Fill your own crackers - ideas for gifts to put in?

[cazza2878]

So I've bought some of these (£5 in M&S, also part of their 3 for 2).

I now need some inspiration of what small gifts I can fill them with please? Not too keen on doing sweets /chocolate as everyone gets enough of that already! I have 6 to fill 5 adults (4 women and 1 man) and 1 child aged 4 (which will be easiest one!)

Thanks for any ideas!

[iloveholidays]

I did this a few years ago and found it quite hard. Put in photo key rings, photo magnets,golf tees, miniature bottles, travel sized toiletries, stationary,

[pollywollywoowah]

I did this last year and it was much harder and more expensive than I expected. I used Baileys and Tia Maria miniatures, lottery scratchcards, usb memory stick, travel size hand cream together with an individual chocolate from Thorntons and bracelets, marbles and stickers for dc.

They went down a storm and I am doing them again this year when I get myself into gear!

[janey1234]

I love them and make them every year for Christmas lunch with my friends...

I've added personalised photo key rings from eBay, booze miniatures, bought mini lip gloss sets from boots and put a couple in each one, scratch cards and even managed to stuff socks in one year!

[girlywhirly]

If you know the preferences of the ladies well you could add jewellery items (earrings, brooches, rings or small necklaces;) or makeup (single eyeshadows, lippy or lipgloss, nail polish,) or you could possibly squeeze in one of those reuseable nylon shopping bags that folds up really small. Look in Accessorize for cute and quirky Christmas tree decorations, jewelled handbag pens etc.

[ReshapeWhileDamp]

It's tricky unless you just want to go down the nice chocolate route - one year (the night before I gave birth, as I remember - I was feeling v nesty) I stuffed them with Hotel Chocolat truffles (bought in 6 packs).

If you know the person and want to make sure they get the right cracker gift, make sure you sabotage the crackers by making a tiny tear at the scrunched bit at one end, and then hold that end.

I like the idea of photo keyrings --might steal that actually) especially if there are a lot of doting older relatives at the table. Miniature cosmetics and travel toiletries are a nice idea. Basically, if you don't mind spending probably three times the amount you'd spend on a posh box of crackers as it is, it's a really nice idea.

Hmm, now I'm thinking I might make some up for my antenatal Christmas supper. As if I need another thing to spend money on this Christmas - damn you, MN!

Cazza, how many crackers do you get in the M&S kits?

[cazza2878]

Some good ideas here thanks, keep em coming!
Want to keep costs down really but like idea of scratch card or lottery tickets along with small something else.

[cazza2878]

Theres 6 in the pack

[IWantAnotherBaby]

I spend a fortune making my own crackers every year. I use:

-miniature perfumes (Boots do boxes of 5; worth getting on the 3 for 2 offers)
-teeny photo frames
-puzzles/ toy cars/ moshi monsters for appropriate children
-Lego minifigures
-nice chocolates
-small soaps (Crabtree & Evelyn etc) for aged relatives
-novelty keyrings

Depends on the people who will be there, really.

[HappyAsEyeAm]

Mine are really small, and I'm only making six.

I am putting in - sticker sheets, keyrings, mini figure things, body shop shower gels/hand creams, scratchcards, MUA eye primer from Superdrug (my number one bueauty buy from this year. Its only £2 and part of their 3 for 2).

[BlueChampagne]

packets of seeds
yankee candles

[Doshusallie]

tins of G&T/can of Strongbow
the personalised face cloths on the bargainous christmas threads (£1.99)
hair bands
sports socks/swimming goggles/sweat wristbands
squash balls/tennis balls
hair stuff they use (have a look in their bathroom?)
itunes voucher

[ReshapeWhileDamp]

little bottles of essential oils/pot pourri oils, if guests are of the lentil persuasion? Short joss sticks, incence cones, little candles?

Posh and small foodie accoutrements - a wee jar of saffron, say, or a little bag of cloves and nutmegs. Or a tiny bottle of Tabasco. A truffle??? A tub of posh cake sprinkles for a fan of baking. Small bottle of food flavouring. Cookie cutters and a recipe.

Crafters? A small cross-stitch kit. A pretty tape measure (I have a Cath Kidston one that was not at all expensive). Little pair of embroidery scissors. Packet of beads. Card-making embellishments. Miniature ball of sock yarn (you can find at some knitting shops). Little tin box filled with cute buttons.

Waitrose do packs of weeny Cath Kidston bottles that would fit in a cracker. Multipack of nice smelly soaps (TK Maxx is great for these). Buy a multipack of miniature nail polish bottles and split it.

Don't forget charity shops can be a great source for small cracker gifts - vintage jewellery, etc.

Now you've got me wanting to make bespoke crackers for everyone I know! It's a shame that PIL hate crackers (waste of money, and silly) and that DH is, in consequence, a bit of a cracker sceptic.

[Doshusallie]

ignore me - I thought we were talking stockings.

[Cakecrumbsinmybra]

I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea, but one year DH and I were providing the crackers for our family Xmas meal (no DC in the family at the time), so we did homemade ones and put a £5 donation to a charity in each one. They were charities that appealed to each person. Was a bit expensive but like you say, decent homemade crackers do add up and most of it is still a load of tat anyway.

[janey1234]

I bloomin' love that idea cake - and shall be doing that for my family crackers this year. My Dad will love it.

[cazza2878]

Thanks all - lots of great ideas here.

[TheSpottedZebra]

Ffs, no spamming!

[Winnie69]

Hi it’s my first time on mumsnet so if I make a blunder please correct me. I’m making my own Xmas crackers this year and have no idea what to put in the men’s ones? Any help appreciated.

[KWells1979]

Where’s the best place to buy the actual empty crackers? Looking online it seems cheaper to buy normal ones from Tesco and empty them.

Gift ideas for me are: alcohol miniatures, scratch cards, chocolates. Hot wheels cars fit well for the kids ones.

[Furball]

You can get kits from the works for about £3

ideas for men - sugru

[JennyBlueWren]

I made these for my family one year when I was a young teenager! I can't remember all the presents but do remember buying a small roll of sellotape (which only just fitted) for my dad as he was always hunting for sellotape.
I think I put a small good quality lock for my little brother to use with his bike chain.

Travel sized toiletries are a good idea. If you want jewelry have a look in a charity shop as they often have good quality jewelry for very good prices.