Table centerpiece to replace flipping crackers

[Sallycinnamum]

I'm trying to find something that I don't think exists!

Basically, I'd like some sort of table centerpiece to replace crackers. In whatever imaginary centerpiece this is, I'd put small presents for everyone, which would replace the rubbish pressies you get in crackers.

I'm sure I read on here that somebody had a hollow snowman and when you took his head off (eek) it was filled with little pressies.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Good lord woman, you can't replace crackers. They'd be a riot, surely!? And rightly so. Humph.

My parents had a couple of things growing up. They were originally filled with tacky cracker style presents, but then kept and refilled each year with whatever they fancied.

One was a snow covered cardboard house with an opening in the bottom (they still have this, about 40 years later - I think it has had a new covering of artificial snow on the roof a couple of years back).

The other was a giant cracker. This died, and has been replaced.

We loved them. I don't think they actually replaced normal crackers, mind.

Or why not do fill/make your own crackers?

perhaps I'll keep the crackers and add an exciting centerpiece filled with a lucky dip from the poundshop.

However, it looks like I'm going to have to make something......off to Pinterest.

John lewis have fill your own crackers. Put chocolate in them and you will have no cracker tat.

I have thought of filling my own crackers but I like the idea of having something a bit kitsch and tacky for the kids to get excited about.

In the middle of the table, that was supposed to say.

I might have a google search and see what I can find.

Well, a festive cookie jajar might fit your bbrief? And it could live on outside the meal, filled with biscuity things.

Another vote from me for fill your own crackers. I tried to make some from scratch one year but it really wasn't worth the effort. But the kits are ace!

Ooh that's a good idea spotted.

My cousin had a knitted snowman that she bought from a church Christmas fair. It was a bit like a tea cosy that went over a circular box or tub, which she put little wrapped and named gifts inside for after the meal. It was to replace crackers because one of the DC didn't like the bangs. The DC liked the mystery wondering if there really was something inside!

I like that girlywhirly. I wonder if ebay might be a good place to start.

REPLACE CRACKERS?!! [sits down and fans herself]

Alright, alright I won't get rid of the crackers!!!

I'll sleep much better tonight knowing you've come to your senses.

Oneyear I got christmas mugs from the pound shop and filled with relevant gifts and wrapped them up in cellophane wrap with a luggage label tied to it with persons name on it. Gifts inside included mini bath oil, hankies , hand cream, packet of seeds, glitzy pens etc depending on recipient . They went down a treat.

Sally, there are knitted teacosies that you can buy, or patterns for making your own on ebay. You could possibly sew up the holes for the teapot handle and spout and sort out a container for underneath to hold the gifts.

You could still have crackers as well, but could get away with cheap ones if it's just the fun of pulling them that you want.

Just spotted this unusual christmas pudding cracker/pass the parcel thing in M&S. Any good for you OP?

How about some sort of santa's sleigh centrepiece filled with small wrapped presents? You could get a good mixture, then it could be lucky dip!

I agree that there are only so many nail clippers and sets of mini playing cards one family needs......but ...

we have "silly" crackers now - e.g. balloon modelling crackers, boggle crackers, magic tricks crackers....

Do you need a Christmas table top piñata???

How about a small twig tree (the type with frosting and small white lights at the tips of the branches), hung with a named miniature stocking for each person. Stockings could each contain a small personal gift, or a nice chocolate.

Have a look at mason jars on Pinterest. You can paint the glass so you can't see what's inside, decorate with festive ribbon and pop a pressie inside. Scented candle for older guests, sweets for younger ones?

We had some crackers one year that build up to a racing game, with a wind-up toy in each cracker, eg, racing sprouts, or puddings, or Santas.
You can also buy some nowadays to contain bits of a board game, or quiz questions.
I've also done the "make-your-own" from a kit - you can tailor the crackers for your guests, then. A mini bottle of perfume or after-shave, little earrings or cufflinks, (sets of little screwdrivers are highly sought after - my heart sings if I win this prize, so handy)

You can't dispense with the cracker - EVERYONE has to wear a silly paper hat and tell a daft joke for Christmas lunch, for crying out loud

Snowman pinata. I don't really know how they work, but perhaps you could open it up to get out the contents without destroying him?