Not so crackers ...

perco

Not sure if this is in right place as am brand new, and it's certainly not seasonal ... but here goes:

I love Christmas crackers. I also think they cost ridiculous amounts. And so do the 'Fill Your Own' kits. So ...

- throughout the year I pick up little things people might actually like (nail varnish on offer; erasers; small cars; stuff reduced at Claire's Accessory-type shops).

- then I buy crackers at the £1 shop or equivalent, + one roll of metallic ribbon

-cheap crackers contain nasty 'gifts' but also snaps and hats and (questionable) jokes. They are folded cardboard secured by two bits of ribbon.

- snip off ribbon, remove tacky gift, place nice gift inside, replace bit of ribbon with new piece.

Voilà... . (I may be the Queen of Mean ...)

DundeeDoll

Perco, welcome. You could post on thrifty xmas 2012 which is in celebrations. Good idea, will start looking. I love silly pressies. Last year did shoeboxes where gift initials made up merry christmas. Going for more ambitious anagrams this year and have them written in diary so can snap up bargains :-)

jackyann

I look out for bargains like this throughout the year, TKMaxx often good, but also I pick up bargians in posh shops when they have finally reduced the pretty knick-knacks to affordable levels.

thriftwizard

Nice idea - thank you, Perco!

[Deleted User]

I have started my Christmas bits box already and when I see small gifts that maybe useful in 10 months time then I snap them up and into the box they go.Last year and the year before I made our own 'crackers i bought the 'snaps' online (You get loads for not very much)the boys saved toilet roll cardboard rolls for the inserts and we covered them in crepe paper and decorated them As I am the main carer during the holidays for four of my grandsons Christmas cracker making used up a good morning with the children at the start of the christmas holidays.They put the persons name on by cutting out different letters from magazines and pasting onto thin cardboard then cutting round the edges.Its suprising what you can make for very little cash and it helps to keep the kids amused. The youngest one helped me make some 'biscuit boys ' basically biscuit dough rolled and cut out with a small mannikin cutter.We dipped the feet and head in melted chocolate for boots and a hat and when cold wrapped carefully in foil and hung on the tree.This was done the day before christmas eve.sprinkled with icing sugar for snow made them look pretty good.
I love making bit and pieces for Christmas and my DGS know that not everything has to be overpriced 'tat' and are always coming up with good ideas for 'bits for Christmas'

miss_emmajane

That is a fab idea!