Printable jar labels for gifts in a jar: pick, print, cut, give

What a gift jar label needs

Three short lines do most of the work, and that is exactly the layout of the jar label maker:

• Title: what it is, in two or three words. "Cosy cookie mix" reads from across a table.
• Subtitle: what to do or who it is for. "Add butter and one egg" or "For Mia, with love".
• Small note: the detail someone will want later, such as baking time, oven temperature, a made-on date or the ingredients.

If the jar holds food, put the ingredients and anything that could matter for allergies in the small note, and add the date you made it. A gift is nicer when the person can use it with confidence.

Pick a shape for the jar

Round labels sit on the lid or the front of a jar. A 2 inch round suits the lid of a small spice or jam jar, 2.5 inches suits a regular lid, and 3 inches is a good front label for a larger jar. Rectangle labels wrap neatly around straight-sided jars and leave room for a longer note. Tags hang from the neck with string or ribbon and are the best place for instructions, because the person can keep the tag after the jar is empty.

Hold a ruler against the lid or the flat part of the jar before you choose. Measure the space, not the jar.

Gift jars worth labelling

• Layered cookie mix: flour, sugar, oats and chocolate chips in stripes, with the baking steps on a tag.
• Hot chocolate mix: cocoa, sugar and mini marshmallows, with a note to stir into warm milk.
• Bath soak or sugar scrub: a round lid label with the scent and a "use within" date.
• Soup or bean mix: dry ingredients on top, cooking time on the tag.
• Tea, spice rub or sweets: a rectangle label with the blend name and one serving idea.
• A jar of notes: folded slips with kind words. Our memory jar guide covers this one.

Print them at the right size

1. Choose A4 or Letter in the sheet step, then pick auto fit, a grid or a custom grid if you are using pre-cut sticker sheets.
2. Print one test page on plain paper. In the print window set the scale to 100% (actual size) and switch off any fit-to-page option.
3. Hold the test label against the jar. If it is too big or small, go back and change the size. Nothing needs redrawing.
4. Print the real sheet on sticker paper, or on plain paper and attach with a glue stick or double-sided tape.

For a big batch, turn on ink saver. You get a white label with a thin line in the pattern you chose instead of a coloured border and tint, so the sheet uses far less ink and still looks tidy.

Cut and finish

Each label has a dashed cut outline, or small corner marks if you prefer them. Scissors work well for rectangles and tags. For rounds, a circle punch gives a clean edge, and a little clear tape over a paper label keeps it neat if the jar is going to be handled. Thread ribbon through the hole of a tag and tie it around the neck.

Share the idea

The maker also saves a 1080 by 1350 picture of your labels on jars on a shelf. It is a handy way to show a friend what you plan to give, or to post the finished set. If your gift is a memory jar, start from the memory jar preset. For December gifts, pair your labels with the advent activity jar ideas.