How complete is your Christmas dinner spread if there isn't a cracker in sight?
Whether you enjoy them for the paper hats, the whoopie cushions or the jokes - the Christmas cracker is a source of entertainment and an opportunity to bring people together at Christmas.
For many crackers are more of styling prop, used to enhance the table setting and decoration colour scheme.
But it's not all whoopie cushions and whistles, there are a wide range of alternative Christmas crackers you can buy on the high street and online, offering something unique for every budget.
If you're looking for fun and stylish crackers, these are the best rated ones you can buy that the whole family can enjoy this Christmas.
Best Christmas crackers
1. Hotel Chocolat Mini Crackers
As if there wasn't enough chocolate around at the festive season, indulge in just a little bit more this festive season, with these mini and modern delights.
The renowned chocolate experts offer a 10 piece mini cracker set, in a festive but minimalist colour scheme and each cracker containing a delicious treat inside.
The size of the crackers make them perfect for the tree, they would equally look nice as part of your luxury table setting.
Price: £17, Hotel Chocolat - buy here now
2. Personalised Metallic Family Christmas Cracker
Now every member to the family can get involved in all of the Christmas fun with their own personalised cracker.
Tailor the chic, blue crackers with your families names and message of your choice, which can later be kept as a keepsake as lovely memory of their first Christmas.
Inside the cracker is a paper hat and assorted gifts for everyone. Each cracker is hand finished with a luxury, cream coloured ribbon.
Price: £13.95, Not on The High Street - buy here now
3. CASPARI Nutcracker Christmas Crackers
If you want to turn things up a notch this Christmas, these Nutcracker design crackers are the perfect festive decoration.
The pack contains six crackers filled with the traditional treats, a paper hat, miscellaneous trinket and funny joke.
The pack contains all of the usuals of a Christmas cracker, but with only six in the pack you don't get as many as you'd find in alternatives.
If you're big on festive decorations and want to maintain the traditional look this Christmas, these crackers are one to consider.
Price: £30, Selfridges - buy here now
4. Fortnum and Mason Gold Leaf Christmas Crackers
Dabble in a little bit of luxury this festive season, with these shimmering gold-leaf patterned crackers.
The design makes these cracker the perfect treat to add the sparkling touches to your table and will compliment most colour festive colour schemes.
Inside each cracker is a hat, an entertainment scroll and a silver plated Fortnum and Mason's treat - that certainly beats a whoopie cushion.
Price: £60, Fortnum and mason - buy here now
5. Star-Shaped Sharing Cracker
This unique Christmas cracker is one everyone can enjoy at the same time.
The star shaped cracker is designed for six people, every person pulls sides of the star to reveal a festive surprise inside each bracket.
If you're looking for something a little bit different for the family this Christmas, this inexpensive and alternative option is ideal to have around.
Price: £12.99, Amazon - buy here now
6. BOË Gin Selection Party Crackers
This one's for the adult of the house to enjoy, once all the Christmas fun is winding down.
The four pack of crackers each contain Award Winning Boë Gin 5cl mini bottle.
This will make the perfect after dinner treat for the grownups to indulge in.
Price: £25, Boe Gin - buy here now
7. Kuckoo Balloon Game Crackers
This colourful box of Christmas crackers contain a balloon game that the whole family can get involved with.
Each of the six crackers have the usual hat and corny joke, also provided is a number of modelling balloons and guides on how to create different things with them.
Th pack also includes a balloon pump so you can blow up balloons to your hearts content. A fun and unique way to entertain this Christmas.
Price: £15.95, Amazon - buy here now
8. Fevertree Tonic Water Crackers
This set of crackers is another one for the adults of the family to enjoy this festive season, if you're fans of gin - this is the one for you.
Each 'cracker' contains a selective gin and a tonic water to compliment it - making you the ultimate festive tipple.
No hats or crackling sounds in this pack we're afraid, but gin does seem like a fair trade.
Price: £32, John Lewis - buy here now
9. Symphony Musical Christmas Crackers
A little festive tune form the whole family is a lovely way to bring everyone together for some fun.
Included in this pack of eight Christmas crackers are eight whistles, a score sheet, a conductor's baton, number sticks and even 16 tuns to play. Everything you'll need to create your own little Christmas orchestra.
We can see all of the grandfather's asleep in their chairs, whilst the rest of the family play a sweet symphony now.
Price: £14.99, Lakeland - buy here now
10. John Lewis & Partners ABC Xylophone Christmas Crackers
This set of crackers will provide you with all the tools you need for you and your family to create a Christmas jingle you won't forget.
As well as your paper hat and funny joke, inside each of the eight crackers is the piece to a xylophone - when everyone is all out of crackers to pop; you can put the pieces together to play a merry tune.
This is a nice way to entertain at Christmas and get all of the family having a go.
Price: £25, John Lewis - buy here now
11. Caudalie Vinosource Cracker
If a new haul of beauty products excites you, then you're bound to love this Christmas cracker filled with a best-selling selection of Caudalie’s favourite hydration products.
This will make the perfect stocking filler for a beauty enthusiast, it'll ensure they have perfect and glowing skin for the festive season and throughout the winter.
Enjoy a nourishing cleansing water, A moisturiser suitable for sensitive skin and a high potency serum for super supple skin.
Price: £10, Esentual - buy here now
12. Vintage Grand Circus Christmas Cracker Hand Cream
These Christmas crackers have a retro feel and will instantly add a touch of eclecticism to your table.
The pack contains three vintage crackers, all of which contain a scented hand cream that is free from parabens and sulphates.
All of the hand creams have their own festive inspired fragrance, including red berries, mulled wine and eggnog.
Price: £10, Amazon - buy here now
