When to open the Christmas crackers?

[Tarheel Tink]

American here with a British tradition question. I ordered some Christmas "crackers" to have during the meal but unsure at what point of the meal do you "crack" them open? After, before? I understand that there are toys,hats,etc. in them and that it makes quite a sound!

 

[thespaceinvader]

There are different times you can open them at. You can open them after you have finished eating, or when you are unhappy and full at the table and is bored. You can do it with your daughter or son or any other family member, but here's a secret: Most of the things inside are for the feminine kind!

 

[BONZO]

Hi,

As a "rule of thumb" we always open them at the start of the meal.

This means that you have the whole meal wearing paper hats, cracking corny jokes and get annoyed with little plastic puzzles!

 

[wheezie]

We open at the beginning as well (for the hats, of course!!). We've tampered with ours in the past. My mum got one with a 'help, I'm being held hostage in a christmas cracker factory' letter in hers one year (my auntie has a bit of a sick sense of humour).

Wheezie

 

[Tarheel Tink]

Thanks everyone! I have 3 dinner parties the week prior to Christmas and plan to have these so I'll be sure to do it at the start of the meal! Can you believe I'm doing 3 parties within days of my WDW trip return?!

 

[Dimplenose]

We tend to pull them after the main course and before the pudding. Don't be too excited about the gifts though, unless you've ordered really expensive ones. My children understood the phrase "naff plastic toy" at a very young age.

Libby

 

[KayleeUK]

Before the meal. Going to make my own this year

 

[Dimplenose]

I just thought that you might not know that it is important that you hold the crackers firmly near the "twist" so you get a good grip on the snap (the brown strip inside) otherwise you may pull the cracker apart without the "bang" going off. If you decide to pull the snap from a "failed" cracker, keep it away from your face as there is a small chance of getting a tiny burn.

I hope that make sense.

Libby