The History of the Christmas Cracker
Make your Own Crackers this Year and Save Money
© Andrea Seren Charrington-Greene
Oct 20, 2009
Crackers are undoubtedly a Christmas tradition, but few of us know the origins of them. In recent years many consumers have begun to treat them with a vague contempt, perhaps seeing them as slightly tacky or old fashioned. Perhaps they would be treated with a little more respect if it were recognised that they were the brainchild of a forward thinking entrepreneur. Indeed the inventor Tom Smith may well have been a contender for dragons den had he been born into our modern day era.
In early 1830, Tom Smith started work in a bakers and ornamental confectioners shop in London, selling sweets such as fondants, pralines and gum pastilles. He took particular interest in the wedding cake ornaments and decorations, experimenting and creating new, more exciting designs in his spare time. Due to his hard work and dedication it wasn't long he became successful enough to start up his own business in Goswell Road, Clerkenwell, East London. His adventurous and forward thinking approach led him to travel abroad to search for new ideas. It was on a trip to Paris in 1840 that he first discovered the 'bon bon', a sugared almond wrapped in a twist of tissue paper. It was this simple idea which would eventually evolve into the Cracker.
He brought the 'bon bon' to London and during Christmas that year they sold very well, but in January demand reduced. Tom was anxious to develop the 'bon bon' idea further and stimulate sales, so he decided to place a small love motto in the tissue paper and suddenly orders were sufficiently high and sales profitable enough for him to increase his staff. Recognising that he had a unique and potentially very lucrative idea he began to concentrate on developing it further, while still running the wedding cake ornament and confectionery business which was by now very well established.
Putting the Crackle in the Cracker
It was the crackle of a log as he threw it on his fire that gave him the inspiration which eventually led to the crackers we know today. A ' crackle' would add the necessary excitement to his novelty 'bon bon' and it was now simply a matter of experimentation to find a compound which gave a satisfactory bang without going to far. The size of the 'bon bon' increased significantly to accommodate the 'cracking mechanism' but the shape remained the same and the motto was still included.
Soon Tom was snowed under with orders. He began to refine his product - he dropped the sweet and the 'bon bon' name, calling his new crackers Cosaques, but he kept the motto and added a surprise gift. The Christmas cracker was born.
Learn How to Make Christmas Crackers
Making your own crackers is both rewarding and money saving. Children love to get involved in this activity and it is sure to put you in a festive mood.
You will need:
• A4 paper (decorated or covered in wrapping paper)
• Cardboard tubes – loo rolls are ideal
• Ribbon, wool or string
• Sticky tape and glue
• Cracker snaps, available from most
craft shops
• Ruler
• Scissors
Directions:
- Begin by decorating the A4 paper. Tip: Decorate the cracker while it is flat, as it is much easier to do than when it is assembled.
- When your design is finished, turn the paper over.
- Make sure one of the longer sides is at the top. Put the cardboard tube on the paper so that the ends are pointing towards the shorter sides of the paper and the tube is in the middle.
- Make a mark at each end of the tube. Draw two lines through the marks from top to bottom, so the paper is divided into three sections. Measure 2cm and 4cm from each line and draw lines from top to bottom. There should be three lines at each end of the paper.
- At one end, fold along the middle of the three lines. Make a cut from the fold about 1cm from the end of the paper. Keep doing this all the way along the fold. Repeat this at the other end.
- On a flat surface, put some glue along the edge of the paper. Put the tube at the top and in the middle, and roll the paper around it. You might need sticky tape to really secure the edges.
- Stick the cracker snaps in. Tie one end of the cracker with ribbon, wool or string. The cuts should gather up.
- Fill the cracker and then tie up the other end.
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