It’s that time of the year-

No, not Christmas Lights or Carolers or Black Friday Madness. This is the time of year for a classic holiday meltdown!

With kids home from school, fueled with holiday sugar (cookies), creeping through the house like John McClane through an air vent at a Christmas Party- the little ones are in prime form around holiday time.

So if you feel yourself cracking up in the mistletoe-scented pressure cooker of the holidays, like Walt Griswold, George Bailey or Ebeneezer Scrooge bah-humbugging those around you- here is a fun activity that keeps little hands busy and brings more joy and magic to the holiday season.

The English tradition of Christmas Crackers is a fun little DIY:

(Old English Crackers has a great tutorial and also sells “snaps” which are a must have, and roller tools which are a “nice-to-have” if you ‘re hopping to make a bunch)

To do your own crackers, make sure to have:

• Cardboard Tubes

• Heavy-weight Paper

• Wrapping Paper

• Curling Ribbon

• Cracker “Snaps” (one for each cracker)

• A Glue Gun

• Adorable Ill-Behaved Assistants [OPTIONAL]

And to fill them, tradition says:

• A joke/motto

• A Crown (tissue paper is great)

• A toy, treat or prize

And that’s it!

Let us know how your crackers turned out.