Christmas Crackers (the kind you don't eat)

[lynny 0]

I am taking some to my inlaws this christmas, We have a few stores here in Mass that sell them but the prices are way up there but hey it is christmas and what is xmas without crackers

[Widge 0]

I love 'em and as far as I'm concerned they are now a permanent part of Christmas. I like to use them when setting the table - place them in the center of the plate. They make the table look festive and cute!

Hmmm are you sure you weren't British in a past life Rebecca I agree with your comment that they make a table look festive, I have provided them for every Christmas dinner I have been to with hubbys family here and they have now become a tradition. They are a definite ice-breaker and get a meal off to a jolly note as I defy anyone to sit telling the corny jokes with a paper crown on their head and remain at all standoffish

This year I have bought genuine Tom Smith one's online not cheap but they are really beautiful

[rebeccajo 14]

Hahahaha Rosie! You're right about the crowns - I even put one on and I NEVER wear anything on my head - don't want to muss the hair, you know!

I just looked at the crackers we bought at TJ Maxx this year and they are Tom Smith. I think i paid 15 bucks for them. I remember having another box in my hand that were 10 dollars, but these are bigger plus I love the red and gold tubes. I have golden colored plate chargers (Big Lots pack of four 5 bucks) so these crackers should look lovely on the table!

Speaking of Big Lots, we found chocolate liquer cups there that we are going to have on the table as well. A little swig of something mellow, then eat the cup! Ah!

Speaking of things British, I'll be gluing ribbon to the back of some gold foil coins today to hang on our tree. I can't find the coins with string on them locally, so I'm improvising.

Edited December 16, 2006 by rebeccajo

[luvaLimey 0]

I know they aren't a traditional American tradition, but we've had them every christmas. My parents met when they were both living in england, and we even lived there for a while when I was a baby.

My Dad would bring some back with him from his trips, and my mom managed to find some in a few stores, i know before they started becoming more common, you could usually find them in burlington coat factory, or the occasional closeout store, if you looked at just the right time.

[kisschick1976 0]

The only time I had ever seen or heard of one was on neopets the site was created by a group of bored Welsh college students about seven years ago. I thought it was a candy.

So then Jonny brings up that he will be all alone this Christmas and that he will, 'Sit in a corner of a darkened room wearing a paper crown, rocking back and forth simultaneneously weeping uncontrollably and singing "It'll be lonely this Christmas" in a creepy falsetto voice.' So I asked him why he would be wearing a paper crown

He told me all about Christmas crackers and even offered to mail me some but then thought about how even though it's a tiny explosive, it may not get through customs. I saw some online but they do look expensive for what's inside them. There isn't much call for them here because when Jonny was here, he WAS the British population in my town

[ladybutterfly 0]

If you have a World Market near you, you can buy crackers there and also the gold chocolate coins to put on the tree ... YAY!