Anyone send Christmas Crackers to the US?

I thought it would be a lovely idea to post Christmas crackers to our family in the US, but I am not sure if it is ok to do... I know Royal Mail will accept them as long as they are complete and in their original packaging.  It appears that the same policy is true for the USPS... BUT considering the cost of shipping I would like to know if anyone has had experience with this before I fork out the money and risk failure.
Specifically we would be shipping to CA, IL, IN, and NY.
Thanks!


Jenn

My Nan used to send them to us in the States, but then my Granddad worked for the GPO at the time

As far as I'm aware  you are unable to send them as theyre viewed as an "explosive" thanks to the bit that makes a cracker a cracker. You're also unable to take them in your luggage if planning to bring them home in travels back.

I do know theyre available in the US now, so might want to take a look around online to see if you can buy them from a US based retailer and have them sent

Hi

As per above..

The cost of shipping them, even if it is allowed, would put them at a far higher price than if you just shopped online at a US retailer and had them sent within the US.

Also, again if allowed, then the only real reason to send from here is if they are 'totally British' as it were and are just not available in the US. Considering you'll get a little lump of a plastic figure or a paper hat etc, I'd say it isn't really worth it - but I understand it's the thought behind it all that you are trying to 'send' !

Cheers, DtM! West London & Slough UK!

One year, I ordered them off Amazon.com for my US family, but...

They really just didn't get it - thought it was bizarre, weren't sure what they were supposed to do with it & the stuff in it, a whole tradition that was entirely lost on them - because it's not part of their traditions of how the holiday is supposed to go.  So I didn't bother or waste the money after that. 

Also, they really are available nearly everywhere here in the US now.  I think even Target carries them.

But the ones here are SO MUCH nicer!

I've sent them in the past - not knowing I wasn't supposed to - and they've arrived just fine. Not saying you should, of course - just reporting my experience. It's illegal to send them, so don't send them. 

Really? The prizes in the ones here are pretty much the same old cr@p as the ones in the US that I saw.  Mini decks of cards, shoe horns, cheap little plastic toy things, the little nail games where you have to separate them.

I like the cracker bit and the jokes are sometimes ok, but sometimes you get the same three jokes in the whole box.

Unless you want to go really high end and get ones that have the whistles or whatever and you can get those in the US too.  

The ones I saw at Michael's were made in the UK.

Do the US ones have less pop or something?

They have some really nice ones here in the US now.  They don't match up to the pricey Fortnum & Mason or Harrod's ones, but they're good.

My hairdresser's stepfather just bought a box of six crackers for £180! Sterling silver prizes! 

I didn't spend quite that much, but bought a box from the same line - they're 'Food Lovers'' crackers and each one has a kitchen gadget in it. Those are this year's Christmas Eve crackers. We'll have the more traditional ones on Christmas Day.

I like the fill your own kits- we usually load them with candy so it flies everywhere and nobody is disappointed by the prizes

I like the fill your own kits- we usually load them with candy so it flies everywhere and nobody is disappointed by the prizes

I made my own last year (not from a kit), but I overloaded them so they didn't snap properly!    They were so heavy - filled with chocs, mini booze bottles, presents, etc.! It was fun!

You can't send them, DW took some to the post office to send and when she said what the package contained they said she couldn't send them. she was trying to do that to send a particular ones to her sister for us to have at Thanksgiving when we went because I said I was pretty sure you couldn't take them on the plane. Sure enough when we got to the airport there was a sign at check in saying to inform them if you had crackers and we saw a pile of them behind the check-in desk! Guess they have a good party!

My husband arrived a few days ago from London with two boxes of crackers in his check on bag, had no problems whatsoever......

You can order them from Williams Sonoma

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/twelve-days-christmas-party-crackers/?pkey=e|12%2Bdays%2Bof%2Bchristmas%2Bparty%2Bcrackers|1|best|0|1|24||1&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-Top%20Wide%20Gift%20of%20the%20Day%20-%20copy-_-