Leave the handle end intact
Cut each cheese stick crosswise first, then make the bristle cuts from one end only. Leaving the upper half intact gives the pretzel somewhere to enter without splitting the whole broom head. Support the cheese as you insert the handle gently; pushing deeper than the written short distance is not needed for the effect.
Tie each chive loosely so it marks the band without cutting through the cheese. If preparing ahead, keep the cheese chilled and the pretzels dry until the last assembly step. That separation helps keep the handles crisp. Serve promptly and retain the actual cheese and pretzel ingredient information; the three-ingredient appearance does not replace checking packaged-food labels for individual needs.
