Homemade Christmas crackers

Create your own crackers this Christmas

For some families, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a few corny jokes, some festive paper crowns and a surprise gift. But, let’s face it − most of us would agree that crackers aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Although their brightly coloured exterior may spruce up the Christmas table, their contents are usually a huge disappointment. The bang is sometimes inaudible, the paper hat never sits on your head properly and the gift is usually pointless or broken within minutes. But if the thought of going sans crackers this year is too great a step to take, why not consider making your own? Although it may sound like too much hard work, you’ll be surprised at how easily and cheaply a decent cracker can be made. 

Cracker snaps come in packs of 144 for just £3.50

What you’ll need

• Coloured crepe paper or good-quality luxury wrapping paper
• 1 toilet roll per cracker, plus another 2 to form the shape (these can be used again and again)
• 1 cracker snap per cracker 
• String or ribbon
• Decorations such as bows or beads
• Treats for the crackers
• Glue

Step-by-step guide

1.    Lay out your wrapping paper or crepe paper (if using crepe paper, use several layers of different colours).

2.    Place the three toilet rolls in a line on the paper, spacing them out evenly. This will create the shape of the cracker.

3.    Glue along one edge of the paper and roll tightly over the three cardboard rolls. Stick the edge down firmly.

4.    Stick on any decorations you have. Beads and bows work well, but anything goes.

5.    Place one cracker snap inside the cracker and add your chosen treats. The beauty of making your own is that you can add whatever you like. You may want to include a coloured hat and a joke, but you can also slip in other small gifts, such as luxury chocolates; miniature bottles of wine/spirits; mini bottles of perfume/aftershave, hand cream, body lotion and bubble bath; lip gloss; nail polish; earrings; little wind-up toys; erasers; balloons, tattoos; mini pens; and scratch cards. Just make sure they are small enough to fit inside your toilet roll. 

6.    Use ribbon or string to tie the two ends of the cracker (i.e. both ends of the middle toilet roll) and remove the two end toilet rolls. 

7.    Your cracker should now be finished and ready to pull when the time is right. 
 

Office Christmas party themes, part 5

Hurrah for Hollywood!

Basing your office Christmas party on a particular theme will be certain to get your colleagues and friends talking before the big day, especially if they’re required to dress up for the occasion. The question is, what will appeal to your diverse mix of workmates?

We’ve already shared ideas about themed parties spanning decades from the 1920s to the 1980s and a casino-based event. But if none of them excite you, why not consider a Hollywood-themed affair instead?

Most people will have some interest in films or have a favourite actress or actor, so everyone should be able to get into the party spirit in one way or another. And with a theme like this, you can take it as far as your imagination and budget will allow.

Hollywood face masks
(pack of 6)

Invite your colleagues and friends to come dressed as an actual movie star for the night or to wear a tuxedo or evening gown. After all, if they want to feel like a movie star, it’s only fitting that they should look like one. A Charlie Chaplin outfit should be easy to put together for the men, while the women could transform themselves into Marilyn Monroe with the right dress, a blonde wig and red lips.

No Hollywood party would be complete without a red carpet to welcome the stars of the show. Encourage everyone to pose as they walk down it and, if possible, enroll a colleague or two to help you film them or take photographs. 

You could even ask one of your more extrovert team members to announce each guest as they walk down the red carpet and then interview them with questions such as, 'How do you feel about your new movie?’ or ‘Who designed your outfit tonight?’ If your guests are up for a bit of role-play, then this could be a really fun way to get them in the mood. There will undoubtedly be a few witty responses among your more good-humored work colleagues that will be sure to raise a few laughs. A red-carpet, lifesize stand-in cutout will also create a great photo opportunity and get everyone pairing up.

These film reels are perfect to use
as  table centrepiece or  decorations

You can go all out on jazzing up the party venue itself as there’s so much Hollywood paraphernalia available. Decorate the walls with clapperboards and Hollywood street sign cutouts, and adorn tables with film reel centrepieces, Lights! Camera! Action! confetti and black glittered star balloons with co-ordinating star balloon weights. And to help your workmates feel they’re in good company, you could even have them mingle with celebrity guests such as Daniel Craig or Marilyn Monroe – well, lifesize cutout versions of them anyway.

As far as the entertainment goes, you can organise anything from an awards event to a talent show. An entertainment trivia quiz on award-winning actors and films is likely to go down well, or why not hold a ‘name that tune’ contest and have your workmates guess which film each song came from.

Whether you create your Hollywood celebration on a grand or smale scale, one thing’s for certain. If you do it in style, it’s sure to be a bit hit.

Office Christmas party themes, part 4

Why a casino-themed office Christmas party is
a sure bet for success

If you want something a bit different for your office Christmas celebration this year, a casino-themed party is sure to be a winner − and it doesn’t have to cost you big bucks.

There are several things you’ll need to think about, including decorations to create the right atmosphere, which games to provide, what refreshments to offer and whether to introduce a dress code.

  
How to jazz up the place

You’ll be amazed at how a few decorations and touches can give your office or party venue a real casino feel. Having arranged your gaming tables in a way that looks like a casino floor, why not add green or black felt tablecloths? Make your colleagues and friends feel special with a red carpet runner and a VIP entrance sign. Casino sign cutouts, with the names of games on offer, will be useful for guiding your workmates to the table of their choice. Balloons with pictures of cards and dice will also liven up the place, as will playing-card cutouts, casino confetti and banners, or a slot machine backdrop. Go all out or go minimalist. The choice is yours.

What to play?

Give your casino party a genuine Vegas feel with games such as blackjack, roulette and poker. For the more novice gambler, you can put up ‘how to play ...’ and ‘rules of the game’ posters, as well as organising simple dice games and bingo. After all, you’ll want to ensure everyone feels included. You may have to get a few of your colleagues on board to help run each game, but if you’ve got the budget, how about hiring a professional dealer or two for a few hours. If the funds are available, you could also give every party guest real notes or chips. If not, just play with fake money. A nice touch would be to provide everyone with a scorecard to mark down their earnings or a little bucket for their winnings. If using fake money, you could give a prize to the person with the highest score or greatest number of chips at the end of the evening.

Nibbles and tipples

Finger food is definitely the way to go if you’re having a casino-themed evening. It’s easier to carry around and means your workmates will be able to snack between games. Mini sandwiches, chips, chopped veggies and dips, pizza slices, chicken wings, lamb skewers, mini meatballs, mozzarella sticks, garlic bread and slices of bruschette should fill empty tummies, while platters of apples, cherries and bananas provide a fitting link with slot machines. Bowls of crisps, nut, pretzels and wrapped chocolates throughout the room will be a nice accompaniment to the drinks. Make sure you have lots of punch, beer, martinis, margaritas, non-alcoholic cocktails, fruit juices and other soft drinks on hand throughout the evening. And, for a nice touch, add casino-themed plastic stirrers with your beverages.

Dressed up to the nines

If it’s a classy do that you’re laying on, why not get your colleagues and friends to dress accordingly, with tuxedos and suits for the gents and evening gowns for the ladies. But if it’s glitz and glamour that you’re after, encourage the women to accessorise with sequins and boas, and the men to don flashy shirts and ties adorned with playing cards and dice.

If after reading this, you decide that a casino night for an office Christmas party doesn’t come up trumps for you, why not consider organising a casino or Vegas night-themed fundraising event for charity instead. It’s sure to be an ace affair.

Office Christmas party themes, part 3

Swinging sixties, groovy seventies or new-wave eighties? Take your pick

A party with a focus tends to be a lot more fun. So, if you want to make your Christmas work do a bit special this year, read on to find out what you can do in the third of our Christmas office party blogs. 

You’ll be sure to impress the majority of your colleagues, especially if you cover a wide age range, with a 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s-themed party. By concentrating on not one but three decades, you should be able to please almost everyone because most people will probably have some connection with one of these periods and be keen to relive it again – even if it’s just for one night.

There’s so much you can do around this theme too. You’ll be spoiled for choice with the music. Just make sure that it’s not the songs of one particular era that get played all night. Rock and pop will go down well for the 1960s, with tunes from the likes of James Brown, the Hollies, the Beatles and the Beach Boys. For the 1970s, choose anything by ABBA to Al Green, Rod Stewart to Stevie Wonder. And when it comes to the 1980s, any of the hits by Michael Jackson, Wham!, Madonna or Duran Duran will ensure the night is one to remember.

You’ll really add a sense of fun to the event if you make it a requirement to dress up for the occasion. And there’s no excuse not to because there are so many looks to choose from. If a fan of the 1960s, go hippie with a flower power costume or be a cool dude in patterned trousers and waistcoat. When dressing for the 1970s, become the rock star that you’ve always dreamed about being or strut your stuff like John Travolta in a disco fever outfit. And if, like me, it’s the 1980s that’s the decade you remember most fondly, reinvent yourself as Boy George in a new wave pop star costume or bare all in a gold bustier and skirt in a fun Madonna-style 80s pop star ensemble.

To create the right atmosphere, decorate the venue with disco hanging swirls and a disco ball. And why not add a disco couple lifesize stand-in cutout at the entrance to provide a great photo opportunity. It’s sure to put everyone in a party mood.

Office Christmas party themes, part 2

 Will it be a roaring twenties or rocking fifties affair?

If you’ve been given the task of organising your office Christmas do and need some ideas to get you started, let us help inspire you in the second part of our Christmas office party themes.

As we all know, every good party needs music to liven up the atmosphere. So why not base your celebrations on a specific musical era and get your colleagues and friends to dress up in the fashion of the day? To add to the mood of the time, you could also decorate your party venue with paraphernalia from the period, such as feather boas reminiscent of the 1920s, or a 1950’s jukebox cutout.

1920's Charleston

The decade you choose to recreate is up to you. With the film release of The Great Gatsby in May this year, a 1920’s Charleston theme could go down well among your workmates. Your female colleagues could transform themselves with a 1920’s flapper costume complete with Charleston headband and cigarette holder, while the men could opt for white spats and braces.

As for the music, there would have to be an onus on jazz − bearing in mind the 1920s was known as the Jazz Age − as well as a couple of Charleston tracks thrown in for good measure. A few Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington songs should fit the bill nicely. You could also arrange to play silent movies in the background, such as films featuring Charlie Chaplin or Rudolph Valentino, and set up tables for your colleagues to play card games.

1950's Rock ‘n’ Roll

If the 1920s is too roaring for you, why not head 30 years into the future for a taste of rock ‘n’ roll? In terms of your playlist, you’ll be spoiled for choice. ‘Rock Around the Clock’ and ‘Shake, Rattle and Roll’, by Bill Haley and his Comets, will be sure to get your colleagues up and dancing, while Elvis’s ‘All Shook Up’ and ‘Jailhouse Rock’ should keep them bopping on their toes all night long.

When a break from dancing is needed, satisfy your colleagues and friends with some tasty treats, including hamburgers, fries, milkshakes, coca-cola and beer, inspired by the popularity of America’s diners at the time.

As to what to wear to this 1950’s shindig, encourage your male colleagues to don a 1950’s greaser style, Teddy boy or Elvis wig. Meanwhile, the ladies have the choice to be demure and classy (opt for a fitted bodice dress with a full skirt and petticoat, with matching gloves, shoes, bag and pearls) or to go casual with skinny jeans, a big red belt, a checked shirt or white T-shirt, and retro sunglasses.

If you have doubts about whether your 1920’s-inspired office party will be a roaring success and believe a 1950’s one will be anything but rocking, don’t despair! Our next blog, which focuses on the next three very memorable decades, may turn out to be right up your street.  

Office Christmas party themes, part 1

Make your office party a truly Christmassy affair

 With Christmas fast approaching, it’s time to start preparing for the annual office party celebration. While some of us look forward to this chance to let our hair down with our workmates; others see it as a bit of a chore and reluctantly attend. But while you can’t please all the people all of the time, here’s hoping you can at least make it a pleasurable experience for as many as possible.
 
So, if it’s your job to get your workmates together and in the party spirit − even if it’s just for one afternoon or evening − you may want a few ideas to help get you started. These should all be workable, whether the party is happening in your office building, at another venue, or in a restaurant. You may just have to modify things accordingly.
 
Christmas parties based on a specific theme tend to go down well. The question is, which one to choose? In our series of Christmas blogs, we’ll be offering you a few ideas to whet your appetite, starting with a Christmas character theme.
 

Christmas character theme

Get your colleagues to dress up as their favourite Christmas person, whether it’s a biblical figure, a fictional character from a book or film, Father Christmas himself, a Miss Santa, an angel or an elf. And if people aren’t interested in doing the whole fancy dress thing, why not suggest they turn up in a novelty hat or festive accessory instead?

The Christmas character theme can also run through to your entertainment with, for example, a quiz based on films, books, songs or food related to Christmas; dancing to Christmas music; or a Secret Santa based on Christmas-themed gifts.
 
If you’re providing food and drink, you can make it truly traditional fare by offering, for example, turkey bites; turkey and cranberry pasties; nut roast squares (for the veggies); roasted vegetable kebabs; mini roast potatoes on sticks; vegetable platters in Christmas colours, such as green and red peppers, tomatoes and broccoli; mince pies, bite-size Christmas puddings and mulled wine. To complement the food, choose Christmas-themed paper plates, cups and napkins to make your party extra festive.

And, on a final note, don’t forget the mistletoe to put everyone in a fun and flirty mood.

Children’s Nativity Costumes

Ensure Your Child’s a Star in Their School's Nativity   

Just when you thought you could put away your children’s dressing-up clothes for another year − now that Halloween has come and gone − their school announces its forthcoming nativity play. What’s more, your little ‘uns will need to be dressed in character. A deep sigh escapes your lips at the thought of another outfit to put together. But don’t stress! Help is at hand.

Offering a wide range of girls’ and boys’ fancy dress nativity costumes, we can transform your child into the perfect Mary or Joseph, a realistic-looking donkey or sheep, or a regal king or lowly shepherd. And while we can’t ensure your daughter always acts like an angel, we can at least help her look like one in our girl’s fancy dress angel costume.

These are just some of the characters that feature in the typical school nativity play, which recreates the scene of the birth of Jesus Christ in a stable. In this traditional Christmas story, a baby is born in a stable in Bethlehem to a woman called Mary, who’s married to Joseph. 

Before the baby is born, Mary is visited by an angel – the Angel Gabriel. This angel tells Mary that she’ll give birth to a baby who will be called Jesus, and he will be the son of God. While Mary is heavily pregnant, she and Joseph travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem (about 70 miles). You’ve got to admire her. For most of us in the later stages of pregnancy, just getting up a flight of stairs is something of a triumph. Anyway, back to the story.

Mary and Joseph make this long journey because the Roman Emperor Augustus orders everyone to return to the town where their families originally come from, to take part in a census. He does this because he wants a list of all the people in his empire to make sure they pay their taxes. (Some things never change!) Although most people are forced to make this journey on foot, some are lucky enough to have a donkey to carry their things. Enter your son in a child’s fancy dress donkey costume.

When Mary and Joseph finally reach Bethlehem, they have problems finding somewhere to stay. All the inns are full and the only place offered to them is a stable with the animals. It’s in this very place that the baby Jesus is born. And his bed – a manger used to hold hay to feed the animals – is where he’s put to sleep.

Following his birth, Jesus receives visits from one of two groups of people, depending on whether you follow the gospel Matthew (who wrote for the Jews) or the gospel Luke, who wrote for non-Jews. In Matthew's account, wise men visit Jesus. After following a star that leads them to Jesus, they present him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. In contrast, Luke’s version tells how humble and poor shepherds are led to Jesus by an angel.

The story of Jesus’s birth ends with Joseph fleeing with Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape from Herod, King of Judea. Word has it that Herod intends to kill Jesus because he fears that he will replace him as the new King of the Jews. The irony of this remarkable story is surely not lost on many of us.