Traditionally for Christmas but great table decorations at any time of year, home made crackers will contain goodies right for your gathering and you won’t feel guilty about the plastic ‘gifts’ that go straight in the bin. Why not make Easter lunch special?

Easy to make I trimmed quality paper to 12” x 8.5” but standard A4 would work as well with a little tweaking.

For the round version, I scored at 2”,2.5” and 3” in from each side and also 0.5” at the bottom. For the rectangular barrel version I added three more width-way scores at 2.5”,4.5” and 6.5”

Fold the 2, 2.5 and 3” scores into a ‘w’ ie mountain, valley, mountain then clip out v shapes as shown.

Cut out the bit of the 0.5” score as shown, then tape the rest of it. Stick in a tube or fold and stick as a rectangle for the square version.

Then poke in a purchased snap if you want a ‘bang’. I tape the ends to the inside of the cracker as well. Finally slide in your goodies then tie string, ribbon or raffia around the concertina cut edges.

Ideas for contents: beauty samples, packets of seeds, miniature bottles, sweeties, memory sticks, rolled up money, printed messages, jokes, photos and of course a daft paper crown. I made mine on the scan and cut using the offcuts from the paper.