the tags with my Minc. I used red foil. You can pick up a Minc. on Amazon for 40% off right now. To see how it works, CLICK here. Note: for the foil to adhere you need to print the tags with a laser printer. If you don’t have a laser printer you can use a copy machine or have them laser printed at a local copy shop.
-Red Bakers Twine. I bought a giant roll a few years ago and still haven’t used it all!
That’s it! I hope you enjoy this idea, and if you make them, be sure to drop me a line and let me know!!!
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Morgane @bear, dolly and Moi says
November 9, 2016 at 3:57 PMthese houses are super cute, and seem quite doable….now the real question is do I need one more baking pan?
I am sure your friends love “the snow globes”
Ruth says
November 9, 2016 at 9:59 PMThese are adorable but just wanted to let you know there is a typo on your tag… Christmas!!
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but thought you’d want to know.
Thanks for the inspiration x
Melissa Mortenson says
November 10, 2016 at 11:23 AMIt’s been corrected. Thanks.
erin says
November 10, 2016 at 7:00 AMso cute!
Nancy says
November 10, 2016 at 10:11 AMVery cute and doable project……thank you!! I, too, can’t download the tag link…….when you click on the tag download it takes you to the Amazon site for the Christmas trees.?
Melissa Mortenson says
November 10, 2016 at 11:12 AMIt’s fixed. Just a programming error
Nicole H says
November 10, 2016 at 10:58 AMThese are sooooo adorable. Like so cute I don’t even care how much they cost! Thanks for sharing your brilliant idea! ( I was recently telling my husband something I read about on your blog and I was trying to sum up all your great ideas and why I love reading your posts and I told him your blog name. He instantly got it – I had him buying me polka-dot things all through Germany on his last business trips and I love chairs, and fabric and so many other things too. My kids are still too little for me to get much hobby time, but I live vicariously through your blog for awhile.) Have a blessed day!
Melissa Mortenson says
November 10, 2016 at 11:12 AMOh you just made my day!!! I love to hear things like that. Have a blessed day too!
Vivian says
November 10, 2016 at 1:26 PMSo cute!!! I am going to add these to my gift baskets this year. Thank you!
Tammy Lojacono says
November 11, 2016 at 5:11 AMLove this idea I went to print off the gift tag and it prints in black can I edit your file to make it red like the picture so festive Thanks for your ideas
Tammy Lojaocono says
November 17, 2016 at 2:18 PMMelissa
Looks like you had an enjoyable trip!!!!!
Can you help me with changing the color on this tag or can you only get them red using the technique you mentioned int the instructions
Thanks
Tammy
Melissa Mortenson says
November 17, 2016 at 2:28 PMThe tags will only print black. If you don’t want to add the foil to them, try printing them on colored paper. A cute christmas themed scrapbook paper would look nice. Or a nice kraft paper.
Tammy Lojaocono says
November 17, 2016 at 2:59 PMThanks great idea I have never added foil before and will use your advice for colored paper or card stock and research the minc
Thanks again
so creative
Julie Brack says
November 30, 2016 at 9:04 PMI adore this idea and have received the gingerbread house mold and the jars I bought at Target. You are so creative! Would you send me a link to the recipe for the gingerbread house or email it to me? My mold did not come with a recipe and yours look so awesome I want to make sure the cake comes out with the great detail like yours. Thanks for all your inspiration–I look forward to your posts all the time! I am just getting into quilting but have sewed since I was 8 on a machine. It’s opened up a whole new hobby (addiction!)
Melissa Mortenson says
December 6, 2016 at 3:50 PMA few people have asked for the recipe. I’ll find it and add it to the post.
Camille Burgard says
December 3, 2016 at 1:42 PMI have a mold and have tried this several times with a recipe I found online, but don’t love it. Could you send me a link to the recipe you used instead?? Btw, this is just the cutest gift idea for our family members!! Love it.
Melissa Mortenson says
December 6, 2016 at 3:31 PMYes! Let me find it!! I’ll add it to the post and email you when it’s up.
Diana says
December 20, 2016 at 3:34 PMHelp! I need the recipe for the gingerbread house mold. Could you help? We are making them tonight to give to teachers as gifts. THanks…your idea is soo cute!
Tammy says
December 27, 2016 at 2:41 PMI did this instead of Gingerbread I made Rum Cake amazing. Thanks for sharing your ideals it was a big hit. Found gift tags that said “Let it Snow ” perfect
Kate says
January 4, 2017 at 8:32 AMLove your idea! Plan to try this next year. Could you please share what the red and white candies are? Maybe candy canes? Thank you and Happy New Year.
Annette D’Amico says
December 15, 2017 at 1:34 AMDon’t see gingerbread recipe. So cute!