English Christmas Crackers - What are they?
|
Author: John & Sarah Ranes
|
December/25/05
|
In that the shop owner has English heritage, it seemed only natural that we offer these funny tubes of paper so that those who honor English traditions can pull a Christmas Cracker during dinner on the Christmas Eve or Christmas Day!
But what exactly are these crackers? A Christmas Cracker is a brightly colored paper tube, twisted at both ends. There is a "banger" inside, when pulled by two people will create a loud snapping "Crack" or "Bang"
|
|
When are they used? Crackers are very popular in England and accompany many meals over the Christmas period, but especially on Christmas Day. The large formal mid-day meal of Roast Turkey, Roast Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts, Parsnips and The Christmas Pudding
|
|
|
How did this all begin? Christmas crackers were invented by Thomas Smith, a London pastry cook in 1846. It was during a visit to Paris, where he came across the bob-bon, a sugar almond wrapped in tissue paper (with a twist on either side of the centrally placed sweet).
Smith included a romantic message inside his early crackers which he marketed in Britainas "Kiss Mottos". However the product enjoyed only limited success until Smith devised a way to make the cracker "pop" when pulled apart.
|
would not be complete without each place setting at the table decorated with a Christmas Cracker!
|
What is the device that makes the cracker "pop"? The popping sound that crackers make when they are pulled is produced by a device called a "Cracker Snap" consisting of two narrow pieces of thin cardboard that are treated with a small amount of silver fulminate. Two treated surfaces rub together as the cracker is pulled setting of a small explosion similar to the size of a toy cap gun. These are not dangerous in any way as long as they are used within the cracker as intended.
|
|
|
|
What emerges from within each Cracker is a paper crown made from tissue paper, a riddle or joke and a small gift.
|
|
What is the best way to open a cracker?
Crackers are usually shared between two individuals, one pulling on each end. The traditional way to pull a cracker is crossing your arms and pulling a whole circle of crackers around the table. Everyone holds their cracker in their right hand and pulls their neighbors cracker with the free left hand.
|
|
|
Today, virtually every household in the UK has at least one box of party crackers to pull at meal times, parties, and family gatherings over the holiday season.
|
For further Information...
Christmas Cracker - WIKIPEDIA
The history of the Christmas Crackers - Why Christmas?
What is a traditional English Christmas Dinner
Robin Reed Christmas Crackers available in the U.S.
|