How to Make DIY Diwali Lanterns Using Glass Jars

Learn how to make easy DIY Diwali lanterns with glass jars. These colorful custom luminaries add a beautiful festive glow.

Reb glass jar with gold designs with tealight inside in the night surrounded by rangoli

Diwali is the festival of lights and the biggest festival in the Indian Subcontinent. In India, it is the most vibrant and exciting time. All the preparation for the festival — cleaning and decorating our homes, the vibrant rangolis, and all the food!

And lights—every home and street lit up with thousands of lights, lanterns, and traditional diyas (clay lamps). If you were to ask me when I miss India the most, it would be at Diwali.

Since Diwali is all about lights and colors, this year, I wanted to show you how to make simple and pretty lanterns using mason jars or any other glass jars you may have collected.

These are easy to make, and I may have made a whole bunch of them because I also seem to have a huge collection of glass jars :)… I mean why dispose of a perfectly good glass jar – pasta sauces, salsas, yogurt… yes… I may have a problem… and a huge box full of glass jars in my shed.

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Material Needed

  • Mason jars or other glass jars
  • Spray paint.
  • Tea lights or LED candles

If using Cricut for patterns:

Alternatively, you can also use gold paint and paintbrushes to paint the pattern. You can even use gold puffy paint for a 3-dimensional effect.

How to Make Diwali Lamps

Step 1: Prepare the Glass Jars

I used a mix of mason jars, yogurt jars, and salsa jars. I know—I am a hoarder of jars.

  • Thoroughly clean your glass jars. Remove any labels, stickers, or adhesive residue so that the surface is smooth.
Empty glass jars to make a diy diwali lantern

Goo Gone is very effective in removing all the glue. After using it, be sure to wash the jars with soap to remove the oils.

  • Wipe down the entire jar using rubbing alcohol to remove any residues.

Step 2: Paint the Glass Jars

  • Place the jars on a protected surface, such as newspaper or cardboard, in a well-ventilated area (preferably outdoors).
  • Shake the spray paint well, and apply light, even coats, to the jars.
  • Hold the can about 8-10 inches away to avoid drips.

I used this translucent paint to create a stained-glass look. The key is to spray in short bursts.

You want to spray on the inside of the jar because I realized that the paint would peel off when I applied the transfer tape to the glass later.

Alternatively, you can also use stained glass paint like I had used in the glass jar upcycle project.

Once the jars are fully painted, allow them to dry for at least 4-6 hours or until they are completely dry to the touch.

Step 3: Add Design to the Jars

Now it’s time to decorate your jars with festive gold designs.

I used my Cricut Maker to cut out decals and add them to the jars.

  • Pick the design you want to use. I searched “mandala” in the Cricut design library and found many pretty designs. Other options are searching for “diyas” or geometric patterns.
  • Load the gold vinyl on the cutting mat and make the cut following the Design Space and machine prompts.
  • Once it is cut, weed out the pattern to remove the negative space.
weeding the gold design cut on a cricut machine
  • Using transfer tape, apply the pattern to the glass jar.
using transfer tape to apply design to the glass bottle

Using Paint: If you prefer hand-painting, use a fine-tip paintbrush and gold paint to draw patterns or stencils onto the jars. YOu can also use puffy paint to add patterns for a 3-dimensional look.

Tip: For extra precision, consider using stencils if you’re painting by hand.

Step 4: Light up Your Lanterns

Place tea lights or LED candles inside the jars to bring your Diwali lanterns to life!

lighting the tealight inside the diwali lantern

For safety, LED candles are a great option, especially if you plan to leave them lit for long periods.

If you want to hang them up, you can use jewelry wire as I did with this glass jar upcycle project. I think they will look really pretty!

Or you can place these handmade Diwali lanterns on windowsills, doorsteps, or as a centerpiece for your festive table. To create a beautiful display, arrange jars of different sizes and colors together for a layered look.

DIY diwali lantern on door step with colorful rangoli

I hope you enjoy the glow of these DIY Diwali Lanterns and let their light bring happiness and prosperity into your home for years to come!

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Anika's goal is to inspire and empower beginners with woodworking, DIY, home improvement, and home decor ideas.
She wants everyone to unlock their creative potential and experience the feeling that comes with making something. Nothing feels better better than seeing something and saying "I can make that!"

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