Crackers are part of the ritual of Christmas dinner.

Made of a cardboard tube, wrapped around with decorated foil paper, with the cracker strip running through the middle.

One is laid out for each person at the table. Before the meal begins, you hold your cracker out to the person next to you, each holding one end, and pull hard. Once the cordite has faded away, and the squealing has stopped, the person who retains the bigger portion (like pulling a wishbone) wins the prizes inside:

  • a paper hat, which must be worn unless you wish to be called a spoilsport
  • a joke on a small slip of paper (the cheesier the better)
  • a novelty gift of some sort. In cheap crackers these can be little plastic rings, small toys like tiddlywinks. In flashy crackers you might end up with a pair of silver cufflinks or some other expensive frippery.