Every December I tell myself we will have a calm, tasteful tree. Then my kids arrive like tiny tinsel goblins and suddenly we have a twig with seventeen glittery reindeer and one suspiciously sticky candy cane. So this year I leaned into it and made ornaments that do double duty: they look festive and they open up to reveal a groan-worthy holiday pun.
These are 3D paper baubles with a little surprise panel inside. When someone opens one, they get a joke. When someone closes it, it goes back to being a proper decoration. It is basically a Christmas cracker you can hang on a branch, minus the snapped plastic comb.
What you are making
A lightweight paper bauble built from several curved paper “petals” that meet at the top and bottom. Inside, you will tuck a small folded joke strip, or a tiny pull-tab that reveals the punchline.
- Best for: most kids ages 4+ with help for cutting, and most kids ages 7+ can do a lot of it solo
- Time: 15 to 30 minutes per bauble (faster once you get your assembly-line groove)
- Mess level: mild glue fingers, maximum giggles
Supplies
- Paper or thin card (old wrapping paper, cereal boxes covered with coloured paper, scrapbook paper)
- Scissors
- Glue stick or PVA glue
- Hole punch (helpful, not required)
- Ribbon, string, or baker’s twine for hanging
- Optional: stapler (for grown-ups), tape, stickers, sequins, googly eyes (always)
- Pen or marker for jokes
Handy tip from my Yorkshire kitchen table: if you are crafting with little ones, glue sticks are your best friend. PVA works too, but it turns into “slime experiment” within 38 seconds in my house.
Cut the paper petals
You do not need anything fancy. You just need several identical strips that are rounded at both ends.
Option A: easy strip method
- Cut 8 strips of paper about 2 cm wide and 14 to 16 cm long. (Wider strips make chunkier baubles.)
- Round both ends of each strip with scissors so they look like long petals.
Option B: cereal box base
- Cut strips from cereal box card first.
- Glue pretty paper on top, then trim to match.
- Round the ends last. This keeps everything neat and less wobbly.
Quick sizing guide
- Shorter strips make a smaller bauble. Longer strips make a taller one.
- More strips (10 to 12) makes a fuller sphere, especially with thinner paper.
Build the bauble
- Stack the strips: line up your strips so the ends match.
- Join the top (and add the hanger): about 1 cm from one end, punch a hole through the whole stack (or poke a small hole with a pencil). Thread ribbon through and tie a knot to make a hanging loop.
- No hole punch? Staple the stack together near the end (grown-up job), then tape or staple a loop of ribbon or yarn onto the join so you still have a hanger.
- Join the bottom: repeat on the other end to make a second join, but do not add another hanging loop. If you are using ribbon through a hole, a simple knot or a small bit of tape over the ribbon ends is enough. If you are stapling, staple the stack again at the bottom.
- Fan it open: spread the strips evenly into a ball shape. This is the satisfying bit where it finally looks like a bauble and not a paper hedgehog.
Mini rescue plan: if it looks lopsided, rotate the strips so the spacing is even. Paper is forgiving. Children are not, but paper is.
Tree-ready tip: if your paper is very thin, use 10 to 12 strips or back it with card so it holds its shape better when tiny hands get curious.
Add the hidden pun
This is where the magic happens: your bauble becomes a little Christmas comedy capsule.
Method 1: secret scroll
- Write or print one joke on a thin strip of paper (about 2 x 10 cm).
- Fold it up like a tiny concertina.
- Glue a small tab inside the bauble near the top join (just a pea-sized dot of glue).
- Stick one end of the folded joke strip to that tab so it hangs inside.
- To read it, gently open the bauble and pull the scroll out.
Method 2: pull-to-reveal punchline
- Write the setup on a small rectangle of paper (about 3 x 6 cm).
- Write the punchline on a thin strip (about 1 x 10 cm).
- Make a simple “sleeve” so the punchline can slide: glue the setup card onto another small rectangle using two tiny glue lines down the left and right edges only, leaving the top and bottom open like a pocket.
- Once the glue is dry, slide the punchline strip into the pocket behind the setup card.
- Leave 2 to 3 cm of the strip sticking out so little fingers can pull it.
Parent note: if you are worried about ripping, reinforce the end of the pull tab with a bit of tape, or just fold the last centimetre over to make a thicker “handle” before kids start yanking it like they are starting a lawnmower.
Quick fixes
- Holes tearing? Reinforce the hole area with a small circle of tape (or glue a tiny paper circle there) before you punch through.
- Strips slipping out of line? Clip the stack with a clothes peg while you punch holes or staple. It is basically a third hand.
- Pull tab keeps tearing? Make the tab end wider by folding it over, or add a small bit of tape as a tough little “bookmark” tip.
25 hidden holiday puns
Pick a few, write them on strips, and pop them into different baubles. Then you can play “open one decoration a day” without needing a whole advent calendar the size of a fridge.
- What do you call a snowman with a six-pack? An abdominal snowman.
- Why did the Christmas tree go to the barber? It needed a trim.
- What do elves learn at school? The elf-abet.
- What do you get if you cross Santa with a detective? Santa Clues.
- Why is Santa so good at karate? He has a black belt.
- What do snowmen wear on their heads? Ice caps.
- Why did the bauble feel proud? It was tree-mendous.
- What do you call a cat on the beach at Christmas? Sandy Claws.
- Why did Rudolph get a bad grade? He went down in history.
- What does Santa use to take photos? His Pole-aroid camera.
- What do you call a greedy elf? Elfish.
- Why did the gingerbread man go to the doctor? He felt crummy.
- What do you call a snowman party? A snowball.
- Why did the turkey join the band? Because it had the drumsticks.
- What do you get when you drop a Christmas bauble? Orna-mental damage.
- What does a Christmas tree say when it is thirsty? Water you waiting for?
- Why did Santa’s helper see the doctor? He had low elf-esteem.
- What do you get when Santa goes down the chimney too fast? Santa Claustrophobia.
- Why did the snowflake call its friend? For flake support.
- How does a snowman get around? By icicle.
- What do you call a dinosaur at Christmas? Rex-mas.
- Why did the present sit under the tree? It wanted to wrap things up.
- What is a Christmas tree’s favourite candy? Orna-mints.
- Why are Christmas trees bad at sewing? They always drop their needles.
- What do you call a freezing Santa? Santa Brrr.
Make it more fun
Give each bauble a character
- Glue on a face and turn one into a grumpy snowman bauble.
- Add a red circle nose for Rudolph.
- Make a “cookie” decoration with brown paper and sprinkle stickers.
Turn hanging into a game
- Everyone hangs one decoration, but must read the pun inside out loud first.
- Kids vote for “Best Pun” and “Most Dramatic Groan.”
- Hide one extra silly joke and see who finds it first on Christmas morning.
Safety and sanity tips
- Little kids: swap ribbon for a big loop of yarn and avoid tiny beads or sequins.
- Scissors support: pre-cut strips for toddlers, then let them do decorating and joke choosing.
- Keep the jokes readable: write with a thick marker and keep each joke to one or two lines.
- If you use staples: press them flat so they do not snag fingers or Christmas jumpers.
Also, put down something wipeable if you value your table, your sanity, or both. Speaking as someone who has hoovered glitter at midnight.
More crafts on Kids Jokes
If your family likes jokes that pop out of things (mine does, constantly), you might also enjoy these:
FAQs
How do I stop paper baubles from squashing?
Use 8 to 10 strips, choose slightly thicker paper (or glue decorative paper onto thin card), and make sure the top and bottom joins are tight. If your tree is in a high-traffic zone, hang these a bit higher than toddler shoulder height. Ask me how I know.
Can I use wrapping paper?
Yes, but wrapping paper can be flimsy. It works best if you back it with plain paper or a cereal box panel first.
What if I do not want them to open?
You can glue a couple of the strips together along the sides to keep the shape more fixed, then hide the pun on a little tag tied to the hanging loop instead.