Personalized matchboxes are the newest and coolest trend in party favor giving. You can call up and order hundreds of matchboxes personalized with names, dates, custom colors and more. Hundreds of matchboxes can cost hundreds of dollars though. There is no need to spend that kind of money on a tiny party favor to impress party guests when you can easily transform free matchboxes into candy holding works of art. Get with the trend the cheap way by following these simple steps. Not only will guests be “oohing” and “ahhing” at your creativity, they’ll be copying your idea at their next party
The downside to this project is that it will be necessary to come up with enough matchboxes to give one to each of your guests so if there will be hundreds, this might not work. The matchboxes don’t need to be all the same size or shape to make this work so don’t worry about that. Save all your old ones and collect free ones. Please note that in order to be able to store candy in them, they must slide open and closed. Flimsy flaps on many free ones won’t do the trick.
Materials:
As many matchboxes as you need to give one per guest
Holiday colored glitter ( red, green, gold, and silver)
Glue
Construction paper, assorted colors
White craft paint
Bowls
newspaper
Preparation:
Remove matches from matchboxes if the boxes are not already empty. It is a great idea to put all of the matches in a bowl and run them under water to avoid fire mishaps after throwing them in the garbage.
Pour each color of glitter into its own bowl, separate from the other glitter colors.
Cover your workstation in newspaper
Step by step instructions:
1) Begin with one matchbox, leave others aside. Slide out the inside of the matchbox and set it away from any nearby paint, glue or glitter to keep those materials from contaminating the candy that will be put inside later.
2) Paint all sides of the box with the white paint.
3) Let the paint dry for a few minutes, but while it is still wet carefully pick it up and dip all sides of it into one bowl of glitter. Thoroughly cover all sides, fill in any holes by sprinkling the glitter over the bare areas.
4) Shake off the excess over the glitter bowl.
5) Repeat the above steps with other matchboxes to allow adequate drying time for the first one.
6) When all of the matchboxes are painted and well glittered allow them time to dry.
At this point in the project, the matchboxes can be left as they are, decked out in shiny holiday colors and filled with tiny candies of your choice, or they can be further dressed up with holiday cheer.
7) Choose a sheet of green construction paper and draw several small Christmas trees on it. Draw snowflakes and snowmen on the white paper. Stockings, Santas, reindeer, jingle bells, and ornaments make more great and easy pictures that can be drawn on construction paper.
8) Finish drawing the pictures and cut them out.
9) Glue them to the front and center of the matchbox and allow the box to dry.
Now they are ready to be filled with candy and passed out to admiring party guests.
