Christmas in a Can Gift Idea
From:~Valerie in SF Utah and her sister in law Amy Jackson.
Speaking of paint cans,
A couple of years ago, my SIL did Christmas in a Can at her Super Saturday. She gave everyone in the family one. They would be a darling and fairly inexpensive item for a Super Saturday.
Take a clean, unused, gallon paint can, with a handle. Cover the outside with Christmas themed craft paper (she used a red plaid).
On the front center of the can, attach a label (5 1/2″ tall x 8″ long) that says: “Christmas in a Can” . She added a cute border and some Christmas clip art then in the bottom right hand corner in smaller print using a font that looks like handwriting, it says “Tenderly and Carefully Packed with Love”
On the top of the lid, glue a round circle of paper that lists the ingredients inside. (the label and the cirle on the lid were both copied on a tan paper that matched the red Christmas paper.)
Inside the can place: 1 pkg. Gingerbread Cookie Mix (instructions below)
1 pkg. Wassail Mix
1 Gingerbread Ornament
1 Gingerbread Cookie Cutter
1 pkg. Microwave popcorn
1 pkg. Hot cocoa mix
1 Christmas story
Several small candy canes
The Wassail mix and the hot cocoa mix were either purchased or homemade and then they put a cup of wassail mix in a Christmas print cellophane bag, then stapled the top shut with a little cardstock label that said Wassail Mix on the front and had the instructions for use on the back. The hot cocoa mix was about 2 cups of mix in a bag, with cardstock stapled to the to, Hot cocoa mix on front of the label, and instructions on the back. Both labels had cute clip art
that matched that on the front of the can (you fold the cardstock in half, fold the top of the bag down, put the cardstock over the rolled bag and then staple it all together)
The Christmas story was “A Memorable Christmas” by Thomas S. Monson December 1995 Ensign. Tan paper, matching clip art etc. This was folded in 1/2 the long way and then rolled up into a tube. Popcorn
is self explanatory. The ornament and the cookie cutter were purchased at a dollar store or similar. The cookie mix is just a spice cake mix, taken out of the box. Staple a cardstock label to the top of this as well, with Gingerbread cookie mix on the front and these instructions on the back:
Mix 1 medium egg, 2 Tbs. water 2 Tbs. flour and 1/4 cup soft shortening with cookie mix. Makes a stiff dough. Mix well, chill dough. Roll out on floured surface and cut with cookie cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.
Decorate if desired.
Pop everything in the can, put the lid on top and you’ve got a cute family gift.
I just talked to my SIL so here’s some more info: Cost was about
$7.00. The gingerbread ornaments were purchased through Oriental Trading Company.
Here’s a recipe for a wassail type mix.
2 cups Tang
3 oz pkg. pre-sweetened lemonade mix
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Use 2-3 teaspoons of mix with one cup of hot water. Make 3 1/2 cups. keeps up to 6 months
