Advent day 5... a short history of the Christmas cracker! 

See day four here

Christmas crackers are the key piece of any Christmas table and we all love the crappy paper crown and awful jokes but where did Christmas crackers come from?

In the 1850's Tom Smith, a British sweet maker, was putting mottos and love poems in his sweets in a twisted wrapper after he had experienced this in France. After being inspired by the sparks coming off a log on the fire he decided to make a log shaped product that opened with a bang to reveal a sweet and a motto. They were originally called the Cosaques but they soon became know as the cracker. Many sweet manufacturers stole this idea so Tom Smith decided to put a surprise gift in the cracker instead.

Once Tom Smith died his sons (Tom, Henry and Walter) took over the business and really innovated. Walter was the one who introduced hats to the crackers and the sons travelled to find interesting gifts to put inside. 

They created themed crackers including crackers for Spinsters and Women's suffrage. As well as a millionaires cracker which included jewelry in it! Apparently the Royal Family still get custom crackers made. 

By the 1930's the love poems were replaced by (bad cheesy) jokes like we know today. 

Although a small idea to begin with, crackers are a key part of our Christmas day and I couldn't imagine celebrating without hearing the bang of a cracker and wearing a terrible paper crown! (Apparently even the Queen wears one!) 

Did you know the history of crackers? 

Comment below!