how to make christmas crackers
TRANSCRIPT
These crackers won’t crunch or make a bang when you pull them, but they’re a fun way to wrap up
small presents as stocking stuffers or as package or table decorations. Turn them into a place card
by setting one with a name attached by each place setting for Christmas dinner.
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Steps
1. Assemble the items needed. These are listed below under “Things You’ll Need”. Anything that will fit inside a
tube is fair game: it could be as simple as a piece of candy for the kids, or a surprise piece of jewelry for a loved
one.
2. Make it special. Write a personalized Christmas message on a festive slip of paper. Some ideas for messages
include:
A personal story or note
Famous quotes
A future fortune
A blessing
A spiritual message
A recipe
A joke or witty story.
3. Add a small gifts. Along with the special Christmas message, it’s nice to add a tiny gifts inside the cracker. Simply insert the
gifts into a toilet paper tube, which will form the inside area of your cracker. Small gift ideas include:
Plastic people or animal figures
Small toys such as spinning top, dice, hopping frog, etc.
Miniature games such as Boggle
Sewing kit, cross stitch kit
Candies or chocolates (wrapped or in packaging)
Chewing or bubble gum
Small compass
Post-It notes, stationery, pens, erasers, etc.
Jewelry, usually costume or fake
Earphones (or even an iPod for a really posh cracker)
Vouchers for music, shopping, etc.
4. Measure out a square piece of wrapping paper. This piece needs to be wide enough to cover the tube, leaving at
least 4-5 inches (10-12.5cm) of paper to spare at each end of the tube.
Tissue paper can also be used but it should be layered to increase its strength and when handling it, take care not to
tear it.
5. Cover the toilet tube with the paper. Glue it down.
6. Cut lengths of ribbon or tinsel—or both! Tie these around the paper at each end of the tube. Knot them into
place and tie in a bow.
7. Decorate each cracker. Add a dash of glitter glue, or stick on small images that you have cut from old Christmas
cards.
8. Place each cracker on the table ready for opening during a Christmas meal.You might need to warn people that
they won’t “crack” like commercial ones because they’re homemade—but be careful, people might explode with
delight!
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