Personalized DIY Candle Holders for Dad or Grandpa

Here’s an easy homemade gift idea for Dad or Grandpa for Father’s Day, Christmas, or His birthday that kids can make!

This DIY tutorial will help you create personalized faux stained-glass candle holders for Dad, Grandpa, Pop-Pop, or any Father figure for Father’s Day, Christmas, or his birthday. Whether it’s a beloved paternal influence or another extraordinary man in your life who has acted as a father, these handmade gifts of illumination offer a unique way to express your appreciation and love for him.

In my experience, Dads and Grandpas love receiving homemade keepsake gifts from their children and grandchildren because they are gifts made from the heart. That makes this DIY personalized candle holder for Dad the perfect gift. The DIY tutorial below makes it easy and affordable to make personalized candle holders for Dad or Grandpa for Father’s Day, his birthday, or Christmas. This post was first published on May 11, 2018, and is regularly updated and republished to improve its content. You might also like this list of homemade Gift Ideas for Dads from Kids.

Personalized Candle Holder Gifts for Dad or Grandpa

Personalizing faux-stained-glass hearts on square glass votive candle holders for dad, grandpa, or pops is a fun and easy homemade gift idea. Anyone who can draw or trace can do this easy art project.

One of the best aspects of these faux-stained-glass candle holders is their versatility in both design and function. You can create any design, symbol, or logo on the candle holder. It does not have to be a heart, as is shown in the photographs. The design or picture you create can be anything you think he will enjoy most.

Beyond their primary function as candle holders, these personalized hand-painted glass votives can serve multiple practical purposes, adding beauty, functionality, and a personal touch to any space. 

For example, these square glass votives can be repurposed as candy jars to hold his favorite treats for a sweet indulgence, or as remote caddies to keep his entertainment area organized. They can even double up as pencil cups, providing a stylish and practical solution for the clutter on his desk or workspace.

Both kids and adults will enjoy making this handmade gift idea for Dad. Younger children will need some assistance with this project, while older kids and teens can make personalized candle holders from start to finish on their own.

The DIY candle holder tutorial in the next section will guide you through creating these personalized stained glass gifts step by step, highlighting the materials you’ll need and the techniques involved.

Gather the supplies from the recommendations below and prepare to unleash your creativity as you embark on this delightful crafting adventure for Dad, Grandpa, Pop-Pop, or another remarkable man or father figure in your life. 

Related: Mother’s Day Personalized Candle Holder Gift Idea

Personalized Candle Holder Materials:

• Rubbing alcohol
• Square votive candle holders
• Glass paint
• Glass paint outliner (black)
• Paintbrush set
• Small heart template (optional)
• To complete the gift, consider including any of the following:
  • Votive or tealight beeswax candles
  • Dad or Grandpa’s favorite candy
  • A new set of pencils or pens

Related: Unique Handmade Gifts Kids Can Make

How to Make Personalized Candle Holders for Dad and Grandpa

As you can see in the photographs, there are several fun ways to create a personalized stained-glass candle holder for Dad. Crafting personalized candle holders allows you to tailor each gift to suit his tastes and interests.

In other words, you don’t need to paint a heart (or hearts) on the candle holder as shown, any more than you need to use what you create as a candle holder–but you can if you like. The best thing about this Father’s Day craft is that you can choose any design, function, or purpose you think he will enjoy the most.

It’s called personalization, which means you can personalize “His” gift any way you want. By incorporating his favorite colors or using other meaningful designs or motifs, such as his favorite team logo, these candle holders become more than just decorative pieces. They become cherished keepsakes made just for him by someone he loves.

All you need to do is let this candle holder craft tutorial inspire you to create something from your heart, even if it doesn’t include a stained-glass heart. And show you how to make the perfect gift for Dad with a square votive and glass paint.

Related: Positive Discipline Books for Parents and Educators

Father’s Day Personalized Candle Holder: Step-By-Step Instructions

As mentioned above, you don’t have to use the heart design shown in the photographs. Instead, use any design you like and personalize it! For example, if Dad or Grandpa has a favorite team, feel free to make personalized holders with their team’s logo and colors in place of the heart shown.

Or, as shown in the photographs, help the kids paint a single– or quadruple-heart votive candle holder for this simple homemade gift idea for Dad. Click the links for complete step-by-step directions and details on painting faux-stained-glass candle holders.

For even more homemade-painted candle holder ideas, check out this collection of hand-painted candle holder ideas that kids can make. Inside, we share a hack to help inspire the kids to make gifts for Dad or Grandpa.

1. Use an outliner to draw design(s), symbol(s), or Logo(s) on a square votive candle holder for Dad or Grandpa:

• Use a glass paint outliner to draw or trace a design, symbol, or logo onto one, two, three, or all four sides of a square glass votive candle holder.
  • Design, symbol, and logo ideas:
    • Trace his favorite logo, symbol, or design.
    • Draw basic designs and symbols, such as a sun, boat, car, house, flower, and heart.
      • Here are a few heart designs you can try:
        • This easy DIY tutorial teaches you how to create faux-stained-glass heart candle holders using glass paint.
        • Or, paint four hearts (or another picture or symbol) on your candle holders, like these Quadruple heart votive candle holders.
          • When lit, candle holders with designs on all four sides, such as the heart shown in the photograph below, will cast heart-shaped shadows on nearby walls and tabletops. Isn’t it gorgeous?!
      • For more tips and ideas, look at this collection of hand-painted candle holders.

2. Fill in or color the inside of the outline with glass paint:

• Use glass paint in your choice of color to fill in or color the inside of the outline in any way you wish.
• The photos show a heart or hearts painted in different colors of glass paint, including standard red, but you can use any paint color or colors you like to fill in or color the design, symbol, or logo on the candle holder.

3. Personalize the candle holder for Dad, Grandpa, Papa, or Pops.

• Next, use the glass paint-outliner to write a word or phrase, such as “Dad” or “Grandpa,” onto the candle holder.
  • Personalize them with words such as “Dad,” “Grandpa,” “Papa,” or “Pop-Pop.”
  • Or phrases such as “World’s Best Dad,” “Dad is my hero,” “We love you, Grandpa,” and “World Greatest Grandpa.”
• The photographs above and below show a few easy ways to personalize faux-stained-glass heart candle holders for Dad, Grandpa, or Papa, with hearts featuring different words or phrases.
  • This tutorial shows you how to personalize heart candle holders like those in the photographs.
• To learn how to make one for Mother’s Day, click HERE!

Related: Keepsake Gifts Kids Can Make

Homemade Father’s Day Gift Ideas: Examples of Personalized Candle Holders for Dad and Grandpa

Below are a few more examples of how these heart votive candle holders for Dad can be personalized. Feel free to substitute daddy, grandpa, papa, pops, a nickname, or his real name! For more ideas, check out these tips for making personalized heart candle holders.

Personalized Candle Holders for Dad, Grandpa, or Papa

Creating faux stained-glass hearts on votive candle holders and personalizing them for Dad, Papa, or Grandpa is a fun, easy homemade gift idea for kids and adults. Most Dads and Grandpas love homemade gifts with a personal touch for Father’s Day.

He may also like these fingerprint art magnets and these personalized picture keychain photo charms.

For more fun gift ideas for Dad and Grandpa, look at this remarkable collection of homemade gifts for Dad.

You may also like our ultimate family gift guide with DIY and readymade ideas for the whole family!

Learn more about Nell Regan Kartychok, author, photographer, and creator of this original candle holder craft for Dad HERE, and Rhythms of Play HERE!

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