Make It With the Family: Christmas Crackers

Photo: David Croxford

Crackers are a traditional part of Christmas in England. But we also like saving these fun surprises for New Year’s Eve. The kids can help with most of the steps as well as raid their toy chest for trinkets to put inside. If you want to go with the classic style, each cracker should contain a trinket, a festive paper hat and a joke.

Materials:

• toilet paper tubes. You need one for each cracker and two additional tubes.
• wrapping paper
• cracker snaps
• ribbon
• trinkets
• candy
• tissue paper
• tape
• scissors
• glue gun

Directions:

1. Line three toilet paper tubes up, end to end. Measure out enough wrapping paper to cover all three tubes.
2. Remove the middle tube. Place a dot of hot glue in each end of the tube and secure the cracker snap inside.
3. Put the middle tube back down. Place a tube at each end, making sure the cracker snap is inside the end tubes.
4. Wrap the three tubes, but use the tape to secure wrapping paper only to the middle tube.
5. Slide the right tube over until there is a small gap between the two tubes. Make a crease in the paper with your fingers then tie it with a ribbon.
6. Fill the middle tube with goodies.
7. Now, slide the left tube over until there is a small gap between the two tubes. Make a crease in the paper with your fingers and tie it with a ribbon.
8. Remove the end tubes.
9. Decorate the cracker with any additional ribbon or trimmings you wish.

Looking for more family fun? Find more craft ideas, tasty snack recipes, festive fun and a full roundup of events, including Santa hours and city light trolleys, in our Holiday Corner.