Christmas crackers

[Helpstopthepain]

Just realised that we don’t have any!
We are a family of a teen and 4 adults. Where should I look for crackers?

I always mean to make my own because I cannot stand the crappy bottle openers and cheapo things they put in the so-called "Luxury" crackers.

I never seem to get organised! I'm in Oz so this won't be much help but I found a box of eco friendly ones that have cardboard Christmas decorations inside...they're quite nice.

Otherwise, I'd just look in Tesco and M&S! Unless you find eco ones or are willing to pay 200 quid a box they're all the same anyway!

I would say depends what you want

I bought some from Lakeland last year and they were (relatively ) expensive enjoyment I would reckon no better than any other cracker . - Year before I bought some with little drams of whisky in them, again (relatively expensive )

This year I am going down the route of Crackers are just about the colour and 1 minute of fun & no matter what is inside so am getting some from either waitrose or Tesco - cheapest ones I can find which look OK .

Other opinions are available

Even the luxury ones are crap! Bring back the Fortune Telling Fish.

Ha ha - cross posted @FortunesFave - I am going cheap this year - I will bet no one notices.

@DismantledKing - yes yes - my going cheap strategy is in the hope we get a fortune telling fish - during my childhood that probably gave more minutes of entertainment per price than anything - ha ha

Robin Reed on Amazon do a selection that are a bit more fun - racing animals, part of a xylophone to all then play together etc

We’ve bought magic trick ones this year

[quote BasiliskStare]@DismantledKing - yes yes - my going cheap strategy is in the hope we get a fortune telling fish - during my childhood that probably gave more minutes of entertainment per price than anything - ha ha[/quote]
I actually ordered something from a company that puts a little packet of sweets or a cheap novelty in the packaging as a bonus. Imagine my delight when the latest package arrived with a fortune telling fish in it! I was made up.

Last year, we had some pretty ones. They each had a hat and a number in. The number corresponding to a bell. All the bells had a different note. And one person was conductor. Pointed to each bell as required. And us players had to guess which tune we were attempting to play. It was good clean fun, with kids involved. Not sure where they came from.

Ahhh you are right! I should just buy cheap supermarket ones and hope for a fortune fish!

I always buy cheap ones as I am not willing to spend silly money on something that mostly just ends up in the bin. I still have a fortune fish from last year just in case we dont get one this year!

I bought some fortune telling fish for a few quid from amazon so everyone will get one this year!

I think we could assemble our own dream set of crackers. Mine would be:
The fish, obviously.
‘The Magic Calculator.’
One of those game things where you have to get the little balls into the holes.
A puzzle where you have to separate two different things that are attached somehow.

I actually collect vintage crackers....I have a box from the 60s which are beautiful and have little bead dolls stuck to the front of each one....and inside, I know because I peeked, metal (tin) brooches and cute animals. They made them so much better. I have a box from the late 70s with plastic things but even they're better than the plastic things we get now! And the quality of the hats is far better too.

@FortunesFave

I actually collect vintage crackers....I have a box from the 60s which are beautiful and have little bead dolls stuck to the front of each one....and inside, I know because I peeked, metal (tin) brooches and cute animals. They made them so much better. I have a box from the late 70s with plastic things but even they're better than the plastic things we get now! And the quality of the hats is far better too.

Marry me and share your crackers?

@Clarkey86

Robin Reed on Amazon do a selection that are a bit more fun - racing animals, part of a xylophone to all then play together etc

We’ve bought magic trick ones this year

Yes!! We had these last year and the children loved them. amzn.to/3J6Fdpo except ours were reindeer.

We had great fun with the little racing reindeer. We packed them all away last year and have brought them out again this year to play with.

That being said, this year I bought pre-made empty crackers from Hobby Craft and have bought mini gifts suited to each recipient that I can put inside. I'll decorate them and tie nice ribbon on them.

Sainsbury’s have these Habitat ones. £4 for 12 and look pretty nice.

www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/family-christmas-crackers-candy-stripe-12pk?istCompanyId=1e096408-041f-4238-994e-a7cf46bf9413&istFeedId=689af7a8-5842-4d88-be59-1ee5688a81b5&istItemId=prwmtqtrp&istBid=t&&cmpid=cpc&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=15424330555&utm_content=shopping&utm_term=%257Bsku%257D&utm_custom1=129852755749&utm_custom2=759-449-0952&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5uWl2arp9AIVk5ftCh1tsAc0EAQYASABEgKMx_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

MIL buys cheap crackers & puts a Scratch card in each one.

@AgnesG - this is witchcraft - can you actually order fortune telling fish ? - I am going to do it.

@FortunesFave - those sound beautiful but in our house crackers get done and dusted - but yours sound absolutely lovely

3 or 4 years years running I have ordered relatively expensive crackers - wind up snowmen with a run , One with a thing where you had to play a tune everyone had a flute type thing and a music sheet , one a dram of whisky in each one - Price per minutes of enjoyment - hmmm - I am not doing it this year

I may just buy the cheapest but nicest looking ones and stick a fortune telling fish down the hole where the snap is.

In our house - that counts as fun

Are we rubbish ?

@DismantledKing - apart from the fortune telling fish - I like the crap key rings so that I can put them on my neighbour' s keys who trust me with their keys. Also - now I think about it - I love the tiny screwdrivers , because I can use them to mend the arms of my glasses.

I have convinced myself - cheap crackers and ordering fortune telling fish is the way to go. The days of spending £35 or on crackers is gone - that could actually buy someone a nice present or go towards something else

Thank you one - thank you all

Helpstopthepain I would marry you but you can only look at my crackers and not pull them.

@FortunesFave - if I promise not to propose to you - could you post a picture of lovely vintage crackers

I just buy the cheapest ones that look the nicest/most Christmassy. All the stuff inside even the ‘luxury’ ones is tat anyway, though admittedly a set of mini screwdrivers has occasionally come in useful.

We rather like the daft plastic tat, it’s part of the fun of Christmas dinner, wondering what on earth this is/is supposed to do. A set of vampire teeth went down very well with a younger family member one year, though.

I wouldn’t want chocolates - there’s always more than enough chocolate in this house at Christmas anyway.

I've bought mine from m&s. Only £4 for 12. Completely plastic free - they contain a hat, joke & origami Christmas challenge (eg make a Santa/elf/penguin).
I'm very pleased with them but haven't actually tried them yet.

@livingthegoodlife - that sounds brilliant - going to M&S tomorrow - origami could keep us entertained for hours - let us hope not sold out

We saw some crackers in Harrods for £120 - the gifts looked just as crap as any other!

I have made my own from a kit the last couple of years. Hotel Chocolat also have them with chocolate in (obviously!).

Last year, or possibly the year before we bought some from Waitrose that contained charades and trivia game cards.

I'd love these this year but they're too pricy for us.