When it comes to Christmas, there are few things synonymous with the time of year. Bauble-filled trees, mince pies, turkey roasts, twinkly lights and crackers.
Adorned on the table of seasonal meals everywhere, they play a crucial role in kicking off the festive spirit and even provide an attractive adornment to help with tablescaping in the most festive way possible.
Dating back to the 1800s, you may be surprised to learn that this is a very European tradition not upheld by our friends across the pond. Yet for us, pulling the crackers with your neighbour and reading out the terrible jokes is so ingrained in our festive customs, it wouldn’t be Christmas without it.
That being said, as we’re all looking for ways to reduce waste, crackers may be the first to reconsider. The content is more than likely filled with landfill-ready items that can be a massive disappointment. Who has ever used the safety pins, screwdriver sets or red fish? We think we can do better.
Brands everywhere have revamped the traditional cracker and launched iterations filled with covetable mini presents to delight your guests. Whether they prefer a taster-sized boozy delight or a beauty goodie, the possibilities are really endless and you can tailor the cracker to suit the tastes of your giftee for an extra personal touch during the festive meal.
We have gathered the best crackers that not only delight your guests but have a nod to more eco-conscious practises. Paper hats - still included.
Charity
Advent of Change Charity Christmas Crackers, Pack of 6
The Christmas crackers that give back, Advent of Change call themselves the “kindest crackers in the world”. Not only are they plastic free and so have less of an impact on the environment but 80 per cent of the proceeds are donated to 24 charities. The product is designed to look as aesthetically pleasing as you’d expect from this table adornment but will have a positive impact. If that wasn’t enough of a pull (if you’ll pardon the pun), all the jokes have been supplied by celebrities.
Alcohol
Fever-Tree Gin and Tonic Pairing Crackers, Box of 4
A true festive treat for the juniper enthusiast in your life, this cracker set is made up of four iterations each of which feature a flavoured gin that has been perfectly paired with the tonic to best suit the botanical infusions. You will find the hero spirits from Salcombe, Chase, Audemus and Sipsmith as well as tonic from Fever-Tree.
Sipsmith Gin Cracker
Within these attractive, brightly coloured crackers from London-based gin brand Sipsmith, you will find four different iterations of their juniper-based signature mixes. Whether you have more of a traditional no fuss, no frills gin drinker or one that likes a fruity infusion, there’s a cracker as they contain either London Dry Gin, Lemon Drizzle Gin, Zesty Orange Gin or the Sloe Gin.
Decorative
Forever Crackers
These eco-conscious crackers may not give you the satisfying bang of a traditional advent but they are much kinder to the planet. The reusable items are made from linen or silk and adorned with beautiful designs. You unwrap them like a gift and when Christmas is over, you just pop them back in the box and save them for next year. There are six designs to choose from to suit your table aesthetic as well as a range on gifts for the inside - from food and cocktails, to a good deed or healing crystals.
Food
Fudge Kitchen Fudge Filled Christmas Cracker
Satisfy the sweet tooth of your Christmas lunch guest with this fudge-filled cracker from the Fudge Kitchen. Within the suitably festive red exterior, you’ll find the brand’s award-winning fudge with three flavour variations; salted caramel, speculoos and chocolate orange. Add immediately to your basket.
Beauty and fragrances
L'Occitaine Christmas Crackers - set of four
Your guests will be delighted to receive the mini skin goodies contained within L’Occitaine’s crackers. Within the beautifully-illustrated crackers, there’s a combination of shower gel, hand cream and shower oil starring Cherry Blossom, Almond, Lavender or Shea Butter.
Caudalie Vinosource cracker
French skincare brand Caudalie has packed its complexion boosting goodies into a Christmas cracker for the beauty lover at your table. You will find travel-sized iterations of the brand’s Vinosource Sorbet, Vinosource SOS Serum and Lip Conditioner worth £24 that are packed with anti-oxidants and will be a godsend for dry skin.
Floral Street Fragrance Cracker
Treat your senses to a truly special olfactory experience with a Christmas cracker from London-born fragrance label Floral Street. The eco-conscious crackers are free from any plastic and are adorned with a stunning floral design that will add a statement detailing to your tablescape. They contain one of the brand’s addictive scents. There’s a 10ml iteration of the Wonderland Peony, Electric Rhubarb, Wild Vanilla Orchid, Neon Rose and Ylang Ylang Espresso scents to choose from.
Cloud Nine Christmas Cracker
Within the limited-edition packaging that will fit subtly amongst your decor, you will find hair experts Cloud Nine’s Boar Bristle Paddle that will be the gift that keeps on giving. The mini brush can be slipped into their handbag or hand luggage for quick fix haircare emergencies.
Sanctuary Spa Pamper Cracker
Packing a real punch for the purse-friendly price tag, this cracker from Sanctuary Spa opens to reveal a combination of shower, bath and moisture-packed products for a post-party season pampering experience.
