# Have you ever pulled a Christmas cracker? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 21, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223 "2008-12-21T20:39:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/1 "2008-12-21T20:39:09Z")
It was only last year, while spending Christmas in the US that I realised that [Christmas crackers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cracker) aren’t all that common over there. My girlfriend was able to pick some up at an import store. No one in her family had ever pulled a cracker before. It surprises me that this isn’t a tradition in the US, as it seems to be common in the rest of the English speaking world. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/2 "2008-12-21T20:57:57Z")
No. I didn’t know what they were until a couple years ago, when a British Doper mentioned them. We’re not into those Christmas puddings either. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/3 "2008-12-21T20:59:49Z")
I’ve pulled one every year, except for dinners at my husband’s mother’s house and once at an ex-boyfriend’s house. I have a lovely box of Christmas crackers–Costco has really good ones, all ready to bring to Christmas dinner this year. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/4 "2008-12-21T21:08:54Z")
We have Christmas crackers every year. It’s a tradition that **Rhiannon8404** and I started when we got married. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/5 "2008-12-21T21:27:22Z")
Never saw one until I married my British husband. I like them, though, so we have them every year, either bought or homemade. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/6 "2008-12-21T21:43:32Z")
Yes, many times. And subsequently worn the silly hat. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/7 "2008-12-21T21:51:08Z")
Looks like a fun tradition. Where can we get those things in the USA? ---
**Author:** ![stucco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@stucco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stucco)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/8 "2008-12-21T21:53:40Z")
I was in Gibraltar last Christmas and at the pub where we found Christmas dinner, we got poppers. I think there was a sewing kit in mine. My mom got a compass. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/9 "2008-12-21T21:55:22Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > Looks like a fun tradition. Where can we get those things in the USA? Hallmark. At least that’s where I’ve bought them. (so put me down as a “yes” too). I think I saw them at The Christmas Tree Shop too this year. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/10 "2008-12-21T21:57:08Z")
I did it for the three years that I lived in England as a child. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/11 "2008-12-21T21:58:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Crackers were invented by Tom Smith of London in 1847, as a development of his bon-bon sweets, which he sold in a twist of paper (the origins of the traditional sweet-wrapper). Hey, ours from Costco are Tom Smith brand! With the little “by appointment to HM Queen Elizabeth…” thing on it! (A Royal Warrant?) I just got them because I’d gotten them from Costco before and they were good. And there’s a picture showing the prizes inside, and they’re all actually useful stuff–corkscrew, wine opener, picture frame, mirror, pen, memo holder, photo frame. I don’t know where you’d get them in the States, though. It’s a British and colonies thing. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/12 "2008-12-21T21:59:35Z")
I’d read about them all my life, but I’d never actually seen one until last year, when I saw them in World Market and got some for us to pull. Half of them were duds, but it was fun and we wore the paper crowns. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/13 "2008-12-21T22:26:59Z")
Grandma has bought them a time or two. I see them in stores, but most of the time don’t think of getting them. Hmm maybe I will… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/14 "2008-12-21T22:32:35Z")
Yep. One of the most useful items I carry around with me came from a Christmas cracker. It’s a neon-green folding brush/comb. Just the thing to keep in the glovebox for when I need to make myself somewhat presentable. I get mine from [Absolutely Crackers](http://www.absolutelycrackers.com/). This year I also got some from CostCo. The ones from CostCo look like they have nice prizes in them. I’ve sent some off already, and I’ll take others with me to gatherings. I remember one year my late-stepfather, a rather taciturn Finn, putting on the paper crown at Christmas brunch at a restaurant. It was totally out of character for him, and I’m glad he was game. ---
**Author:** ![goransmom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f07891/32.png) [@goransmom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goransmom)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/15 "2008-12-21T22:51:50Z")
Our Christmas is not complete until we are eating roast beef and Yorkshire puddings with paper hats on our heads. Most likely it’s because I was born in the UK and lived there until my parents emigrated to the US when I was 11. Some traditions just didn’t go away, now if I could just get my hands on a nice selection box and some Quality Streets, my holidays would be perfect! ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/16 "2008-12-21T23:02:52Z")
I got a little one in my stocking at work. Haven’t opened it yet. I think it might have candy in it or something. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/17 "2008-12-21T23:17:11Z")
I pulled one on Friday. 🙂 It never occurred to me though that they were endemic to England, I just assumed everyone used them. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/18 "2008-12-21T23:18:55Z")
Yes, my MIL is English and buys them at an English foodmarket along with sausage rolls and other English goodies. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/19 "2008-12-21T23:23:08Z")
I’ve heard of them, but never seen or used one. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223/20 "2008-12-21T23:31:34Z")
I haven’t ever pulled one. Am I missing out? 'Cause if I’m missing out, then I’m gonna go get some! 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-pulled-a-christmas-cracker/478223.md?page=2)