Christmas Crackers are an English tradition that I absolutely love. The past few years I’ve been buying the empty ones and filled them with little personalized presents for the family.

This year I thought to make them from scratch myself to support #makesmthng campaign.

If you decide to follow this tutorial and make your own Christmas crackers, please tag your photos on Instagram with #_twomeDIYtutorial. I’ll be reposting your photos on Boxing Day! I’m looking forward to see your beautiful handmade creations!

Christmas Cracker Tutorial:

Material:

Empty toilet rolls

Wrapping paper

Ribbons or Twine

Paper tags

Cracker snaps

Any A4 size paper (to use as a template)

Tools:

Gluegun

Ruler

Pen/pencil

Scissors

Step 1:

First you need to cut your wrapping paper in A4 size (20x30cm) using your template.

Step 2:

Measure 10cm in from each side at the top and at the bottom. Join the marks with two straight lines.

Step 3:

Attach the cracker snap at the top of the paper with some glue, using the glue gun, on each end.

Step 4:

Place 3 toilets rolls at the top of the paper and roll them down. Using the glue gun, fix the paper.

Step 5:

Pull one toilet roll at one end leaving about 1.5-2cm gap, then twist and push in.

Step 6:

Take a piece of twine and tie a knot around it, then remove the toilet roll.

Step 7:

Fill the cracker with a little gift, hand written joke (on a spare piece of wrapping paper) and Christmas hat (quick tutorial below).

Step 8:

Repeat step 5 and 6 by also adding a hand written name paper tag and your Christmas cracker is done!

Christmas Hat tutorial:

Material:

Tissue paper (for the crowns)

Gel pens (for the crowns)

Scissors

Sticky tape

Step 1:

Cut a strip of tissue paper about 8 cm high by using the whole length of the package of tissue paper.

Step 2:

Fold the paper accordion-style and then cut triangle shapes at the top.

Step 3:

Take the first tissue paper strip and add your own decorative design by using the gel pens. I used gold and silver colours. I find gel pens perfect, especially if the kids are helping, as they don’t ruin the thin tissue paper.

Step 4:

Measure the Christmas hat length to about 60cm and trim the ends (for the kids I made them slightly smaller). Then overlap the two ends and stick them together with some transparent tape. Your hat is now done!