Crackers that aren't landfill waiting to happen?

[buckingfrolicks]

I've been thinking I might not do crackers this year, because it's just plastic rubbish and a nasty hat.

But... before I tell the family we're crackerless, have I missed a trick? are there 'green-ish' crackers, or ones that you really like? Anyone tried to make their own and would did you find it worth the effort?

Hotel chocolat crackers, with choccies in, or boots sell 'beauty' ones with bottles of sanctuary shower gel etc.

I had this thought as well so will be watching with interest to see what suggestions come up

I do have small tree crackers with a Christmas sticker in them for the kids as feel they are the best value for what you get (the DCs love stickers!)

Table wise I have bought a packet of Christmas napkins and will turn them into little bags with a party popper, a decoration and a choc, DD is going to write out a selection of jokes and we are skipping the hat

I made my own with a fill your own kit from eBay, still probably a lot of rubbish but could be recycled and at least the gifts are used (I did little nail polishes and miniatures of booze)

We always have homemade crackers, either DM or I do them depending on who is hosting.

The gifts are obviously more expensive but will not end up in the bin twenty minutes after the table is cleared

We've just made a decision that we're not doing crackers. Instead everybody has pulled a name out of a hat and is going to buy a small 'table present' for that person, with a budget of around a pound. I've got dd1 so will probably get her a MUA lipstick or some 'nice' green tea.

Do like the idea of party poppers too - adds to list!

A Christmas table without crackers is a poor excuse of a Christmas table.

Its the pull of a cracker and the surprise inside that DC love.

Can't understand anyone who would deprive their DC of this.

I get crackers that are also a game, from John Lewis. Last year I bought 'festive frogs' which was amazing, SO much fun! Inside the cracker is your character and the box is game board, each person has to flick their frog.

Heard good things about this years one! www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-who-am-i-santa-crackers-pack-of-6/p1969331

oxfam have diy crackers- you can put your own gifts inside

Our dds are both over 18. The 'pop' of a cracker and stupid joke hold no thrill for them anymore, sadly.

We had an early family Christmas lunch the other day, with crackers from Waitrose which had a wind up reindeer game. They were a great hit. Game is still being played.

Last year I bought a set of crackers, again from Waitrose, which included packs of trivia, charades and who am I card games. They were very popular and I have dug out the card games again this year. DS(10) doesn't know who all the people etc are but still has fun with them. They are selling similar crackers this year

I would go with the make your own options. I did moustaches last year - was good fun and made for some funny photos to look back on. the kit and moustaches cost me £2 in total :)

this year cost even less as I bought the bits reduced in after Christmas sales so crackers were 50p and the moustaches 25p!

I just bought crackers from M&S, untied the end, pulled out the contents and put my own bits inside. It was a bit fiddly but perfectly straightforward. You just had to be careful not to put stress on the snap.

DS was on joke duty, and DD tied beautiful bows to close them again.

All the make-your-own sets were too small for the gifts I wanted to enclose.

For the contents I got ideas from another MN thread and went for packets of seeds, lip balms, eye pencils, puzzle, keyring. We left the hats in place.

DD wanted to have pass-the-parcel instead of crackers this year (she hates the bang, and is only wee), which I'll probably try. A small but personal gift in each layer of paper, like a table gift really.

I agree older children must be difficult, but I would make my own using gifts they would like.

For my younger children, I've got sticker crackers for the tree, hello kitty crackers for Boxing Day will my dd's will love, racing crackers for after Xmas dinner and a pretty pack to lay on the table Xmas day, that were heavily reduced in M&S in January.

I'm also doing fun small table presents. Dh has critters to eat (I'm a celeb style but not alive obvs!) Dd3 has inflatable reindeer antlers to wear on her head that we can play Hoopla with using inflatable rings. DD1 and DD2 will be sharing a set of festive fingernail stickers I got from Lakeland. Mine is a surprise from DH! The table presents had to be fun and cost under £5.

When everything is cleared away there is a final surprise. We have bought tickets to see the Railway children musical before they go back to school. so they will unwrap the film & the book and be very surprised (and hopefully excited) when we tell them about the tickets.

I'm hoping to curl up with them and watch the film either Xmas evening or Boxing day.

We always make our own, using the fill your own kits from John Lewis.

Contents differ each year but have done lottery scratchcards, cosmetics, cigars, toys, jewelery, chocolates depending on budget and who's there. I alway account for cracker gifts in the overall budget.

This year 3 of us have photocopies of our tickets to see a show in London. It will be DD's first trip to the theatre and first trip to London and is between Christmas and new year.

So, I bought some gorgeous handmade boxes that should last for years, to go on the table stuffed with 1 chocolate, 1 nice-ish small gift, 1 hat and 1 joke. Then thought bugger it, and got some standard-issue crackers as well as the table just won't look dressed without. Ho hum.