DIY Christmas Crackers

Welcome to my first Instructable. I so enjoy the enjoyment people get out of a surprise Christmas gift. Christmas crackers became part of our holiday tradition when our Godson was young. I decided that I could come up with a do it yourself Christmas Cracker.

Materials LIst:

Empty toilet paper tubes (or paper towel tubes cut in half)

Decorative paper Cut to size, enough to wrap around completely and to allow tying off each end. [Mine were 14.5 inches long by 6 inches wide.]

Double sided tape (I tried glue and paste and the tape works best but the others will do)

Regular clear tape

Cracker Snaps (I found these on Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Cracker-Snaps-sale-only-Hendbrandt/dp/B003F0U6F6/ref=sr_1_9?crid=21HSXO2QOU3YD&dchild=1&keywords=christmas+cracker+snaps&qid=1607638220&sprefix=cracker+snap%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-9 )

Ribbon, I use the curling ribbon

Items to put in the crackers. Small toys, candies, puzzles, helpful items as long as they fit in the tube

Paper for a message, or you can print out a Christmas riddle or joke, I like to save the fortunes from fortune cookies and choose a special one for each person.

Tool:

Scissors

rotary wheel (or a pin or push pin)

Pen

Cut out the paper for the number of crackers you are making. Make sure it is wider than two tubes laid side by side and wide enough to wrap all the way around with some overlap.

Find the center of the paper along the long edge. Use the rotary tool to lightly score the paper (this ensures a clean break when pulled by two people). Or if you don’t have a rotary tool you can use a pin or push pin to make a series of punctures along that center line. Amazingly no one notices the punctures or scoring.

Place strips of double sided tape on either side of the scoring/punctures and then place additional strips in a U shape just short of the width of one tube and then along the edge that will seal the whole thing up.

Add the cracker snap, stick it to the double sided tape, you can reinforce with regular tape, just be sure the snap which is in the center is free so when pulled it will separate and make the snapping sound.

Add the tubes and press the tape while you wrap the tubes as tightly as you can with the paper. Make sure to use the sealing edge last and press that seam carefully.

Close up one end and tie with ribbon. Any string or even twist ties work. I like adding curling ribbon so it looks festive.

Add the items you collected and top off with candies if you want. I pick up little things when I’m out doing other shopping and put them in a stash until December. This year I added hand sanitizer a small pipe whistle, a Christmas stamp, a pencil with eraser top, jumping frogs and the note. In the past, I found small puzzles, fun balloons, those capsules you put in water to grow into a surprise and small stickers. I look in the travel items section for practical items and in the toys for fun things. And seal up the other end. And you have finished.

I hope you enjoyed this Instructable and you find small ways to make your holidays bright.