A beautiful start to the holidays

A beautiful start to the holidays

Christmas morning is where is all starts. The anticipation is over, and the celebrations begin. You’ve done your planning, the final touches are complete, and you wake up with your family to enjoy the day.
Family occasions are made so memorable by the little details. No matter what your celebration, these ideas make great adornments/ideas for any family or friend get together.
Lately, we’ve been really enjoying the jar ideas popping up in shops and cafes. There’s something particularly appealing about the individuality of these little jars of goodness, looking so decadent and enticing.
We’ve created a few simple tips for creating your own delicious jars for Christmas. The beauty of these is that they are simply fun, there is no right or wrong, and regardless of how they end up looking, they are guaranteed to taste amazing!

 

A treat at any time of day

Little jars are great for sweet or savoury, morning or evening. Experiment with different combinations to find your favourite.

Breakfast. No matter where you are in the world, in the sunshine or the snow, it can be a long wait for sustenance while the kids tear open their presents. Starting Christmas day with fresh OJ, bottomless coffee and a few special yogurt pots prepared the evening before is a great way to keep everyone going in those early hours.
Snacks. Christmas is a time for enjoying the company of family and friends. And eating together is just one part of sharing with them. It’s a day when most of us decide to enjoy what we like, so gorgeous yogurt jars that are healthy as well are a great way to keep everyone full and feeling good.
Dessert. If there is one time you can treat yourself, it’s at Christmas. Create sweet little yogurt jars for everyone to enjoy at the end of the day – and if you’re extra keen you could even create some especially for the kids. Check out our decorating ideas below.

 

Layer it up

Don’t you just love it when you see those colourful pots of goodness in the cafés around town? Making them look so good is all down to colour, layering and texture. The options are endless, so here are a few ideas to get you started.

  • Layer yogurt, fruit and cereal for breakfast. See our recipe for Raspberry Yogurt Fools for some more inspiration.
  • Honey, granola and yogurt. The colour of honey looks amazing drizzled over the yogurt, and mixing with granola gives it some good crunch.
  • Yogurt, berries, and a drizzle of chocolate – delightful, and full of colour! At the end of the day you will likely be pretty full from the succession of Christmas dinners, so this is a great idea for a lighter end to the day.
  • Edible flowers are definitely a festive way to glam-it-up. Collect a few in a complementary colour to the beautiful filling inside, and sprinkle them over top.
  • And for an easy dessert or breakfast why not try our parfait with fruit puree, this tasty raspberry yogurt fool using fresh or frozen berries, and this super simple parfait the kids could make, with nuts, cinnamon and coconut.

Repurposing those old jars

Now that you have your yogurt jar filling ideas sorted, it’s time to start pulling them together. The beauty of using jars for your fillings is the reuse of all those items that would otherwise end up in the recycling. Don’t worry if they don’t match, it’s all part of the charm.

  • Dig deep into your cupboards for those jars you’ve kept ‘just in case’
  • Preserving jars are a good place to start – check Nana’s cupboard and the local second hand shop.
  • Glasses work well too. Goblets, tumblers or even wine glasses if you want something to look a little more elegant, adding a classy touch to your dessert.
  • Mini jars with lids on them look super cute, and make it simple to create a little snack for anyone who pops in during the day.
  • Break out the special occasion teacups! If you have one of those beautiful tea sets sitting in the cabinet, why not use Christmas to show them off.
  • Aside from creating beautiful food, using jars in this way is great for reusing and recycling. Now that you’ve got your jar collection, they’re also perfect for breakfast on the go year-round.

    Mastering the art of impressive presentation

    With everything now in the jar, the finishing touches complete the look. The opportunities are endless, with just a little imagination. 

    • Do you have a theme or colour across your Christmas this year? Why not continue this through to your yogurt pots, ensuring they fit in perfectly with your table setting. A consistent colour will really make them stand out.
    • A bamboo spoon placed in each jar invites your guests to help themselves and get started whenever they are hungry. Mix it up, too, with a variety old spoons and other eclectic finds.
    • Tie some string or twine around the outside to mimic a present and make an occasion of the unwrapping.
    • Arrange your jars or teacups in a row on a board surrounded by Christmas decorations.
    • Get personal with little swing tags for each person. If you want to go all out, you could fill the jars with their favourite flavours.

      Let them devise their own

      Platters are always a hit at any event, and a jar platter allows people to have fun inventing their own favourite creation. Decorate the jars, provide the toppings and leave the rest up to your guests. 
      Think about:

      • A range of different flavoured yogurts as the base.
      • What’s fresh and colourful? Seasonal berries and fruit work well.
      • Provide some crunch. Cereal, chopped chocolate, fruit or nuts?
      • A selection of toppings as decoration – think sprinkles, cereal, granola, and berries. Hundreds and thousands, or chocolate sprinkles are always a favourite for the kids.

      Go on… get thinking, and have fun. We’d love to see your results if you’d like to share your photos.