Pulling Christmas crackers

​If you’ve ever been to a Christmas party, lunch or dinner in the UK, you've probably seen a Christmas cracker. These festive table decorations are pulled apart to reveal a small gift, a party hat and a riddle or a joke. When they are pulled they make a ‘snap’ or ‘cracking’ sound which is what gave them their name. 

Crackers were first created in the mid 19th century by a sweet maker called Tom Smith who tried selling sweets around Christmas time with a small motto or riddle included in the packaging. Later, he decided to add the ‘crackle’ element after seeing logs crackle on a fire.

Eating mince pies 

Eating mince pies (small pastries filled with currants and dried fruit combined with herbs and spices) is a popular tradition in the UK around Christmas time. Although the filling of the pie is described as ‘mincemeat,’ mince pies do not contain meat. Mince pies are such an important part of Christmas in the UK that on Christmas Eve children often leave them as a treat for Father Christmas along with a carrot for his reindeer.

​