Christmas Crackers are festive table decorations that make a snapping sound when pulled open. They were invented by Tom Smith who owned a sweet shop in 1847 London. They are part of Christmas celebrations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Commonwealth.  In more recent times, they have become part of the US Christmas table decor.  Crackers are typically pulled at the dinner table.  In one version of the cracker tradition, the person with the larger portion of cracker empties the contents from the tube and keeps them. In another, each person has their own cracker and keeps its contents regardless of whose end they were in. Typically these contents are a coloured paper hat, a small trinket, a riddle or piece of trivia on a small strip of paper. The paper hats, with the appearance of crowns, are usually worn when eating Christmas dinner.


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