Christmas Crackers

The other day a friend and I were reminiscing about the Christmases we remember from our childhoods. During this conversation she also spoke of something her husband remembers from his. Her better half is British and as a child always looked forward to something called “Christmas Crackers”. Of course, having never heard of this before I thought she was speaking of a fancy saltine. Boy, did I feel culturally illiterate!

Turns out, Christmas crackers, a Christmas tradition in the United Kingdom and a few other places, are cardboard tubes filled with little toys and trinkets wrapped in bright paper and tied at each end. The crack in “cracker” comes from the popping sound made when it is pulled apart, which is sometimes done by two people much like pulling apart a wishbone.

Well, I guess you know what project I’m now dying to do with the kiddos around here (if time permits, and that's a BIG "if"). I might even have to make some for my niece and nephews. I’ll for sure post pictures when I do. I can’t wait. I’m going right now and collect empty toilet paper tubes.


P.S. You know, the more I think of it, this sounds like something one of my teachers in grade school would have done with us as a Christmas craft. My 4th grade teacher was a very artsy gal and we were always making crafts and learning about a sundry of things. I think this was also the year we took a field trip to Cheekwood Mansion and Museum to view all the Christmas trees, each decorated that year according to the different traditions and customs of a specific country. If you are in the Nashville area I would highly recommend a trip to Cheekwood during the holidays!