A Crackin' Christmas

A "pop-up" shop opened up on King's Road this Christmas season--The Christmas Cracker Shop, and  they had so many cute Christmas things. 

They specialized in Christmas crackers,

one of the most popular Christmas traditions in Britain.

The cracker is placed at the Christmas table, and when guests assemble, two people pull on each end of the cracker, causing it to split and make a popping sound.

Inside is typically found a surprise, a paper crown and a joke.

The cracker was first introduced by Thomas J. Smith in 1847 in London in an effort to promote the sweets his company was selling. He was inspired to add the crackle sound after hearing the crackle of a fire. Eventually, the candy was replaced in time with small trinkets, and made more elaborate by his own sons.

Most crackers have small toys or trinkets inside, but if you want to pay the price, there are luxury crackers with lovely surprises inside, setting you back as much as hundreds or even a thousand dollars.

Last Christmas, family members crossed arms, grabbing both ends of their crackers imported from Britain, 

and pulled with a pop!

Pulled 

and popped!

The custom is that everyone wears their paper crowns

for the rest of the meal.  

Here's wishing you a crackin' Christmas to you and yours!