Tag Archives: New Year

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.

How to Decorate Your Rooms in Tartan Plaids for the Holidays

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Tartan plaids are a perennial favorite when it comes to decorating for Christmas and the New Years and they always will be. That is because the decorations can stay in place for quite a few months into the winter and Spring to continue to give the home a cozy look.

One nice touch for Christmas is to add plaid ornaments to your tree. Canadian Tire makes a very nice black, green red and white set of points and balls that are available on line. Many designer ribbon stores also carry gorgeous tartan ribbon that you can use for decorating trees. Wired ribbon looks great tied on a bow and fastened to a Christmas tree branch.

You can also get gorgeous tartan plaid wallpaper that is designed by Vivienne Westwood. They are sold by Cole and Son and come in Red/Brown, Beige, Gray, Red/White and Blue/Brown.

Throw cushions in plaid also perk up the room and make it look more like it is in the spirit of the season. Snoa Rutan is a company that makes throw cushions in red plaid that can be buttoned over your existing pillows and then unbuttoned when you do not want your place to look so Christmas-like anymore.

A single tartan throw rug and a few tartan blankets in your living room can make the place much cozier. Of course nothing says tartan like a big beautiful armchair and footstool in the center of the room. Ralph Lauren makes great footstools. The most popular tartan combos for tartan furniture lately tend to be caramel, chocolate and pea green. The look is very fifties and very Norman Rockwell but the plaids are unobtrusive enough that they are a lovely addition to a room all year long.

You might not have ever thought of dressing up your kitchen in tartan but you can now buy tartan dishtowels, utensils with plastic tartan patterns and serving trays with tartan designs on them. Plaid placemats and tartan napkins also give a nice touch of Scottish Christmas to a holiday table.

Nowadays you can even get candles that have a tartan design on them. For a very Scottish looking spread consider getting a gelatin print of your favorite plaid and have it served as the icing on cake.