Small items to include in DIY Christmas crackers?

October 3, 2022 7:14 AM

Last December I made DIY Christmas crackers and they were an enormous hit. People have already started asking if I'm making them again this year! Could you help me think of some fun things to include in this year's batch? Open to both flat items and 3D assuming they're small enough. The interior space of each cracker is approximately 5 inches long by 1.5 inches in diameter.

I'm open to general ideas/recommendations and also specific links to items I can buy. (I'm based in the US if that's relevant.) The crackers don't have to all be the same, just be roughly equivalent.

Recipients include both kids and adults, but I'm happy to make some that are kid-specific and others that are adult-specific.

Last year I did them sort of last minute with things I already had around the house/could buy in-person. Here's what I included in each cracker last year:
- A silly sticker
- A temporary tattoo
- A plastic brain teaser puzzle (sort of like these)
- An individually wrapped Reese's cup
- A paper hat

I'm making around 20 crackers, so I'm open to buying in bulk. I'm not sure about budget yet (just brainstorming) so don't let that constrain you too much.

Thanks so much for any ideas!

posted by cimton to Shopping (14 answers total)

I like the slips of paper with terrible punny jokes that traditionally come in commercial crackers!
posted by redfoxtail at 7:49 AM on October 3, 2022 [1 favorite]

A fake moustache would be fun.
posted by Too-Ticky at 8:16 AM on October 3, 2022

Fortune fish.
posted by lyssabee at 8:20 AM on October 3, 2022 [2 favorites]

Sticky hands are great for kids (and even some adults will admit to enjoying them).

You could also get a bag of coins from around the world and put one obscure coin into each cracker.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 8:20 AM on October 3, 2022

Mood rings.
Plastic animals that grow when you put them in water.
Finger puppets that look like tiny hands.
posted by Too-Ticky at 8:35 AM on October 3, 2022 [1 favorite]

I made crackers for our wedding. Each had a paper crown, and a fact about us. I made little magnet sets as our favours, and I can't remember if they were in the cracker or not.

What about a good piece of chocolate?
posted by Ftsqg at 8:53 AM on October 3, 2022

• Wire puzzles.
• Little monster finger puppets - slightly oversized, but hopefully squashy enough to work.
• Bouncy balls or marbles, but perhaps not if you're going to be pulling the crackers over a hard surface...
• Balloons, or balloons, or balloons (get the pump if you go for the rocket ones, they can be hard work to blow up!).
• A chocolate coin, or several.
• A cute chopstick rest (depending on the recipients).
• Would a Lindor truffle fit?
• A mini pen? That one might be just slightly too long, but searching for "mini pen" or "compact pen" or "extending pen" will get you more.
• Along the same lines, mini erasers, although it's hard to find them (at least on Amazon) in small quantities. You can get 100 bees (other designs also on offer) or 24 scented gummy bear pencil toppers (the main description suggests they're giant, but I think the 1.5" tall specification lower down is more likely) or 20 wildly staring animal pencil-toppers with, for some unimaginable reason, removable eyes.
• Bookmarks? Most are a bit too long, but I found some little folding magnetic bookmarks, and some little green seedling bookmarks.
• No link for this one, but actual seeds? I think you'd have to package them up in something small enough yourself.

posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 9:26 AM on October 3, 2022 [1 favorite]

Etsy has a bunch of shops that sell tiny charms, if they fit the budget. I've been happy with the MothersCharms shop. (For example, search on "3d animal"; the multiple photo views will help you see which ones are freestanding, which I like so they can sit around without being part of jewelry.)
posted by adventitious at 9:28 AM on October 3, 2022 [2 favorites]

Archie McPhee's less than $5 page might have some options you like. I remember I bought some tiny ninja figures there years back, which is what prompted me to look at their site.

Also, you might be able to find something cute and small in Economy Candy's novelties section.
posted by praemunire at 10:53 AM on October 3, 2022 [1 favorite]

Croc charms (jibbitz) are all the rage with the kids these days. Lots of options on Etsy and elsewhere for cheaper than at the Crocs site.

Bouncy balls? small puzzles? Ring pop? Fun-shaped erasers? scratch & sniff stickers?

No idea where to source it, but you could start including your own little lapel pin or small button "Cimton's 2022 Xmas Cracker" so people could collect them year to year.

Also, if you're not aware of it, Oriental Trading has a bunch of these sorts of items in bulk.
posted by hydra77 at 11:42 AM on October 3, 2022 [1 favorite]

Go to the bead store. So many adorable tiny things.
posted by beccaj at 6:28 PM on October 3, 2022 [2 favorites]

Lipbalm
Cool sticking plasters / band aids
A packet of seeds for flowers or herbs
An origami swan / frog / fortune teller
A teabag
Stick on moustachios
Googly eye stickers
posted by pipstar at 11:38 PM on October 3, 2022

I love these little zipper lights & you get 3 for $4.50.
posted by BoscosMom at 12:30 AM on October 4, 2022 [1 favorite]

You could write the corny jokes on seed paper. The guests can then plant the seed paper later.
posted by spinifex23 at 5:45 PM on October 4, 2022 [2 favorites]