My Christmas Crackers

I love Christmas crackers, from the traditional crossed arm way of pulling them, the "pop" sound they make when pulled, the cheesy joke that lightens the mood, to the clatter of the gift falling to the table!
So this year I made my own in gold card wrapped in some pretty Tilda wrapping paper that official Tilda retailer, Musha Makes sent me. I filled my hand made Christmas crackers with some home made gifts, Here's how...

My Christmas Crackers

What you will need

• Wrapping paper cut into strips 19cm x 30cm
• Gold card 19cm x36cm
• Small gifts
• Paper hats - instructions below
• Jokes,(print of free artwork below and cut out)
• Cracker snaps
• Skinny tinsel or ribbon
• Craft knife & cutting mat
• Simplicity pattern punch - Daisy border
• Rotary scorer
• Double sided sticky tape
• Glue stick

Instructions

1. Print off cracker pattern and cut out
2. Trace pattern onto the underside of the gold card
3. Cut out gold card and score along edges as indicated on pattern
4. Using paper punch, punch pattern along the end edges of the gold cut out crackers and attach double sided tape
5. Using paper punch, punch pattern along the end edges of the wrapping paper strips
6. Take your gold card cut out and roll into a cylinder shape, folding along scored lines to create your cracker shape, remove double sided tape and adhere cracker together
7. Wrap punched strip of wrapping paper around cracker so that is is in the centre and using glue stick adhere to card cracker
8. Place cracker snap, gift, joke and hat in centre of cracker
9. Fold cracker ends inwards and tie tinsel round smallest section to pinch sections together

Christmas Cracker paper hats

What you will need

• 2 sheets of star tissue paper
• Tonic studio edger paper punch
• Glue stick

Instructions

1. Keeping the tissue paper folded as it comes, unfold once lengthwise
2. Cut strips 10 cm deep
3. Using the paper punch, cut decorative line along one edge
4. Unfold strip and make into a circular shape overlapping edges by 5cm, glue ends down to secure
5. Fold paper hat back up using the pre folded lines then fold into quaters so hat fits into crackers

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Snow globe inspired table setting

Have a sweet day!