About

Cost: $ $ $ $ $

Difficulty: • • • • •

Time: 20 mins

Crack Open Some Holiday Fun!
This project can be found all over the internets and youtubes. It was created by Tom Smith in the Victorian Era and is now a staple at every Holiday party in the UK. It has essential parts to it though: a paper crown, a sweet, a trinket and a motto (joke) and of course a cracker (not a real one, I will explain, dear crafters). Combine these ingredients together and Voila! A festive Holiday gift that will not be soon forgotten.
I made a bunch (as I always end up doing) at once and it took less than a two hours and it is easier to make in batches. These are a simple craft that can be done as a last minute gift. Enjoi.

*** It should be noted that I made the paper crowns and will show that first. I had to purchase the crackers.****

Posted by Sew Lizzy from St Louis, Missouri, United States • Published 21st December 2008 • See Sew Lizzy's 10 projects »

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Christmas

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Sew Lizzy entered their project Holiday Cracker to Fiskars Craft Contest 17 Jun 06:19
Sew Lizzy entered their project Holiday Cracker to Glue Contest 19 Apr 10:41

Step 1
****Mini Tute - Paper Crown*** if you purchased yours, skip to STEP 6

Take a full sheet of tissue paper and fold so there is about 1/2 inch sticking out from the bottom. Apply glue to the exposed strip.
Step 2
****Mini Tute - Paper Crown***

This part is a little tricky. Take the sheet of tissue paper and flip "inside out" so the exposed strip is on the inside. Smooth down the fold.
Step 3
****Mini Tute - Paper Crown***

Cut the folded tissue into strips about 3 inches apart. I got about 5 folded strips from a full sheet.
Step 4
****Mini Tute - Paper Crown***

Fold the strips in half, then half again then one more time (if you like). Cut the corner off the square, make it as steep or shallow as you like.
Step 5
****Mini Tute - Paper Crown***

unfold the majikal paper crown of Holiday Goodness and place upon your happy head. Then make more. Many more.

this completes the paper crown portion of our program.
Step 6
Holiday Cracker Main Tute

Gather your componenets and supplies. Pictured here is the cracker (it looks like thin strips of cardboard). These little guys put the *crack* in the cracker. they have the same stuff as pop cap gun ammo from the days of old. It produces the same happy *crack* when either end of the finished cracker is pulled. If you also care to, I have pre-scored my paper with an Xacto knife so when i secure the ribbon it doesn't tear the paper.
Step 7
Place a cracker in the middle of you paper. I chose to lightly glue it down to keep it from shifting, however DO NOT glue in the middle. Then you get no cracky-cracky. Take a toilet paper roll and *duh* roll it up.
Step 8
Secure the end with glue. don't go crazy, little = long way.
Step 9
Secure one end with ribbon and curl as you please. and don't gawk at the mess. please.
Step 10
Gather your insides. Note the finished paper crown has been refolded to fit in the narrow tube. I got the motto (jokes) on a google search. The ornament is the trinket and the sweets are the delicious chocolates. These are the traditional components of the English Christmas Cracker.
Step 11
Stuff all the components inside. (you don't have to stuff, you can place.) Make sure the ribbon at the other end is tight enough so none of the goodies fall out.
Step 12
Secure with ribbon at the other end. That is what the score marks are for (see the gathered end with no tears?) Embellish however you please just make sure that the paper is not too thick so the cracker works when pulled. The traditional way to open is two people hold one end each and pull!
Step 13
Happy Holidays!

(heart) Sew Lizzy

PS if you were wondering the motto used says:
Q: What did the grape say when the elephant stepped on it?
A: Nothing, it just let out a little wine!