Tag Archives: art

How to Make Your Own Christmas or New Year’s Crackers

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Crackers are those decorative tubes that you crack and half and when they make a loud pop they snap in half and toys or party favors fall out. They were originally popularized during Victorian times but have been a holiday tradition since 1847.

They can be expensive to buy but you can easily make your own. To make them all you need is cardboard tubes (the size of toilet paper rolls), decorative wrapping paper, a glue stick, pretty ribbon and one package of snapper strips which is available at craft stores. You will also need a selection of toys, charms, fortunes, paper crowns and other tiny novelties to stuff inside of them.

You can use cardboard tubes for the body of the cracker and another one that is cut in half as the part that will split and half and break it open. Run a strip of glue along the length of the long tube and position the tube, glue side down, to the center of the long side of the gift wrap making sure the paper is smooth and not wrinkled. You should then let the glue dry.

You then need to roll up the half tube in the paper and glue it again where the paper overlaps. Be sure to add glue in a long strip down the entire length of the decorative paper and let it dry so that it is evenly rolled in the paper.

It is then time to insert the charms, toys, hats and jokes into the covered cardboard tube. You should insert the snapper strip so that it hangs out the other end close enough to the edge of the paper to grasp with your thumb and forefinger. This enables the user to snap it so it makes a popping sound when it is eventually broken open. Gently cinch the paper on either side of the roll where the paper ends and fold the paper around for neat edges. You should then tie each end with pretty ribbon create the familiar cracker shape.

Finally, insert the short cardboard tubes into the cracker ends, one end on each side of the body roll so the ends meet nicely together. You can then decorate the crackers with ribbon, glitter, monograms, cut out flowers, felt snowflakes and other decorations.
A nice touch is to include a heartfelt personal thank you to the guest that opens the cracker. This is not the kind of detail that you get when you buy these from a store.

Decorating for Christmas in the New Retro Style

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The new retro style is an updated version of the traditional retro styles from the fifties through the seventies only the result is less corny and kitschy. AS a color scheme for linens, wreathes and glass globes for your tree you should use colors such as bright pink, china blue, chartreuse, cream and gold with glitter. Style wise you should thing of using simple Scandinavian designs. Decorate your tree with animal cookies and garlands made of cranberries and popcorn.

Instead of a nativity scene, holiday village scenes should also be a part of your decor. Instead of heavy Christmas cakes Christmas puddings are the way to go. Dried blueberries and cherries, gingerbread cookies and homemade cranberry chutney are also contemporary but have a vintage style feel.

Christmas trees are not artificial any more. I try to get a real spruce or balsam that looks a bit like a bottle brush tree and then decorate it with clumps of think silver mirrored tinsels. Vintage glass ornament and tiny clear white lights that do not blink are also part of this new retro look. White wooden Christmas decoration and white porcelain decorations also add a unique touch to both the tree and mantelpiece. Any type of stylized white porcelain Christmas tree piece is considered to be very hip for Christmas 2011.

Instead of eggnog contemporary retro enthusiasts are serving Gingertinis and Crantinis at their Christmas cocktail parties. Flower centerpieces are created from Rannunculus and berries rather than poinsettias. White fake apples look nice on a tree or as a centerpiece. Hang large gold acorns and gold deer antlers on the mantelpiece or near your front door.

Presents are wrapped in recycled wrapping papers and card tags are made from recycled cards. Pom poms and shiny trims and ribbons look eco-savvy under the trees. Eco bags are also the latest trend when it comes to packaging Christmas gifts as is wrapping gifts in bows made from strands of cheap fake pearls. You can also dress up your gifts with white and gold ornaments. Some vintage loving hosts go as far to decorate their serving plates and cocktail glasses with small white Christmas decorations.

Another retro fad is for Kleenex boxes with vintage reindeer or snowman patterns on them. It is also nice to make bouquets of white roses and pine cones and set them around the room. These are not only pleasing décor accents they are nice too look at.