Home made Christmas Crackers

MrsTinks

My christmas book of all things wonderful has the following idea for making your own crackers which I have adapted a little

Cardboard roll (use either 2 toiletpaper inner roll or a kitchen roll inner roll)
Decorative paper (I'm debating between wrapping paper and brown parcel paper as I like it) approx 19cm x 33cm for each cracker
Cardboard "bang" strips - these should be available from joke shops and novelty shops. Alternative buy the cheapest crackers you can find and carefully remove the strip. If anyone finds an online supplier maybe they can post on this thread?
1 or more toys/trinkets/whichever you want
Trimmings

If you are using the kitchen roll then cut in half so you have two rolls approx like toilet rolls. Now cut one in half again.
Take your paper and place the larger piece of roll in the centre of one long edge of the decorative paper and fix with double sided cellotape or a dab of pritt glue. Place the remaining 2 rolls 2 cm either side of the big rill and fix to the paper.
Insert the snap and any treats/jokes/trinkets etcin the centre. I would also glue or fix the "banger" to the two short roll pieces if possible.

Now roll the paper round the cardboad rolls and fix in place with double sided tape (or small dabs of glue).
Pinch the paper in teh gap between two fo the cardboard rolls. Use ribbon(or maybe raffia for the rustic look) to tie as tightly (be carefull you don't rip the paper though) as possible. Repeat for the other end.

Trim paper if needed and decorate to your liking

I might have a go at these and put a lot of thought into the little trinkets inside for each person or I might buy scratch cards again

Hope it's of use to someone