Christmas crackers?

I'm heading back to the states for the holidays, and I was considering bringing along some Christmas crackers.  Does anyone know if there are differences in quality among brands?  So, if I pick some up at Oxfam will they be just as good as the ones at John Lewis?

Check with your airline before you try to take Chrstmas Crackers as they do contain a small explosive and may not be allowed on the plane and if you put them in your checked baggage they may be removed during the baggage screening process.

Just an FYI, when I was in Wal-Mart over Thanksgiving in the US they had Christmas Crackers.

I took crackers to the US a few years ago and it wasn't a problem. According to this article it's perfectly fine to take into the US. Some airlines, like Ryanair, specifically ban them, but BA says they're fine in checked bags. Best to check the individual airlines to be sure.

To answer the original question, the only difference you'll really find is between normal crackers and 'luxury' crackers, which are usually bigger and have swankier surprises in them.

BA allows you to take two boxes of commercially packaged crackers in your checked baggage. I just took some to my family at Thanksgiving.

There are some that have different surprises in them, I saw some in a magazine that had lip gloss and makeup and stuff in them, but to me, the surprises don't really matter. I like the kitschiness of the cheaper ones, as long as they actually pop. 

A friend of mine picked up a kit at M&S where you make our own! She only needed 4 so I got the left over 4 for my self. I haven't put them together yet but it seemed to be pretty simple. The kit comes with the paper hat and the joke and you just add your own gift. I'm thinking I'll just put in some scratcher lotto tickets for the surprise.

ok...a bit of a stupid question...but are Christmas crackers the things that come with the paper crowns that I always see people wearing in British holiday movies?  I never understood why people wore the crowns--is it some sort of tradition with meaning behind it?  

Yes, the paper crowns come in the crackers. Usually you pop the crackers before you eat dinner - the person next to you grabs one end and you grab the other and you pop your crackers together. There are also some pretty lame jokes and surprises inside. 

I'm not sure what the story is behind the crown... but I bet the trusty Wikipedia could answer that question somehow. 

Jupy, the make-your-own are not allowed on planes, only the pre-packaged ones.

lilybelle, yes, Christmas crackers are the tubular objects that two people pull either end of to crack open. Inside is a paper hat, a joke and usually some little surprise, like a cheap plastic toy of some kind. You wear the paper hat because you're supposed to once you've opened the cracker!

ok...a bit of a stupid question...but are Christmas crackers the things that come with the paper crowns that I always see people wearing in British holiday movies?  I never understood why people wore the crowns--is it some sort of tradition with meaning behind it?  

Christmas Crackers can be opened before or after Christmas Dinner - it depends on family tradition.  Like others have said you get the crown, a bad joke and some kind of present (depending on how much you've spent on the crackers).   

The idea of wearing a paper crown is speculated to have originated from the Twelfth Night celebrations, where a King or Queen was appointed to look over the proceedings or to have roots in the Roman Saturnalia celebrations (aka Winter Solstice - celebrated near 25 December)...  Hope that helps.

Jupy, the make-your-own are not allowed on planes, only the pre-packaged ones.

What a bummer! I wonder why as it's basically the same thing just not rolled up into the tube yet.

I guess it's getting pretty popular in the US because last XMAS my hubby came to AZ and I was able to find them at Target and someone else just said Wally World has them. Then again, maybe they were always there and I just never noticed until I fell in love with my British Hubby.  

It's because the 'explosive' bit is then accessible and could be used nefariously.

What a bummer! I wonder why as it's basically the same thing just not rolled up into the tube yet.

I suppose you can't trust people to not wrap some other explosive substance in there.  

Thanks for the explanations, everyone!  Now I don't have to ask that question in front of my husband's family

I suppose you can't trust people to not wrap some other explosive substance in there.  

This is true! Some people just suck!!!!! 

lilybelle: Haha, I had to ask my husband about the paper crowns... thankfully, it was just us.

Which reminds me... we still need some crackers!