Christmas Crackers

You can prepare all year long for Christmas by making fun and frugal Christmas Crackers! Save your empty toilet tissue rolls and wrap with colored tissue paper and add embellishments. Pick up small dollar or less items and create fun little gifts. For kids, you can look in the party pack or dollar bin sections at Michael's or Walmart. Dollar Tree is another great place to look. This is wonderful if you have a large family and want to give a little something. Place the completed crackers in a large basket and just add to it all year long. You may want to add a small tag to the crackers to show whether it's for a boy or girl, man or woman.

Directions:

1. Apply double-stick adhesive tape to toilet roll. Take a piece of tissue wrapping paper and roll the toilet roll in the tissue. Make sure there is plenty of extra tissue wrap at the ends of the roll, because you are going to want to be able to tie the ends.

2. Tie one end off with curling ribbon or regular ribbon. Place the gift inside and tie the other end. Trim both ends of the tissue to make it look nice and neat.

3. This is the fun part....embellishing! In the picture above, I just used double-stick adhesive and attached a doily. I've also seen people wrap a fancy trim around the middle of the roll. Use your imagination!

Here are a few small ideas to fill the rolls:

Toy Rhinestone Ring
Hot Wheel Car
Small Puzzle (Taken out of the box.)
Erasers
Dollar Bill (or 10 dimes to make it rattle.)
Lip Gloss
Fishing Lures
Mini Keychain Flashlight
Sample Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash or Hand Lotion
Sample Men's After Shave
Flavored Lip Balm
Nail Clipper
Nail Files
Nail Polish
Chocolates or Other Candy
Wrapped Tea Bags, Such as Peppermint Tea
Party Pack Toys, Such as Whistles, Tiny Card Games, Etc.
Hair Accessories
Gum
Stamps
Stickers
Sidewalk Chalk
Crayons
Small Pens
Earrings
Bracelet