National Mason Jar Day Date in the current year: November 30, 2024

There are various kinds of glass jars used for home canning out there. How are mason jars different from all of them and what makes them so special and popular? Let us acquaint you with the brief history of mason jars.

The method of preserving food by storing it in airtight glass containers was invented by French chef and confectioner Nicolas Appert. He used glass jars with tin lids sealed with wax. The wax sealing process was the only available method of securing the lid and making it airtight; it was complicated and prone to errors.

In 1858, American tinsmith John Landis Mason invented and patented a metal screw-on lid for glass home canning jars. The name “Mason jar” has become a genericized trademark since Mason’s original patent expired, and today Mason-style jars produced by various manufacturers are often referred to as mason jars.

By the early 20th century, mason jars became an essential part of farming culture, especially in areas with short growing seasons. They were widely used to display pickles, sauces and jams at fairs. The use of mason jars peaked during World War II, when a lot of people started growing their own food due to government-imposed rationing.

The popularity of mason jars began to decline after the war, as more and more people moved to big cities, refrigerators became more widely available, and grocery stores began to sell fresh fruit and vegetables all year round, along with commercially produced preserves. The revival of mason jars occurred in the 2010s thanks to their adoption by hipsters and the rise of thrifting.

Today, mason jars have a variety of uses. Some people still use them for home canning, but they are also used as household objects (vases, containers for herbs and spices, soap dispensers, lanterns, etc.), photoshoot props, and for many other purposes. It would be safe to say that they have become a truly iconic item.

National Mason Jar Day was launched in 2017 by Misty Cambell-Olbert, the founder of the subscription box project Unboxing the Bizarre that specializes in subscription boxes dedicated to wacky holidays, of which there are plenty. Given the focus of her project, it is not surprising that Cambell-Olbert decided to add one more bizarre holiday to the calendar.

How can you celebrate National Mason Jar Day? Well, there are many ways. The easiest one would be to open a jar of pickles or fruit preserves and enjoy them! You also can try your hand at making home preserves, desserts, or oatmeal in a jar, make your favorite cocktail and drink it from a mason jar, put a mason jar with a small bouquet of flowers in every room of your house, use mason jars for a craft project, hit a thrift store to look for vintage mason jars… your options are truly limitless! And don’t forget to post about the holiday on social media with the hashtag #NationalMasonJarDay to spread the word.