Holiday Gifts, Treats, & Decor to Make With Popcorn

Prepping for the holidays can be stressful. From decorations to baking (and not to mention gifting!), there’s so much to do. Wherever you can repurpose, reuse, or make more out of something is an opportunity to simplify the season and be a bit more sustainable. That’s why we love using popcorn for a variety of things during this time of year.

First of all, it’s an easy and relatively inexpensive snack to make. And thanks to your Stasher bags and bowls, making popcorn in the microwave without the disposable packaging is an easy win for sustainability. Plus, popcorn is a healthier, gluten free holiday treat compared to all the candy, chocolate, and baked goods you’ll surely be encountering all throughout the season.

Start by reading our guide for how to make microwave popcorn in a Stasher reusable, then try these ideas that use popcorn for everything from homemade gift ideas to decor.

Zero-Waste Microwave Popcorn Kit

What better way to gift Stasher to your friends and family than with an intro to one of our pro hacks? Sustainable microwave popcorn is so easy, so create a kit with popcorn kernels, seasonings, and popcorn recipe instructions to pass out at the next holiday gathering.

This DIY homemade holiday popcorn gift is sure to spread joy and can be customized to nearly any preference. For the kernels, visit the bulk section in your local grocery store (here’s a guide to bulk shopping with Stasher). Then, include a bottle of seasoning; mix up your kits to have both sweet and savory popcorn seasonings!

Include a bottle of oil, too, if you’d like. (This is a great opportunity to gift speciality foods, like white truffle oil.)

Popcorn Balls

This vintage treat is sure to be a hit with everyone at your holiday party. Though the traditional recipes are simple, popcorn balls are perfect for creative add-ins and flavors like M&Ms, chocolate chips, marshmallows, crushed pretzels, nuts, and more. From salted caramel corn to spicy dark chocolate popcorn, there are so many ways to make these holiday goodies unique.

Depending on the size of your popcorn balls, we recommend keeping them in a smaller Stasher bowl, such as a 2-Cup bowl. 1-Cup Stasher bowls are great if you plan to use a single ball as a homemade popcorn Christmas gift or party favor.

Prep tip: For ease when forming popcorn balls, use oil or butter on your hands. 

Popcorn Garland

One of the easiest yet most sustainable decorations that has been used for decades can be made with just a few simple materials. It’s also a fun holiday activity to do as a family. Rather than add to the growing plastic waste problem by buying flimsy, throwaway garlands and decorations, make your own with just thread, a large bowl of popcorn, and whatever seasonal additions strike your fancy — think cranberries, beads, gumdrops, dried citrus, and balls of felt.

To make a garland, use a needle or wire to pierce the center of popcorn and additions, then slide through the thread. Remember to ensure popcorn is clean and unseasoned! While you can spray the finished garland with Shellac or a glaze to preserve it, keeping it au naturale is best for biodegrading after the holiday decorations come down. 

Great Gifts for Family & Friends

With these ideas, you’ll be able to gift popcorn not just for the holidays but for birthdays, office events, and movie nights. Homemade gifts like these are a way to be creative and include more sustainable practices into your everyday life, as well as introduce Stasher reusables to your loved ones. A Stasher bag or bowl is a gift unto itself, but combined with these ideas, it’s also a great alternative to disposable packaging — think of it as a gift that wraps itself!