Friday, December 21, 2007

Christmas Crackers!


This afternoon I'm going to the kids' school to help out in Jamie's kindergarten class party. I'm going to make Christmas crackers with them! Not quite the "cracking" ones we Brits usually have at our dinner table on Christmas Day, but something pretty close. It's amazing what you can make with the inside of a toilet roll, some candy, wrapping paper, and ribbon. And did you know...

  • Christmas crackers were invented in England in 1847 by Tom Smith, who had recently visited Paris and found "bon bons" which were almond sweets wrapped in paper twisted at the ends.

  • Inspired by Chinese fortune cookies, Smith added small love mottos to his own versions.

  • In 1846, Smith was sitting next to his crackling fire and decided to try and reproduce the "crackle" in his new sweets...within a year, the "crackers" became very popular!

  • The sweets were first called "Cosaques" after the cracking of Cossack's whips, but after a decade became known as Christmas crackers.

Written by toners at 11:21 AM  

10 comments:

Miss Misi December 21, 2007 at 11:44 AM  

I've never heard of Christmas Crackers but in sounds interesting. Have fun!

Jan December 21, 2007 at 12:04 PM  

Oh what fun!! My family always had those at Christmas time (my grandmother is from Australia). Love the idea of making them with the kids!!

Sharon in NE December 21, 2007 at 1:22 PM  

What a special treat. The kids will always remember that.

ALF December 21, 2007 at 2:47 PM  

That reminds me - I bought crackers for this Christmas. Now I just have to remember where I put them...

milkcan December 21, 2007 at 2:51 PM  

I'm a big fan of Christmas crackers! That's so cool that you're making them!

Colleen December 21, 2007 at 3:15 PM  

What a fun idea to make them! We always have them at Christmas and everyone has to wear the bad hats and tell the ridiculous jokes with "in bed" on the end!! Funny!

Sherry December 21, 2007 at 9:15 PM  

Very interesting, I've made those and so have my kids, just never knew what they were. Thanks for the history lesson.

Alyssa December 21, 2007 at 11:36 PM  

Thanks for the insight on a fun Christmas tradition!

Sues December 22, 2007 at 2:15 PM  

Thanks for the history lesson!! I'd love to make those - maybe next year!!! I'd better start in July!

Janet December 25, 2007 at 10:36 PM  

How fun!! I've read about them and seen them in stores, but I've never had them at Christmas. What a great memory for the kids! :-) But I DID make figgy pudding this year for the first time! Thought of you, in fact, Toni! I'll post about it this week. It was great! Merry Christmas! Janet

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