Looking for an easy and festive way to decorate candles for Memorial Day or even the Fourth of July? Look no further than this patriotic candle decor using colored rice!

All you need is some white rice, food coloring, and a few mason jars or candle holders.

red white and blue colored rice candle trio

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Supplies Needed to Make Colored Rice Candle Decor

Bag of any kind of plain rice (I got mine from the Dollar Tree)
Food coloring (I used red and blue)
Ziploc baggies
Glass candle holders; mason jars, votive candle holders, or stemless wine glasses
Votive candles (traditional or battery-operated)

How to make candle decor using colored rice

This Memorial Day or Fourth of July, try something new with your candle decorations- use colored rice! It’s a festive and fun way to show your patriotism.

Switch up the colors for other holidays and keep the fun going! This is a great activity to do with the kids or grandkids, too!

You could even start a new family tradition–coloring rice for festive candle holders for every holiday!

Step 1. Measure out your rice in layers

Take your glass candle holder and pour in a portion of the plain rice to see where you want your first layer to be and then pour that back into one of your Ziploc baggies.

Repeat this step with each of the glass candle holders until you have the first layer of rice for all containers poured into one of the baggies.

If you’re using three glasses and three layers, measure out three Ziploc baggies of equal amounts of plain rice.

Step 2. Color the rice

Add several drops of food coloring to each of the baggies of rice you want to be colored.

Seal the baggie and work the food coloring throughout the plain rice until the rice is coated.

Repeat the process by adding additional food coloring until your desired color is achieved.

Some people like to add rubbing alcohol or vinegar to the food coloring; however, I just used the food coloring alone with fabulous results.

Step 3. Pour the rice into your candle holders

Begin pouring out the colored rice into each candle holder spreading it out equally among each one. (Some people like to “dry” out the rice first on a paper plate, I did not do this)

first layer of red and blue colored rice

Once the first layer is in the candle holder spread it around with your fingers until it is laying how you want it to look.

I went for an asymmetrical look, but you may want it to be more of a sharp even look, in which case, you may want to tamp it down with a flat object.

Continue to add your colored rice layers. I added a middle layer of plain rice.

Follow up each layer of colored rice until you have reached the desired look with your candle decor.

Step 4. Add a votive candle to the colored rice

Dig a small section of rice at the top to place your votive candle into. Sprinkle a little bit of the last layer of colored rice around the votive to fill in around it.

Step by Step Video Tutorial on How to Make Colored Rice for Candles

If you prefer to watch a step-by-step video tutorial on how to make colored rice for candles, then watch the YouTube video below.

This video includes 7 Easy Dollar Tree Patriotic DIYs! The tutorial for this project is first. Use the timestamps in the video description to navigate to each tutorial.

Light your candle or turn it on if it’s battery-operated and enjoy!

Candle decorating is a great way to show your creativity and using colored rice is a fun and easy way to decorate candles for any holiday.

So get creative and have fun with it! Try it today!

Be sure to PIN this one!

Ways to Display Colored Rice Candle Decor

Place on a buffet table
Add to a tiered tray
Set out on a kitchen or bathroom counter
Display on a bookshelf
Put on a stack of books on a tray
Place on a side table

More Colored Rice Candle Decor Ideas

Use for a graduation party with school colors
Have fun using colored rice for a baby reveal
Create a themed tablescape using colored rice
Turn plain rice black and orange for a spooky Halloween display
or green and red for Christmas
Add spa scents to colored rice for a mood candle

Other Candle Ideas You May Love

Easy Patriotic Candle Decor (Using Colored Rice)

Looking for an easy and festive way to decorate candles for Memorial Day or even the Fourth of July? Look no further than this patriotic candle decor using colored rice! All you need is some white rice, food coloring, and a few mason jars or candle holders.

Materials

Bag of any kind of rice I got mine from the Dollar Tree
Food coloring I used red and blue
Ziploc baggies
Glass candle holders; mason jars votive candle holders, or stemless wine glasses
Votive candles traditional or battery-operated

Instructions

Measure out your rice in layers
Color the rice
Pour the rice into your candle holders
Add a votive candle to the colored rice
Light your candle or turn it on if it’s battery-operated and enjoy!

How to Make Colored Rice Candle Decor the Easy Way