Ideas for make-your-own Christmas crackers

[Plummeting]

I'm always a bit disappointed by the rubbish in Christmas crackers, even the more expensive ones. Partly I just don't value shoe horns, picture frames etc I think.

So I'm planning to do our own this year - it'll just be the 4 for us, 2 adults and 2 children (8 and 4) but ideally just something fun - don't really have a budget but it would have to be good to justify spending more than a few pound each iyswim. Anyone have any great ideas?

Lottery ticket!

On that theme, scratch card

My mum has always made her own crackers. Things like wind up animals that we could race along the dinner table, pots if bubbles that you can catch and hold when we/my dc were smaller. Phone top up vouchers (not really a thing anymore), nail varnish, nice handcream , mini bottles of alcohol when we were older.
I've taken over responsibility for filling them the last few years. Harry Potter keyrings went down well with dc. Or little magic tricks.
Flying Tiger or Hawkins Bazaar were always good for cracker fillers.

I did this last year - a miniature of the adults favourite spirit went down well

A lotto ticket/scratch card in each is a nice idea.

Wind up toys also good. Maybe a mini chocolate? Though it's Christmas so there will be plenty of chocolate I guess!!

Oh yes. Always a chocolate! Usually a couple of chocolate Brussels sprouts/tiny snowman/santa.
And a joke. Get the DC to write/find those.

Nail varnish/fake tattoos also good.

Mini spirits not for us - I'm the only one who drinks spirits but I can imagine would go down well with a different group!

I usually put miniatures of gin in mine for my adult children, but this year I've managed to get facemasks made from gin related fabric.

Hankies
Stamps
Face masks
Craft kits
Perfume/ aftershave
Travel toiletries
Coins
Jigsaw (I ordered a personslised one of all of us and everyone got some pieces and we did it together. They had no idea what the pic was)
Make up
Handcream
Stationery
Keyrings
Trolley tokens
Jewellery
Stickers
Tea lights
Tiny torches

I've been doing them for 20 years and those are only a few things I can think of in a few mins.

We did this when our DCs were that age. Get them to choose & write the "hilarious" cracker jokes. Make the most outlandish hats you can, preferably out of newspaper & whatever craft stuff you've got at home. Chocolate coins or Quality Street inside.

Make them in lockdown, put them away, & they will be more of a surprise on Christmas Day.

Remember to shout, "BANG!" when you pull them.

Wind up toys to race along the table are the best fun (not sure if Hawkins Bazaar is still around but they had good ones - or failing that buy a set of racing reindeer crackers and re use them next year)

Lego blind bags or key rings

Tiny key ring torches

Get the DC to write the jokes.

My DC are older now so DD has bought cocktail filled chocolates (Anton Berg) to go with the scratch cards.

If you can get hold of some 'snaps' or a kit you won't have to shout bang

I'd like to try making crackers with DS, can anyone recommend a decent kit with the 'bangs'?!

Not looked this year but have bought from M&S and supermarkets in the past.

@PeaceAndHarmoneeee

I'd like to try making crackers with DS, can anyone recommend a decent kit with the 'bangs'?!

Hobbycraft sell snaps on their own or cracker kits including snaps