The British Tradition of Christmas Crackers

A Christmas cracker is a paper tube that two people pull apart at the dinner table. It makes a snap, and inside is a paper hat, a joke and a small gift. The tradition was invented in London in 1847 and is now part of Christmas dinner across Britain, Ireland and much of northern Europe.

What is inside a Christmas cracker?

Every cracker holds four things:

• The snap. Two strips of card with a small amount of silver fulminate where they overlap. Pulling them apart makes the bang. There is no gunpowder and no flame.
• A paper hat. Usually a crown, folded flat. Everyone at the table wears one through the meal.
• A joke. A slip of paper with a joke or riddle, read aloud. They are famously bad, and that is the point.
• A gift. A small item: a keyring, a puzzle, a wind-up toy, a bottle opener. The quality of the gift is what separates a cheap cracker from a good one.

Our Christmas crackers come from Robin Reed, who have made them in England since 1929.

Who invented Christmas crackers?

Tom Smith, a London confectioner, in 1847. He had seen French bonbons wrapped in twists of paper and wanted to sell something similar in Britain. Sales were slow until he added the snap, said to have come to him while listening to a log crackle in the fire.

By the 1860s the sweet had been replaced by a small gift, and the paper hat and motto followed. Smith's sons expanded the range, and the format has barely changed since.

How do you pull a Christmas cracker?

Two people each take one end and pull. The cracker tears at the weaker side, the snap bangs, and the contents fall out on the side that keeps the larger piece.

At a table, the usual way is for everyone to cross arms, take a neighbour's cracker in each hand, and pull all at once. That way the whole table opens together.

When do you pull crackers at Christmas dinner?

Before the meal, as the table is seated. The hats go on straight away and stay on for the whole meal. The jokes are read between courses.

Some families wait until after the main course. Both work, as long as everyone does it together.

How many crackers do you need?

One per person. Crackers come in boxes of six, eight or twelve, so count the seats and round up. Spare crackers keep perfectly well for next year if they are stored dry.

Choosing crackers

Three things separate them:

• Size. From 30 cm up to 35 cm. Larger crackers hold larger gifts.
• The gift inside. Some sets hold a themed gift, like a wind-up figure that races across the table. Others hold a mixed assortment.
• The design. Crackers sit on the table for the whole meal, so the paper matters as much as the contents.

Frequently asked questions

Are Christmas crackers safe for children?

The snap is safe and makes no flame, but crackers contain small parts and are not suitable for children under three. An adult should pull the cracker with a small child.

Can Christmas crackers be sent by post?

By road and sea, yes. Air mail is restricted in most countries because the snap counts as a pyrotechnic article, so check before shipping abroad by air.

Can I keep crackers until next year?

Yes. Store them flat in a dry place indoors. Damp paper weakens the snap.

Are crackers only a British tradition?

They started in Britain and are still strongest there and in Ireland, but they are now common across Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Germany, and in Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

What do you do with the paper hat?

Wear it. The tradition is that the crown stays on for the whole meal, no matter how it looks.