History of the
Christmas Cracker
The Christmas cracker was invented by a Tom Smith in 1847 and is said to be based on the French idea of a bon bon – a sugared almond wrapped in a twist of paper. It was the crackle of a log he threw on the fire that gave him the idea of the snap which eventually led to the crackers we know today.
When the cracker is pulled by two people, each holding one end of the twisted paper, the friction created a small pop, produced by a narrow strip of impregnated snap paper. 150 years on, Christmas crackers are an integral part of the British celebration of Christmas.