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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

DIY Crackers

11 replies

MumbleJunction · 09/11/2020 11:58

I always find Christmas crackers so disappointing! And the good ones are really expensive. Anyone tried making their own?

I found some tutorials that looked good online - this one has a template so might be harder for me to mess up!

I can imagine putting inside some little fossils for my older DS, maybe some little tumbled rocks for the littlest. Some chocs for DH and me. Little notebooks, pencils and rubbers?

It's super rare for us to spend Christmas at our own place (COVID restrictions this year) so trying to think of some nice ideas.

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orangenasturtium · 09/11/2020 13:59

I do this every year. Gifts that the recipient will want are so much better than shop bought crackers that are filled with plastic tat that will end up in landfill and, even if you buy nice ones, they are always the same. Nobody needs 3 mini nail clippers, a tiny set of screwdrivers and half a dozen mini photo frames.

If you aren't good at craft, you can buy precut cardboard and all the bits you need (snap, joke, hat etc) or preassembled crackers that you put the gift in and seal. John Lewis and Waitrose sell the preassembled ones.

Cracker suppliers also sell small gifts, if you need inspiration. Gifts I've used include personalised plectrums and case, small kitchen gadgets (nutmeg grater, spoon holder), perfume/aftershave, scented tea lights, jewellery, soap, make up/nail polish, face masks, jewellery, make up brushes, hair accessories, fragrance oil/incense, silk scarves, hand warmer, seeds.

As well as the gift, I fill the cracker with something cheap like wrapped penny sweets, chocolate coins/sprouts or bath pearls, sometimes a scratch card for everyone. It might seem a bit OTT but it makes what is a bit of a wasteful tradition into some a bit special but useful that is a highlight of the day. I don't put anything in that I don't know the recipient will love, even the filler sweets have to be a favourite.

Just be careful where you pull them if you are putting in delicate items like a fossil!

toothfairycat · 09/11/2020 14:16

I’ve bought full your own crackers from the Works and doing gin minatures with a mini figure for DS.

MumbleJunction · 09/11/2020 19:05

Ohhhhh thanks for the ideas of what to put inside @orangenasturtium! Yours sound so lovely. I really hate the plastic tat element.

I'm in The Works all the time @toothfairycat, that's a brilliant tip, thanks.

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BarbaraManatee · 09/11/2020 19:19

My family are all Lego mad so I've ordered custom minifigures that look like each of us. I wouldn't normally spend that much but I think this year is going to be a bit unusual & we're planning to be at home which the DC are a bit upset about so I want to make it a bit extra fun. They arrived today & I love them & can't wait to see their faces!

I've also got tiny Lindt bears & I'm going to get everyone to decorate their own paper & make some hats out of wrapping paper. I think I'm more excited about the crackers than anything else this year! Grin

thelegohooverer · 10/11/2020 05:20

I delegate the jokes to the dc who are of an age to find Christmas jokes hilarious. The old tired chestnuts are so much funnier when there’s a little person bursting to shout out the answer.

spagbog5 · 10/11/2020 13:01

@BarbaraManatee,oh were did you order the mini figures from please?
My lot would love them !

NeverPromisedYouARoseGarden · 10/11/2020 13:53

M&S do a DIY cracker kit which is usually good quality and mostly recyclable, too, I think. It has hats and jokes included.

Orangenasturiam Thanks for sharing those gift ideas. I'm always on the lookout for different things and those are great, especially plectrums and seeds. It's really important to me, too, that everyone has something that they will use/enjoy.

If it helps anyone, things that I've done previously include:
Xmas pants
Xmas socks
Folding reusable shopping bags (the nylon type)
Lego/Roblox Minifigures
Pin badges with favourite themes
Pillbox
Fancy chewing gum
Travel toothbrush
Expanding flannel (for kids)
Shower hat
Mini can of WD-40
Carmex lip balm
Mini travel case
Pop socket
Carabiner clips in favourite colour

NeverPromisedYouARoseGarden · 10/11/2020 13:55

Sorry orangenasturtium!

MumbleJunction · 10/11/2020 15:38

Pants and personalised minifigs! How fun :)

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goose1964 · 10/11/2020 15:57

One year I bought fill your own. They were an utter disaster, they bent and tore before I even put the gift in. Mind you I'm cack handed. Not long after I was married my MiL tried teaching me to make a greaseproof paper icing bag( she's a qualified baking teacher who was doing the rounds with Mary Berry) after half an hour she suggested I bought one.😄

BarbaraManatee · 10/11/2020 16:25

@spagbog5 I got them from minifigs.me/

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