Christmas Crackers

Crackers, sometimes called Christmas Poppers, are fun table decorations for the holiday season.  I’ve found them to be a hit with old and young.  A quick internet search tells me they originated in the United Kingdom many years ago.

My hastily made cracker, and why I generally buy mine

The nice thing is, you can create your own homemade version using paper towel or toilet paper rolls, gift wrap  and ribbon.  My grandmother’s women’s circle at church  created hundreds, perhaps thousands, of these over the years  to send to disadvantaged children. 

Creating Christmas crackers might  be a nice way to occupy older, crafty children in the long days after school is dismissed but before Christmas.

The good news is that if you’re not the crafty type or don’t have the time, nowadays you can purchase crackers almost anywhere.  I saw a package at CVS just last week.   You can even use a non-cracker for the same purpose.  This year, I bought these little treat boxes:

Okay, not really a cracker/popper but cute, right?


Last year, I used these. 

This one is also an ornament!

 Which opens, like this:

You can be really creative with the contents of your crackers.  I include slips of paper with a bit of Christmas trivia (which we all share aloud), but you can include a joke or Bible verse and don’t forget the holiday trinkets or toys, stickers and candy.  Exploring the contents inside is most of the fun.