When I was asked to write a post about my favourite Christmas activity to do with the family by Harveys for their Harveys Yule Rule series, I knew immediately what I wanted to do. My favourite activity with he kids is to make Christmas crackers. I love the fact that with a few new materials you can make a stylish table setting which matches your decorations beautifully. After making these Snow Globe Christmas Crackers I have become obsessed with transparent crackers. I think they look so beautiful and particularly festive.
This year we have made two sets of transparent crackers: red and gold.
Materials To Make Transparent Christmas Crackers
- Clear sheets of plastic (acetate)
- Cellophane
- Ribbon
- small chocolates
- cracker snap, hat, joke
- sequins
You also need sellotape. If you want it to actually open when you pull it and not just have it as a decoration then you need a perforator. I used this sewing tool which can be used to trace patterns called a tracing wheel.
How Make Transparent Christmas Crackers
First you need to make some clear tubes using the sheets of plastic. Roll them into a cylinder and stick with a piece of sellotape. These are what hold the shape of the cracker. I used half a sheet of A4 acetate but this was actually too long as it meant the crackers snaps were a little too short to pull properly. If I make these again I would make them smaller.
Then fill the tubes with what you want to go inside. We put in lots of sequins, golden bells, chocolates and a cracker snap. You could also include a little gift, and a joke or a fortune.
It looks really pretty if you choose coordinated items to go inside your crackers.
I particularly like the look of the chocolate coins inside.
After that, you need a rectangle of cellophane to wrap around the cracker. It needs to be a bit longer than the plastic tube inside. One you have rolled it round the tube, stick it together with a little piece of sellotape in the middle. Then tie the ends with ribbon. You can also stick a button or a name label on the front.
Although these are fiddly they are surprisingly easy to make.
It makes a really modern table decoration or would look beautiful on the tree.
The best thing is that you can make the transparent Christmas crackers totally personalised. You can leave the silly hats if you hate wearing them, or put in a really special present inside for someone to find. Wouldn’t they be amazing with an engagement ring inside?
If you put one on each place setting with a name label on then they are the perfect finish to your table.
